After many years without a cat, in Sept. 2019 I adopted Tilly-Leguin (AKA “Baby Girl”). She was one-and-a-half-years-old, and so sweet and friendly. This pic of her on the table was taken within a few hours of her arriving in my then-apartment, and she was ready for belly rubs. She also proved to be incredibly photogenic – look at that sweet face!
Almost exactly six months after I got her I moved into my first house – and the pandemic started. These were nearly simultaneous events, and I felt incredibly grateful to have such a wonderful feline companion, and for the expanded space of a house during those couple of years of isolation. But, before moving into the house, I had to safety-proof the stairwell on the second-floor landing: I’d discovered that Tilly-Leguin has almost no near-vision, and I was afraid she’d fall if she tried to jump onto the balustrade. She loved the new house as much as I did, and her far-vision seems normal and she was so happy to have window views full of squirrels and birds.
In Nov. 2022 I made the somewhat risky decision to get a second cat. I had no idea if Tilly-Leguin got along well with other cats, but I felt like her quality of life would be better with a companion. Hoping to appease her with a non-threatening young male cat – and hoping she might possess some maternal instincts – I adopted four-month-old Hamish (AKA “Squeaky Bigfoot”).
It soon became apparent that Tilly-Leguin wasn’t, in fact, looking for a companion – which left me to mother a kitten who needed constant nurturing. Hamish required that I hold him for four to six hours a day! And if I needed to set him down, he would chase after me crying and reach for my arm. Hamish is now over two-years-old and the sweetest boy ever, but I’ve started to consider him somewhat special needs. He can’t cope with any changes — to his routine, or to people, sounds, and even objects — and still begs to be held for long periods of time.
I started to realize that Hamish might never fully “grow up” and wondered if he’d do better with a true play buddy, as Tilly-Leguin only tolerates his antics for a few minutes at a time. In July 2024 Fergus (AKA “Mr. Fergie”) joined the household. He’s somewhere between two- to four-years-old and is both a cat’s cat and a people-loving cat: he wants to be with everyone – feline or human. He and Hamish play all the time, and Fergus also seems determined to win over Tilly-Leguin. While Hamish still prefers to sleep with me, Fergus has proven to be the cat with the most creative sleeping positions. He also has the funniest, froggy meow and always makes me laugh.
As anyone with cats knows, they continue to evolve over time, and these three are still building their relationships with each other. Fergus was definitely the “bridge” I’d hoped to find for Tilly-Leguin and Hamish, and I’m so grateful to Pittsburgh C.A.T. for understanding my specific needs and helping me find the perfect cat for my third adoption (all my cats were adopted through Pittsburgh C.A.T.).
These babies bring so much joy and love into my life, and it’s an honor to give them the best life I possibly can!
Zoje Stage is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of the psychological thrillers Baby Teeth, Dear Hanna, and Getaway, and the psychological horror novels Wonderland and Mothered. Her books have been named “best of the year” by Forbes Magazine, Library Journal, PopSugar, LitReactor, Barnes & Noble, Book Riot, and more. She lives in Pittsburgh with her cats.
