So where were we….
The idea of having our very own cat was tempting. I thought about it hard. Deep within me, I wanted my own, but at the same time, I still wanted Max to be my friend. He had been great company, after all.
Out of curiosity, I searched — and that’s where I found Yoda.
Just look at that sleek black coat. I always wanted a black cat. He is so handsome. We drove to Wales to meet him. He was being rehomed due to space issues in his previous owner’s house. When I saw his picture, I was like, I want him. He looked small in that photo, so when we met him, we had the shock of our lives. My god — he was almost as big as his Jack Russell brother!
He was a very confident cat. He just waltzed in, tail up. He looked intimidating but gorgeous. His green eyes were as vivid as emerald jade. I fell in love. When he walked in, my husband and I looked at each other because he was big. He came, sniffed, played a bit, and this — I will never forget — he bit me in a playful way.
We didn’t get him that day. My husband and I talked about him on the drive home. The first thoughts we had were, “He is huge” and “What now?” If memory serves me right, we just googled the nearest pet store and went ahead and bought him things.
We were getting him.
So the next day, we went and picked him up. It was exciting and heartbreaking at the same time as he parted ways with his previous owners. I felt bad — I was bawling my eyes out. And of course, Yoda — whether he knew it or not — I kind of felt bad for him too. I pushed that thought to the back of my head, because now Yoda would be in his new home, with good space, a garden, and plenty of love.
He arrived home on May 16, 2021. When he arrived, he did a lot of sniffing, investigating, and trying to get comfortable. He had his own room, and I believe he was happy. He settled well. Max still came around — he was a bit hostile to Yoda — but Yoda, as we discovered, is a gentle giant. Mr. Congeniality, as I call him. He thinks any cat is his friend. I mean, he grew up with a dog, so the behaviour was there. He doesn’t fight back if he gets swatted at; he just looks confused.
A month into having Yoda, we learned that he is a very active cat. He loves to play, and I couldn’t keep up with his energy. Yoda is also the type of cat that does not like to be physical — what I mean is, he looks cuddly but doesn’t want to be cuddled, and that transcends to any species. So no kitty cuddles from humans, no kitty cuddles from cats. He can tolerate being close, but not too close.
If I were to describe Yoda’s personality, he is just chill. Even with his energy being high up there, most of the time he is just… chill. It’s like this cat does not bear a grudge. He enjoys his zoomies, loves his toys, and is sweet when he wants something. And — my god — he is clever. When he is thinking, you can really see the cogs working in his brain. He picks things up so easily. He can be cheeky too. A fussy eater, but he loves his treats. He loves birds. His favourite is a pigeon. He loves his boxes, no matter what size they are. He also likes having his belly rubbed.
To add to the already growing, longer list of this is who I am… Yoda: as clever as he is, Yoda is not the cleverest on the streets. He is not, by any means, street smart. That cat has absolutely no sense of danger whatsoever. He would get kidnapped right away — not because he is friendly, but because he would run and then stop. Not stop to look, but stop in a “fine, I’m caught” kind of way.
He is very curious about what’s out there, so sometimes I take him out for walks. Yes, he is leash-trained.
There was one time we were out walking and I saw a massive — and when I say massive, I mean mastiff-kind-of-massive — dog being walked by a man. The dog saw another cat and lunged for it (don’t worry, the cat was safe). We were on the other side of the road, and I was hiding Yoda behind me.
My lovely Yoda, however, wanted to see the dog. He kept peeking out from behind me, and I was like, “Yoda! Just do us a favour and don’t look — you and I won’t stand a chance with that big doggo. His owner can barely handle him.”
When the coast was clear, we just legged it back home, which was right across the road.
So yeah — that’s Yoda for you. He has a lot more to him, but that’s for another day.
Over time, we noticed that Yoda seemed a bit lonely. We bought a pet cam to see what he did when we weren’t home, and it broke my heart when I saw him dragging his toy down the stairs. So, I sat my husband down and told him, “Yoda needs a friend.” He was hesitant at first, but I was persistent. By the time I asked him, I was already looking for one anyway.
And that’s when we saw Theo.
To be continued…
Some photos, because he deserves them. Until next time.
Eri's Thoughts 