ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – There’s a lot of love for kittens out there, but when it comes to older cats, forever homes are far and few between.

“A lot of times if they have medical, or if they’re old, or rescues they get put down because they’re not adoptable. People generally don’t adopt the senior cats, they adopt the kittens,” said Joyce Courtin, Pay It 4ward nominator. 

It’s a depressing fate for some older cats whose elderly owners passed away, leaving them with nowhere else to go. That is, until Janet Phillpsen stepped in.

“These cats, they’ve lived good lives, they’ve been good companions, and we think that they deserve to live their best life until it’s time for them to go,” said Courtin. 

Phillpsen founded June’s Senior Cat Rescue a decade ago. The group takes in elderly, orphaned cats and gets them checked out at the vet. Then, they work to find them temporary foster homes for their final days.

Courtin says that sometimes includes pairing up older cats with older adults looking for company. 

“She gets the companionship, the cat gets a house. It’s a win-win situation,” Courtin said. 

Courtin says the group also helps older cat owners with their vet bills, so cats can stay in their homes for as long as possible.

A valiant mission founded on one woman’s love for cats.

“She is constantly on the move for these cats, between vet visits and meds that she gives the cats, and trying to get fosters and trying to get adoptions and stuff,” said Courtin. “She’s a force to be reckoned with, for sure.” 

So, it was time to Pay It 4ward with $400.

Watch the video above for more.