It’s one thing to take a stray animal to a shelter, so it can find a loving environment that you can’t provide for him or her. It’s also understandable if you have to surrender your pet to someone else because you can no longer provide the care that they need. However, it’s a whole different situation to toss a small, helpless animal into a dumpster as if their life is meaningless and not worthy of being lived.
While we pretend that the scenario in the last statement doesn’t occur, it happens more than we’d ever want to imagine. In fact, this exact scenario occurred in San Francisco with a feral, female kitten. The good news is, a woman found the sweet-yet-scared kitty and immediately phoned her friend, Sinead Schaefey, who she knew would take great care of the kitty alongside her partner Riley.
As most stray cats with little human contact and a traumatic past would react, the kitten, who was named Mami, didn’t initially adjust well to her new home environment. Her sad, droopy eyes alone said it all.
Mami’s behavior was also worrisome. The first several days were especially tough for the kitten as well as for her new family. Mami would hide behind couches, flinch if anyone tried to touch or grab her, and would hiss if someone got too close to her. The poor kitten was in fight-or-flight mode seemingly all the time, and her owners weren’t quite sure what to do at first.
That’s when they got an idea: They would adopt another cat to give Mami company. So, Sinead and Riley adopted a small, male kitten named Morty. While the latest furry friend of the household was the runt of his litter, he was energetic yet had a calm and loving disposition. He’d be perfect to help Mami relax while still being a great playmate for her!
It turns out, adopting a second kitten was a great option. Mami may have taken a bit of time to warm up to her new brother, but eventually, they accepted one another, eventually becoming the best of friends. Not only are the siblings there to give one another company, but the owners truly believe that Mami became calmer and learned how to become a housecat since being introduced to Morty. Morty, after all, didn’t lead a traumatic past like Mami had as he was lucky to have a more stable upbringing.
Today, the two adult cats remain close as they continue to grow up together and still complement each other’s personalities perfectly. In fact, their owners describe them as “yin and yang.”
According to Sinead, “[Mami is] like a mom to Morty. If he starts meowing she gets up to see what’s happening to him. If anyone touches Mami or picks her up, he’s right there at your feet investigating what you’re doing…. It reminds me of growing up. You feel like you have a sibling, but you’re also friends.”
While Mami’s eyes still look “sad,” her owners are positive that their furry friend is happy. She plays with toys, cuddles with Morty, socializes when she wants something, and no longer hisses or hides at the sight of a human. It’s all thanks to her bond with Morty that helped her develop into the cat she is today!
“Visit” Mami and Morty by watching the video at the end of this article!
