Honey's Adoption Story

My cat, Honey, turned 5 last week! If you follow along on Instagram or snapchat (sprinklesandsat), you know how obsessed I am with her and when you hear her adoption story (and see her baby pictures) it’s easy to understand where it all began. So in honor of her birthday, I thought I’d share it with you all.

It was the summer before my senior year of college. For most of my life, I thought I wanted to be a therapist (I’m now in marketing, so that didn’t quite pan out), so at the time I was studying to take the GRE to apply to graduate programs. I was beyond stressed spending every day of my summer in the library taking practice test after practice test and visiting home, which was just an hour away, when I got the chance.

As a volunteer at the ASPCA, my mom would often take newborn kittens home to foster until they were old enough to get adopted. That summer, when I was home visiting one day, my mom got an email from the ASPCA saying they had a newborn kitten that needed a foster home... or else… Basically saying she would be euthanized if no one came to get her. My mom’s heart broke and she jumped in the car right away to go pick her up.

Having had pet cats and foster cats running around my family's house growing up, we all know that certain cats are special. It’s a bit difficult to explain exactly what I mean by that, but I think it boils down to certain cats having more human qualities than others and just a unique connection or bond you feel with them (if you have a special pet, you know what I mean). They’ll greet you at the door when you get home instead of running and hiding under your bed. They can tell when you’re upset - my mom once had a cat that would lick the tears of her cheeks when she cried. They’ll follow you around the house just because they want to be near you. These aren’t typical personality traits of cats, known for their independence.

When my mom walked in the door holding Honeycomb, who looked like a tiny grey dust bunny of fuzz, in the palm of her hand I thought she was the cutest kitten I’d ever seen. Throughout that day, as I got to know her sweet, mellow personality I realized without a doubt I'd found my special cat.

The only problem was that I still had a year left of college and there was no way I could have a kitten living with me in a house with seven other girls. So, naturally, I got to work begging my parents to take care of her for my final year so I could take her in as my own cat when I graduated.

My parents were less than enthusiastic about my plan. They already had two cats of their own and, my dad especially, did not want to take care of another.* They told me there was no way. This, on top of the stress I was under studying for the GRE, was heartbreaking. I knew she was mine, I was sure of it, but there wasn't much I could do.
  

I drove back to school that day feeling like I'd left behind my companion and didn't know when I'd come across another special cat I had that strong of a connection with again.

It wasn't until a few days later, when I was studying in the library at school, that I got a call from my mom telling me they'd changed their minds and would take care of Honey for my senior year. She told me she knew what it felt like to find your special cat, and she didn't want me to lose mine. I had to rush outside because my excitement was no where near library level.

Today, Honey is such an important part of my life. She makes it possible for me to live alone and yet never feel lonely. She helps out with recipe shoots (pic below). And cuddles up with me every night. Thinking about her possibly being euthanized that day if my mom hadn't gone and gotten her is unbelievable and such a great reminder to always adopt rather than shop, because really she rescued me and not the other way around.

*At the end of the year, my dad had fallen in love with her so much, he threatened not to give her back to me.