Because every blog should begin with a cat photo. These are my boys, Bonk and Moose.
Moose (the white one) is a purebred Ragdoll I adopted as a kitten about three years ago. He’s very friendly, curious and playful but not particularly cuddly—great with new people and animals but not much of a lap cat. He’s also the dumbest cat I’ve ever had, which provides constant amusement. I can’t remember exactly how he got his name; I think it was just a temporary name that stuck. But nowadays he’s the perfect embodiment of a Big Moosie.
I adopted Bonk about a year ago from an Atlanta-based network of no-kill shelters named Furkids. They do amazing work, taking in all cats—young, old, sick, healthy—and providing them excellent care until they’re adopted or peacefully live out their lives. I spent several hours at Furkids over two visits trying to find a good companion for Moose, wandering through the rooms of their main adoption center which houses dozens and dozens of cats. There were cats more beautiful, young and outgoing than Bonk (original name: Peter Piper), but something about him resonated with me. Whenever I would go into his room the more social cats would jostle and fight for my attention but Bonk would calmly walk over, climb into my lap and stare up at me. He was about four years old at that point and had lived his entire life at the shelter.
Even now, over a year later, his personality is still unfurling a little more each day. He’s very timid, abnormally smart, incredibly affectionate and cuddly with me, and rarely makes a sound. He also has a habit of headbutting things when he’s happy which is how he got his name. Moose is the cat that my houseguests flock to because he’s so social and beautiful (and because Bonk hides under the bed whenever someone comes over), but it’s Bonk that curls up against my hip whenever I’m on the couch and in the crook of my arm when I stretch out in bed every night.
The two of them are best friends and almost complete opposites and I couldn’t imagine my life without them.
