This is a blog post written and submitted by one of our readers. Share your pet adoption story.

I have always been fond of Orange Tabby’s ever since I could remember, and have always wanted one. Since moving to LA, it just hadn’t worked out to where I could adopt a cat. I either had roommates who were allergic, (or weren’t fond of animals) or couldn’t have one where I lived. It just wasn’t fair being the animal lover I am and growing up around them!

I since moved into a tiny studio (free of roommates) and had a place I could call my own. As time went on, I felt more and more depressed. I was single, still fighting to find a job and was just lonely. I decided it was then time to find my furry companion. After searching and meeting with numerous rescue organizations, I adopted an Orange Tabby Kitten. To make a long story short, it didn’t work out due to the fact that he missed his siblings and needed to be with them. Unfortunately, I could only adopt 1 at the time. After returning him back to the organization I felt even worse. It was then a friend suggested I look to find an older one at an animal shelter and save a life. Needless to say it didn’t dawn on me to look there, being the shelter volunteer that I was when I was young!

I visited my local animal shelter in Carson, CA numerous times and to no avail (no Orange Tabby’s). One day I came home from a grueling 3 hour job interview (that didn’t go well) and went straight to bed feeling sad, depressed and angry. I woke up and said, that’s it, “I’m going to the shelter.” I always visited the shelter when I wasn’t feeling quite right, as the animals there always made me feel better. I went straight to the cat ward, (not looking for my Orange Tabby), but just to pick up and love the cats. I walked in to find 2 cats (one an Orange Tabby!) and another, a Siamese. I was ecstatic that most of the ward was empty, because that meant they were getting homes.  The minute I walked in, the Orange Tabby immediate stood up. I walked right over to him and opened his cage. He jumped in my arms and started licking me (YEAH, like a dog!) on my cheek and wouldn’t stop. I said to myself, “This is my boy!” I didn’t even have my purse with me; it was in the car, since I didn’t think I would be taking one home that day. I immediately put him back in his cage, took his cage card, got my purse and went straight to the office. It was then the worker told me he was adopted 15 minutes prior. I took a breath and said, “No, he can’t be!” “I need this cat, I want this cat.” “We have a connection” I told her and she said to me, “Let me see what I can do, he looks to be adopted by one of our Rescue Organizations.” She got the lady on the phone and she was nice enough to release him over to me. I was overjoyed! At this point, that opened another spot for her to take another shelter kitty I thought, “great!”

I have now had my boy Romeo for almost 2 years. Romeo was the name one of the shelter workers put on his cage card and I kept it. Boy does that name suit him! He immediately acclimated to me and my little home and has provided me endless amounts of joy and love every day since. He still continues to lick me, like a dog, and he also loves sleeping next to me on my pillow and chasing all the females in the yard! Yes, again, living up to his name! When you aren’t looking, that’s when things happen. Romeo was truly meant to be mine… and has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.

cat adoption    pet adoption