Marley’s Adoption Anniversary

Our Marley

This week was special for our family. On October 11th, we celebrated Marley’s anniversary of coming to our family. We brought him home five years ago in the fall of 2017 when our beloved Sonoma County was devastated by the fires. The volunteers from the SNAP Cats rescue took some cats to their homes. It was hard to decide which cat to bring when they were all your family.

Marley and I have become friends during my first days at the rescue. Marley’s gentle demeanor, soft golden coat, and kind, beautiful smile charmed many volunteers. I was not an exception and felt attracted to the big, handsome orange tabby. Marley used to come and greet me every time I walked through the door. I enjoyed talking to Marley.

Sunny and Marley

When Marley came home with us, we had to place him and our cat Sunny in different rooms. The boys were new to each other, and we decided to take precautions. The cats made hissing sounds and sniffed each other through the door. We’re concerned that the boys won’t get along together. The SNAP Cats staff said that since Marley will be with us only for a few days, we don’t have to worry about their relationship.

The realization of Marley’s return to the rescue made me feel sad. I got attached to the handsome and friendly cat and wanted him to stay with us. Can we raise another family member? How are the cats going to accept each other? After all, we live in a small place that only allows one small animal. We asked if we could keep Marley longer and see if we could adopt the boy later.

Our household immediately fell in love with Marley. He was a gorgeous cat, and he quickly became our close friend. Our goal was to introduce the cats to each other and help them to work their relationship together. The boys stayed in separate rooms for about a month. We followed the SNAP Cats’ advice to take time and follow the steps when bringing home a new cat.

Best Friends

We slowly allowed the cats to sniff each other’s blankets, towels, and beds. After a while, we noticed how cats squeezed their paws under the door and reached each other. But instead of the hostile hissing noises, they were purring and talking. We gradually allowed the cats to see each other and eat together for a short time.

Later, everything went very smoothly with our cats, and they soon became great buddies. Before Marley came into our life, we had no idea how lonely our cat Sunny was and how much he was longing for a friend and companionship.

“Inspired by the love of a cat” (Liz Eastwood).

Marley was our boy. He brought so much joy to our lives. Marley gave me a new perspective and taught us how to find beauty in small, ordinary things. His simple wisdom and exceptional kindness brought us together even closer than ever before. Marley lived in the moment and embraced the time spent together. His short earthly journey was like a flight of a shiny star that left a bright light and warmth in our life.

Our place will always be Marley’s home, where every step remembers his love and carries his spirit. Marley not only gave me a priceless gift of love and companionship. My precious boy gifted me with new beginnings and helped me to bring my abilities to the next level. Marley’s love and our incredible bond inspired me to look into a writing carrier and begin working toward the professional journey as an author and a writer.

I love you, Marley, and will keep my promise to you, my beautiful boy.