Caroline Selia & Bast
I had big plans for 2020 because I’m turning 40 on December 12th and there were so many things I wanted to cross off my list. Things like, travel more, maybe run or bike a 10K, and definitely finish writing my podcast musical for Spotify. But mostly, I was going to find my soulmate this year, or at least figure out why love has kept escaping me.
So my mission was simple, go on as many first dates as possible. I mean it’s a numbers game, right? So things started off well and one date actually turned into the beginning of something, but then, a global pandemic hit. Turns out, someone you’ve only gone out with 3 times isn’t the best quarantine buddy and my mission for love turned elsewhere. It took two long months in lockdown alone and many failed swipes before I finally figured it out—I needed unconditional love that would last not just through COVID, but a lifetime.
So every night in April, I started scrolling through Instagram looking at NYC adoption animals while in bed. I used to do this with dating profiles, now I was doing it with cat adoption profiles. That’s when I saw her! Bast is a tiny cat who’s mostly grey with little white socks on her paws. I quickly emailed the Brooklyn Cat Cafe and the next day I got a message back that I was going to have a video date with Bast.
“A few days later, I met Bast over video and it hit me like a ton of bricks, I just met my soulmate. I knew instantly I wanted to adopt her.”
I had tried to do a few video dates during this pandemic, but those failed spectacularly, so I was nervous to meet Bast. I wanted to make a good impression, so I did the thing they always tell you to do: when you want to tell the universe you’re ready for something, you prepare! So I bought all the cat supplies for delivery the next day because if there was something I knew about love, it was that you have to trust it will all work out to your highest good.
A few days later, I met Bast over video and it hit me like a ton of bricks, I just met my soulmate. I knew instantly I wanted to adopt her. Bast had also had quite a few heartbreaks, like me. After being abandoned with kittens on the street, Bast was then let down by three adopters, one of whom dumped her at ACC. We were just two love-filled hearts looking for our perfect match!
So I quickly emailed everyone and got a response within a few hours! It was set and Bast was on her way to me in Park Slope. I’ll never forget the day she arrived because I was more nervous about this than any first date I ever had. While our first night together was a bit sleepless, soon she adjusted like she was always meant to be with me. Love at first swipe!
Bast wakes me up gently in the morning, and we always wake up at the same time—we’re night owls, so we like to sleep in until 9 AM. We have our daily routines and since I’m a vocal coach and songwriter, we spend many hours near the piano in my apartment. In fact, my students like to joke that she's my assistant and has just as many notes to give on their singing as I do, especially since she was in the original production of Cats the musical. :)
I can’t imagine my life now without Bast and I know when I finally meet my human soulmate, Bast (and hopefully their pet!) will be there for us making sure we keep the home full of love and plenty of meat sticks.
Caroline is a voice teacher & singer/songwriter located in Brooklyn, NY. She is a current Top 10 finalist for Spotify's SoundUp Program for her rom-com musical podcast, "Can I Kiss You?" which is a love letter to dating in NYC as a plus-size Latina. Her love of the rom-com genre inspired the story she wrote for the Petco Foundation which was chosen out of 7,000 entries! Now her story is up for the People's Choice Award, and if it wins the most votes, the Brooklyn Cat Cafe & Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition will win an additional $25,000 grant! If they win this grant, they will expand their services to the rescue community, including expanding the vet clinic, launching a spay/neuter clinic, and creating an organization to represent and advocate for the interests of individual and small group rescues in New York City.
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