“It was a warm summer day in 2022, but unlike any other, something big was changing today. As we drove down the roads of Kensington looking for parking, there was one thing on my mind, and that one thing was on everybody’s mind. Exiting the car, I make my way to a warmly lit building alongside my family. Approaching the doors, we pass a window saying “Regal Cat Cafe” that leads to a room filled with cats. Walking into the store, we’re greeted with bunches of people all here for the same reason as us. Light conversation is made at the front counter, but my eyes drift to the large wall made up of windows. Staring into the same room I saw from outside, I saw her. A small dilute calico mingling with the other cats in the room.
A staff member comes with masking tape and a sharpie, labelling all the carriers with the names of cats. Ours gain the label of “Loon”, the name of the tiny calico. A few minutes pass, and we’re allowed into the room with the cats. Setting our carrier down alongside many others, we listen to the staff instruct us on what to do. We follow them and before we know it, we’re driving home with a cat in the backseat. As she sat in the carrier, not a single sound left her mouth. No meows, just a peaceful silence as she left the cafe for the first and last time. Pulling into the driveway I get ready to bring the carrier inside. The car parks, I exit it and walk towards my front door, carrier in hand. I bring the carrier to the basement, entering the spare bedroom down there. I close the door, set the carrier down on the bed and open it. Loon exits the carrier and roams the room, sniffing and inspecting every corner of it. She accustoms herself with the room in a matter of minutes, and settles down on the bed for a nap.
The next few days pass and we re-name Loon to Koi to match with her appearance. She learns her new name fast, as if her old one never existed. After a week, we’re trying to introduce her to our other cat, Mino. And in a month, they’re meeting face to face. Before long, it’s been a year since we’ve brought her home, and then two, and now three. The years flew by, and Koi made it known that this was her new home. As quiet as we thought she was initially, she disproved it within a day with her loud purrs and deafening meows. But that’s not the only thing she revealed with time. After a year, it was clear that she was able to live up to her original name of Loon. Eating almost anything she could get her paws on and taking a while to find food right in front of her, it was clear that a few screws were loose. But regardless, it was clear that this is where she was meant to be.”
-The Duer Family
