Two weeks ago, Tara and Steve headed to an animal shelter expecting to adopt a cat. Little did they know what lay in store for them.
Their journey to adopt began seven months ago when they lost their beloved 18-year-old brown tabby, Jackson. They were heartbroken coming home without the warm welcome and companionship that once filled the space.
“I didn’t know when we would be ready (to adopt again), but I knew we would. Giving another stray baby a home would be the perfect honor to the memory of our boy,” Tara told Love Meow.
After Christmas, Tara and Steve stumbled upon a post from Exploits Valley SPCA about a tabby cat named Shadow. “I instantly knew he was ours. He also gently reminded me of our Jackson, and we just fell in love.”
A few days after they put in an application, they received a call from the shelter to set up a meet-and-greet. Thrilled, the couple prepared everything from a carrier to supplies to food. During their drive to the shelter, the idea of adopting two was loosely suggested.
They arrived 45 minutes before the shelter opened. Once inside, as much as Tara tried to conceal her excitement, she was completely giddy at the thought of the cat.
“As soon as we saw him, we knew that feeling we had was spot on. It was almost like he did as well. Two seconds of being with him, and we knew he was coming home with us.”
Just when the couple thought “mission accomplished,” their plans began to “deviate.”
When they mentioned the possibility of getting a second cat, Sarah from the shelter showed them a white and brown boy named Poco, who had his eyes on them the whole time.
The moment Tara held him in her arms, Poco nuzzled under her chin and turned into a purring puddle. “He’s like putty. He just wants to snuggle and love you and purr.”
Then, a third cat named Pony, a rotund tabby with gorgeous markings, caught their eye.
As if Pony didn’t want to be left out, he enthusiastically rubbed against Tara and Steve while talking away to them. Before they could decide on a second cat, now there were three.
As the couple went back and forth, weighing their options, the cats put on the best “adopt me” performance ever. “It was like they had a group meeting the night before where they prepared ahead of time how to get us to adopt all three.”
Tara and Steve started their day expecting to adopt one cat, but it all escalated very quickly. Their household increased from two to five in one fell swoop.
The 5-hour ride home was peaceful, with Pony seeking occasional hand-holding. After the hectic first two days, the house was fully equipped for the three new fur kids, now renamed Chirp, Flynn, and Riggs.
“They are getting along great together. Flynn and Riggs are besties.”
Chirp, who came from a less-than-ideal situation, needed extra reassurance from his parents that he was loved and safe. “Every day, we can see he’s starting to get that with us. He is very entertaining to watch when he’s in full play mode.”
For Chirp, feeding time has become a race for the fastest. The second he hears the cupboard open, he flies to the kitchen in the blink of an eye, chirping at his humans to hurry things up.
“Flynn purrs as soon as you touch him and cannot get enough of burrowing into that space between your shoulder and neck.”
“Riggs is a flopper. He is calm and chill and is perfectly happy to wait for his brothers to be fed before him,” Tara shared.
“We are very much in love with all three of these guys, and we truly feel we were all meant for each other.”
“Our house finally feels like a home again, and our spirits have been lifted. Jackson will never be replaced, but he would be happy to know his people are being taken care of and that his home continues to be filled with love and happiness.”
