Introducing the being that has fully taken over my life in the best way possible – Pearl. That’s right! My fiancé and I are no longer a family of two, we’re a trio, baby!
My partner Rory and I have been together for over seven years and as soon as we moved in together, we knew we wanted a pet. Rory’s a definitive dog person, I’m a cat person but we just love ‘em all. However, starting out on graduate salaries and also renting in one of the most expensive places to live in the UK doesn’t really mix with having a pet. Enter June 2021, when we become homeowners! That was the first tick box checked on the ‘getting a pet’ checklist. Second tick box, make the house liveable. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know we bought a full on project house – crumbly garden, outdated kitchen, grimy walls and floors. Nine months later, the house is clean, bright, cosy, and a lovely place to live. Look, we still have some work to do, but that comes with owning a house. So that left tick box number three – get a pet.
All it took was a quick message to my aunt, who runs a cat charity, and BAM – she matched us with Pearl. Two months of waiting, and one six hour round trip to Usk New Start Cat Rescue, and Pearl was home with us.
Our Pearl – Pearly Girly, Momma, Stinky, Angel. She is a seven year old rescue housecat, and is a Ragamuffin mix. Pearl has a lot of traits that you would expect of a Ragamuffin – she is extremely fluffy, with a long tail, likes to be held or cuddled, and is incredibly affectionate. We’re not sure what the other breed she is mixed with but it means she is a small bean. She actually looks so much larger than she is because of all the fluff! Her legs are short and stumpy for a cat so you won’t find her on top of our bookcases. Considering the Ragamuffin side of her, she has a rather short coat. I mean, it’s long for a standard moggy, but in Ragamuffin terms, she is short haired. Perhaps the sweetest thing about her, and the thing that makes her a housecat, is that she is incredibly trusting. Within fifteen minutes of being at our house, after a quick hide under the sofa, she was spread out across our laps purring away. She even lets us – no, wants us to – scratch her stomach. If you are a cat owner, you know how rare that is!
So, how did this beautiful bean become a rescue cat?
Well, we’re not quite sure! Usk New Start Cat Rescue found her wandering the streets last August, pregnant and in a state. So they cared for her and her kittens, found the kittens loving homes, and fostered her until she could be re-homed. Now, she is home.
She’s been here just under two weeks and it’s like she’s been here forever. She has her feeding routine, and is chatty for food at least two hours before each feeding time. She mews each time she jumps up for cuddles and starts purring so quickly, it’s like someone has flipped a switch. Her purrs are so loud, you can hear them from the other room. It’s one of the best sounds in the world. She snores when she sleeps, and will sleep anywhere and everywhere. Pearl loves her toys, especially ones that move, ring, and jingle and has at least three moments in the day where she has pure mouser insanity. We’ve also noticed that she has an obsession with fleece blankets, pyjamas, or anything remotely soft. She makes her little biscuits on them, kneads away, and sucks at them. We think this is a trauma response from being taken from her mother too soon as a kitten. It’s the sweetest thing, but also the saddest.
It’s moments like that that make us so happy to have rescued a cat. I am a big fan of the saying ‘adopt, don’t shop’ and Pearl is the perfect example of that. We would not have been able to find a more perfect fit for us if we spent hundreds of thousands of pounds. Coming home to her little mews and her fluffy paws is one of the greatest joys of my life. It’s only been two weeks and I don’t know what I’d do without her.
If you are looking to get a cat, please consider adopting before buying. There are thousands of animals across the UK who need caring and loving homes. Just because they are not pure breeds or a kitten doesn’t mean they are any less worthy of love. If you are local to the South Wales area, please do consider Usk New Start Cat Rescue and the wonderful work they do. If not, the world is full of charities and rescue homes with pets that need a home. Adopt, don’t shop.
Rosie x
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