“Bubby (originally named Mazda) is the first cat I’ve had with my husband,” Marissa acknowledges happily. “When we adopted him on January 1st, 2024, after searching for an especially sweet and cuddly cat who also enjoys playing, he was the perfect match. And the best way to begin the New Year!

“I adopted Mama Hubbard last January from Furry Friends and promptly changed her name to Violet,” explains one very appreciative Genevieve.

 “She has been an absolute joy and Godsend! I adopted her just over a month after I lost my kitty Pepin that I had had for almost 19 years. I was so sad and lost, but this little bundle of joy was and is such a bright spot in my life.

“We adopted two amazing kitties from Tanika, a foster mom for Furry Friends, and they are both perfect and amazing,” admits an elated Samantha.

 “Both males, whose names are Oatmeal and Cowboy (originally Bacon), they were found living under a forklift in Portland with their two siblings. Although they are a bonded pair, they have such different personalities! Oatmeal LOVES to cuddle, whereas Cowboy prefers cuddling sometimes and is much more passionate about playing and play time. I had a childhood cat growing up who was my best friend, and ever since she passed I had been looking for a bonded pair to keep me company while I go through graduate school.

“We adopted Butch (formerly Andre), named after the WSU mascot, last summer,” Daschell explains.

“He joined one cat and three dogs when he came home with us. It took him only a few days to settle in and become part of the pack. Butch is almost the same color as our golden retrievers and is sometimes hard to find because they’re usually all sleeping together!

“When we adopted Henry (formerly Todd) in May of 2023, he joined our other cats, Rudi and Gary, from other rescues,” Emily explains.

“When I found Henry, he was just hanging out by himself and really enjoyed being petted. When he came into the room with us, he just sat on my lap and purred and purred! When we got Albert and Nigel, I had been looking online for a younger cat to play with my Gary, who runs on his own time and has no ‘off’ switch, but I kept coming back to sweet Nigel’s profile. I loved little Albert’s face, and after meeting him, I knew he would be an easy addition.

“I was originally just adopting Jack,” Ellie explains, “but his foster mom offered me Beauty, the mom of the litter!

“Having grown up with cats, Jack and Beauty were the first ones I’ve had since I moved out of my parents’ house. I had wanted some company in my new place since I was living alone then, and when I saw Jack, I thought he was the cutest thing. Beauty was having a hard time seeing her babies leave (she was such a good mama), and little Jack was still trying to nurse from her when I brought them home.

“Kit Kat is our first kitty,” Emma says. “And the reason we chose her was because she was adorable! We loved her markings.

“It took a couple of days for her to get used to living with us. She hid most of the first night, then spent some time walking around meowing like she was looking for something the next day. We adore her. She has brought us so much joy, laughter and comfort. She is such a good kitty.

“Nomu, originally named Jameson, isn’t my first kitty,” Ella explains. “When we got the litter to foster, I picked him up and this precious little mini-panther immediately fell asleep in my arms. Even his adjustment to our home was immediate. He ADORES being petted and cuddled and has the loudest purr. He loves lying on top of me and if there’s a blanket covering me, he’ll ‘nurse’ on it.

“Teddy, formerly Oscar, is my second kitty since moving in with my boyfriend, Chris,” Cassidy says. “When we visited Furry Friends, we originally went to see two bonded kittens, but after seeing Teddy, we had to have him. Part of the reason we chose Teddy is because he had been at the shelter for many months. No one wanted to adopt him due to his allergies and atopic dermatitis, which results in frequent vet visits and a special diet.

“Thirty years ago, when Byron and I first got together, we had three cats and a dog. After the last pet passed away, we considered adopting some more, but since we would soon be retiring to another state, we waited until moving here.

“We chose Frankie because of her sweet face and unique coat. We also were further encouraged when we met her, and her foster mom described how sweet and snuggly she was. She adjusted pretty well to our home. Initially, she was a little scared, but she simply needed extra snuggles and love to help her become acclimated.

“My husband saw his picture on the Furry Friends website and that was that. We knew we wanted him. He fits right in with our family. We’re so happy to have Simon here with us. He’s brought a lot of love and laughter to the house. He’s most loving and wants pets and hugs in the mornings or right after he wakes up. Then it’s playtime!

“Rosey, whose original name was Freckles, is our second cat,” Jennifer says. “We adopted her for our daughter Kady who fell in love with her on sight.

“Roo, whose nickname is Roodles, is actually the third addition to our family,” says Kylee. “We adopted our second kitty Macie through Furry Friends as well about five years ago.

“We had originally wanted to meet Roo’s brother, but he was part of a bonded pair. After discussing what the fosters thought about bringing another female cat into the mix, I met Roo and instantly knew she was the perfect fit.