I had recently begun working a lot and was away from home for many hours of the day, so my cat, Leo, was often home alone. To avoid another occurrence like before, I had been wanting to get him a sibling that would keep him company while I am gone. I figured that if he had someone to play with and he didn’t feel lonely, it wouldn’t cause him to eat foreign objects out of stress or boredom like he had in the past, resulting in an expensive surgery. So this thought had been on the back of my mind, and one day while I was at work, I was talking with my coworker Gracie and we were sharing stories of each other’s pet cats. I explained to her the situation with Leo and how I thought a sibling would be beneficial for him. She then responded, “Wait…you like black cats right?” I responded, “Yes! They are my favorite!” Gracie then said, “This is such a coincidence because a family friend of ours has a stray black cat that keeps coming to her home and they are trying to find someone to take care of him!” She told me about how he comes every morning and night for food and that he loves to be cuddled and wants to come inside, however the woman feeding him is allergic and unable to fully take him in. Seeing as it was going to be winter soon and sub-zero degrees outdoors, the woman wanted to find a home for him as soon as possible. She gave him the name Licorice, and she put a post on Facebook with his picture asking if anyone would be wiling to take him in. But, unfortunately, no one responded. Perhaps because he was an older cat and not as pleasing to the eye. His coat was unkempt, his ear had a nick in it (often done by veterinarians to signify when a stray has been fixed), and most noticeably, one of his eyes looked cloudy as if he were blind. She feared no one would want him because of his looks, but little did they know he was a sweet, affectionate, and extremely loyal cat. After considering it, I felt this was a sign that I just had to take him. They were located in Nashville which is roughly a 7.5 hour driving distance from my house. I made the drive on my next day off work, and I arrived at the woman’s house to meet Licorice. He was instantly fond of me and he himself was very amiable and loving. Even to a stranger he had just met! And that showed me just how much he was in need of a home, because it seemed he really desired to be around people. A part of me felt bad taking him away from where he was comfortable and familiar, but the kind woman reassured me that I should not feel bad taking him out of his natural habitat if I am giving him a good home where he will be loved, well-fed, warm, and cared for. The next morning, I took Licorice home with me, and since am still convinced it was a wonderful idea. This cat is so warm-hearted and I am so thankful I have the opportunity to give him the love he desires and a safe home where he no longer has to fear for predators or lack of food and warmth. The adjustment for Leo has been a little difficult going from being an only child to now having a sibling, but I sincerely hope and anticipate that Leo and Licorice will get along just fine as time progresses and will learn to love each other as brothers.
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