Two 21-year-old cat brothers, Leon and Nikita, may be the oldest feline siblings in the U.K. After their previous guardians surrendered the furry friends to the RSPCA Northamptonshire animal shelter, the adorable littermates finally found a forever home.

The shelter launched a social media campaign to find the perfect pet parents for their special seniors.

“They are just such lovely cats,” animal care supervisor Michelle Billingham told the Northampton Chronicle. “And at 21-years-old, they should not be in a rescue.”

In its adoption listing, the RSPCA described Leon and Nikita as an affectionate, bonded pair in fairly good health. They longed for a quiet, child-free “retirement home.” Most importantly, the lifelong duo needed to stay together.

Responses were overwhelming. Applications poured in from across the globe.

“They’ve been really, really popular,” RSPCA adoption team member Julie Clifft told the Daily Mail. “We expected lots of applications, but not hundreds.”

With lots of loving, long-distance adoption offers, the rescue chose to keep Leon and Nikita local.

“Nikita has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and is stable, but needs to stay close to his vet for checks,” Clifft said. “We really wanted to keep them together in Northamptonshire, and we’re delighted that that has been possible.”

Thank you to those who worked diligently to re-home the bonded brothers. They deserve a safe, compassionate, and comfortable home to live out their sunset years.

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