Emily Hubbard & Cat
When I arrived home from work one day in 2016, I noticed a little kitty on my front steps. I started feeding her, worried because she looked very hungry and a little scruffy. I was living in my home state of Georgia at the time, and I had a lot going on. I was planning to uproot my life and move to New York City, I was struggling with a recent break up, and my burgeoning marketing career was beyond stressful. Adopting a cat was not on my to-do list.
But, Cat had other plans—she started greeting me every day when I pulled in the driveway, she made a habit of sitting with me on the front porch in the evenings, and, after a few months, I realized that she had adopted me! She had pawed her way into my heart, and I knew that I couldn’t leave her on the street. So, I found a cat-sized cardboard box, trapped her inside, and took her to the vet!
And, just like that, I became a cat mom. That was four years ago, and now I can’t imagine my life without her. I named her Cat after Audrey Hepburn’s feline friend in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s—one of my favorite movies of all time.
Cat is an extremely loving, gentle kitty—we are best friends. Every morning, she wakes me up by touching her paws to my face, and she falls asleep on my pillow every night. She loves chin scratches, belly rubs, and tuna. She loves ‘holding hands’, wrapping her little paw around my finger. She’s also a talker—meowing back to me when I talk to her, saying ‘meow’ to the outside cats. She has a lot to say!
“Her pain has become my pain, and I’ve taken more days off from work than I can count to help her recuperate, flitting around her like a nervous helicopter mom.”
Cat has a tortoise shell coat—a mixture of black, grey, white, and brown fur, and bright green eyes. She’s so small that people often think she’s a kitten, weighing in around seven pounds, but her vet estimates that she’s about 12 years old. Due partly to her age, Cat has faced more than her fair share of health challenges. She developed hyperthyroidism, was diagnosed with asthma, and had all of her teeth removed due to an infection and lack of dental care earlier in life. Her pain has become my pain, and I’ve taken more days off from work than I can count to help her recuperate, flitting around her like a nervous helicopter mom. Taking care of Cat is my most important and meaningful responsibility. My mom, who is a veterinarian, thinks I’m a little overprotective!
Given that she’s an indoor kitty, I’m always trying to find new ways to keep her active and engaged with her feline instincts. She loves watching bird and squirrel videos on YouTube, receiving her monthly Meowbox in the mail filled with fuzzy toys and catnip, and watching the neighborhood cats through the window.
Cat is a rescue, but the truth is that she rescued me. I truly believe that she can sense my mood and emotions—animals are very intuitive. She has been by my side through it all—moving to Brooklyn, career changes, the death of loved ones. She is the sweetest companion. Cat reminds me to slow down, express gratitude for the here and now, and, last but not least, she has taught me the importance of an afternoon cat nap!