Club Pet Adoption will give the gift of companionship for the holidays this year.

The Delaware Township shelter plans to place 10 of its rescued adult cats in the homes of senior citizens, who would like a pet but feel the price is too steep.

"A lot of times seniors contact us, but they live on a limited income," said Dianna Estman, who owns Club Pet along with her husband Dave. "They would love to have a companion but can't afford the initial vet fee or the adoption fee."

This is the first year Club Pet has done this project.

"For Christmas, we thought it would be nice to place 10 of our cats in senior homes at no cost," Mrs. Estman said.

The cats will all be vaccinated and spayed or neutered. Some of them are declawed because they arrived at the shelter that way, but Club Pet does not send its cats for declawing, Mrs. Estman said. The $40 adult cat adoption fee will also be waived, she said.

Mrs. Estman emphasized that the cats will not be placed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Senior citizens interested in a cat will have to go through the same application process as anyone who wants to adopt a Club Pet animal.

"We will accept all applications and choose what homes we feel are appropriate," she said. "We still have an approval process. The only thing that's different is we're not charging."

The cats are required to be kept indoors and if the new owners can no longer care for it, Club Pet must be notified for repossession of the cat.

The cats, along with starter kits, will be delivered to their new homes on Dec. 20.

Anyone interested in applying for a cat can call Club Pet at (724) 962-0877 for a phone interview with a volunteer. The deadline for applications is Dec. 15. Anyone interested in sponsoring half of the veterinary expenses or helping out with a starter kit can also contact the shelter.