Finding "The One"

Growing up, I was fortunate to have a dad who loved animals. We had dogs, hedgehogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, deer, horses, goats, exotic birds, and the list goes on from there. It's funny how I had a lot more freedom than other kids when it came being able to have seemingly whatever pet I wanted, yet I was fixated on the one animal my dad never let me keep - a cat.

My dad claimed to hate cats, but as I grew older I came to the understanding that he didn't necessarily hate them, he just didn't want them scaring or killing off his birds and other smaller pets. He was also well-read on articles that discussed how outdoor cats drastically lower the native bird population. In fact, he must have realized he kind of liked cats beyond that, because just before I moved out a few years ago he voluntarily mentioned that a house cat might be nice... but then my mom shut that down. I was so close to my dream.

Some time after moving into an apartment with my partner, we had decided we would like to adopt a pet. My boyfriend wasn't nearly as thrilled about cats as I was, so we agreed on getting a dog first since there was a mutual love for them. It wasn't until we had found a potential dog to adopt that we also found out our apartment didn't even allow them to be kept there. Although I did feel some disappointment, realizing that it might mean getting a cat sooner than later excited me.

A few months passed and COVID hit, so instead of visiting a local shelter, I took time every week to look at their site and wait until I felt pulled towards "the one". My partner knew I was looking, but I don't think he expected the spam of texts he got one day while at work, explaining I found the perfect cat for us. Honestly, he was pretty resistant even though he gave the OK for me to put in an application. Even after I got the call that she was ours and after we met her the day before the shelter had her spayed, he didn't understand why I was so sure of this cat. I didn't even know how to explain it, but I have experienced periods of "just knowing" when something or someone is right for me my whole life. Some people might think that is silly, especially when it comes to a cat, but I all I can say is I trust my instinct.

And just in case you were wondering, it turned out my instinct was right. Meet our favorite cat in the whole world: Yuna

The second Yuna came home with us, she was beyond excited to explore. I've heard stories about a lot of cats being scared when it comes to experiencing new things and spaces, but to this day she is our curious, little adventurer (this trait definitely gets her into trouble sometimes, as you can probably guess).

I was nervous that my boyfriend would have trouble acclimating to having Yuna around, but after I saw that it didn't even take him 5 minutes before using baby-talk with her and repeatedly calling her the cutest cat in the world, all of my worries disappeared.

Looking back at these pictures, it is crazy to me at how small and scrawny Yuna was. She was found as a stray. Her ribs used to show a bit, and the back of her stomach was sunken in. I often wonder if she was always a stray, or if at some point she had somebody who called her their pet.

The anniversary of the day she came home is a week away, and I can hardly believe how much I've learned about her and how much she has grown to be a vital part of our tiny family.

We realized pretty quickly that Yuna LOVES chin scratches, and, on a rare occasion, will stick her tongue out as she's enjoying the love.

She is also a cuddler. She prefers to be carried (or cradled) by my boyfriend and prefers to use me as her couch or bed. She loves snuggling up next to us and sleeping under the covers, as well. If I have a blanket over my legs and she wants to go under, she will tap on my arm with her paw repeatedly to let me know. Other times she is happy to simply lay on my chest, stomach, or legs. If my partner and I are next to each other on the couch or bed, she loves to sit right between us or so she is on top of both of us at once. She kills us with this cuddly cuteness 24/7.

Sometimes I question if she is a cat or dog. There were a couple of "cat" things that we had to teach Yuna, and I'm not sure if others have had a similar experience. She wouldn't use the top tier of her cat tower until we showed her she could get up there, and she also didn't have a single care in the world about boxes until I put her inside of one a couple times. There were a couple of instances when strangers stood outside our screen door, and she wouldn't stop meowing at them until they went away. She also begs for the food we eat, despite never being given any and always having her own. Yuna isn't the stereotypical anti-social cat either. She loves attention and hates not being in the same room as somebody. She wants to be the first to know what is going on at ANY given moment...

...Even when she knows you are just trying to use the bathroom in peace.

While aiming to prepare her for our move across the states, we learned Yuna even loves car rides, so every once in awhile we take her on a drive. She still gets to go outside and explore, although she isn't fully convinced she should like her harness yet. Every once in awhile she throws a fit about it (see below).

There are so many more things that I could go on about when it comes to Yuna. We learned recently that she can catch things out of the air with her front paws (is that normal??), and I haven't even begun to brag about how ADORABLE and photogenetic she is.

Needless to say, I found the one! Adopting Yuna has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences for my partner and I. We've watched her grow into a healthy, happy cat who knows she is living her best life. She brings us endless amounts of smiles and laughter. Even as I am typing this, she is laying on my lap purring... Life is good!