Jenn Proffitt, Archie & Minnie
Minnie and Archie were exactly what I needed in 2020. At the start of the pandemic, my previous cat passed away. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for another cat so soon, but when I saw Minnie and Archie’s pictures online it was love at first sight. I got on a video call with their foster and met Archie, a beautiful diluted orange tabby, and Minnie, his twin but in gray and brown, and I knew these cats were for me. There was one complication: Minnie was FIV+. FIV stands for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and is a disease that attacks the immune system of infected cats. It’s usually passed by very deep bite wounds, or, like in Minnie’s case, from mother to kitten. It was potentially a big financial and emotional commitment to adopt her—and unknown if she would have complications when she was young or if she would live a relatively normal life. I knew I could provide a loving environment for her no matter how much time we had together. Minnie has had a few health issues since I got her (some big and some manageable), but then so has Archie. We never know how much time we have with our pets, and her diagnosis makes me cherish the time I have with her even more.
It helps that Minnie has never let her FIV slow her down. She has been such a character from day one. She is always running after me—hoping for a snack, or to toss a pom-pom ball so we can play fetch (something I never knew cats did before her). She is very vocal and has full conversations—with me, her brother, or birds outside our window. She’s always talking to something. She always lets me know when she deserves a bite out of my turkey sandwich. Every day, she follows me into the kitchen to watch as I make my lunch, hoping for something to come her way. I think both cats think the kitchen exists to provide food exclusively for them.
Archie is different from his sister in just about every way. He loves to nap, while she loves to play. Minnie is very curious, while Archie is more cautious. Even though he’s a bit shy, once he has a chance to warm up to company, he loves being around people. He’ll rub up on someone and act like he wants to be pet, only for his bones to turn to liquid as he magically evades even the barest touch of a finger. However, once he has cuddles in mind, you cannot keep him away from you, even if you tried.
Like any good siblings, they have their fair share of squabbles. In the morning, Minnie can get hangry and has no patience for her brother as he weaves his way around my legs or circles his sister as they wait for me to serve their food. She’ll give him a swat to remind him that even though she’s smaller than he is, she’s the boss in this house. Archie never lets her annoyance dampen his love for her. He’s constantly rolling on the floor in front of her, trying to get her to play with him.
Their favorite spot in the apartment is on top of my kitchen cabinets and the top nest of the cat tree. While Minnie has mostly claimed the kitchen cabinets as her own, the two of them are constantly vying for the top spot in the cat tree. Most of the time, they manage ownership of it with no issue. Every so often, Archie decides they can *both* fit in the nest, and he sits up there with her—or, more accurately, *on* her. I can never tell if he wants to snuggle or if he knows that eventually she’ll get annoyed enough that she leaves and the coveted spot will be his, and his alone.
Even though Minnie and Archie are very different, they have one thing they both love: bird-watching. I don’t have the best spots in my apartment for them to do this, but they make the most of what is available and make do with bird TV.
Since I adopted them, there is rarely a day when they are not the first and last thing I see. I usually end my day with one of them curled next to me or contorting themselves to fit in their favorite spot on my lap. My mornings start with a delicate paw grazing my face or hearing the jingle of jewelry as they climb around the earring stand on my dresser.
I was not a cat person growing up, but so much of having these cats has felt meant to be. They were born on the first day of the pandemic and the day my previous cat got sick. Their adoption day is the same day that One Direction formed, and yes, I do know that date off the top of my head. I never thought I could get a cat that suited me as well as my first one. I’ve lucked out again though and every cat I’ve owned has not only been the one I wanted but the one I needed.
Jennifer Proffitt is a digital marketing manager for Brooklyn Public Library. She can be found most days reading romance novels, writing a book of her own, and teaching herself to crochet.