i adopted my cat Mister from the rescue org BARCS (plz support them if you can) in early 2023. he was found as a stray and at first was deemed unfit to live inside a house due to his behavior, so they TNR'd (Trap, Neuter, Release) him, hence the clipped ear. for whatever reason, after a while they decided to try to rehabilitate him for adoption as an indoor cat, and he was fostered for several months before i found him in the BARCS listings.

the timing could not have been more perfect. i had just found a stable place to live after becoming temporarily homeless when an abusive ex-long-term-partner kicked me out of our house without warning several months prior... and he'd stolen my three cats in the process.

i was heartbroken at the loss of my cats (although glad to be free of the asshole human), but more than ready for a fresh start. i also wanted to specifically adopt a black cat, since they are the least likely to be adopted, and i wanted to provide a loving forever home.

enter Mister. his listing was charmingly written by his foster hoomin, and he's gorgeous, so my interest was instantly piqued. i contacted BARCS, set up an introduction, and decided right there and then that i wanted him. something in my intuition told me we needed each other, and that wound up being so unbelievably true.

he had ~behavior problems~ at first. he would hiss and/or bite if he felt cornered, and he was jumpy and skittish. but there were signs of his true self underneath his spiky exterior. he was almost immediately a lap cat, even though he was still prone to perceiving everything as a threat.

but... i related so deeply. even though i was finally free of my abusive, controlling long-term relationship, and even though i craved safety and intimacy, my nervous system perceived threats all around me at the drop of a hat.

i understood Mister, and (pardon my anthropomorphization) i feel like he understood me just as much in return. we needed each other, and found each other at just the right time.