My cat Marble (he/him)
I have to admit that I didn't grow up as a cat lover. But when I saw Marble's photos on the shelter website, I felt an immediate urge to bring him home with me.
Marble's photos in the shelter's website, which capture my eyes and my heart.
It was also a very difficult time in my life. I was new to the country, feeling homesick and lonely, and I wanted another living soul around me to make life feel alive again.
Marble when he first came home with me.
Since then, we've been through so much together. I've danced with him to celebrate happy moments and buried my tears in his warm fur during the hard ones. He kept me company through countless long days and late nights while I chased deadlines. He followed me to new cities during my internships and was there with me as I started life over again in unfamiliar places.
Marble with me in my first apartment.
Marble with me during my internship in San Jose — I brought him all the way from Illinois to California.
Marble with me in my second apartment.
Marble with me in Seattle. I brought him all the way from Illinois again — brave boy!
After bringing Marble home, I slowly fell in love with cats. He made me more sensitive to their little emotions and quirks, and I came to appreciate how gentle, cute, and affectionate they can be in their own unique ways. Somewhere along the way, I realized that I had become a cat person. I truly love these creatures, and I’m grateful that Marble was the one who taught me how.
He also taught me something about love itself. Loving him has shown me that love isn’t about the comfort or convenience someone brings into your life, or what they can give you in return, even though that was the reason I first got him. Love is simply loving someone for who they are and wishing nothing but happiness and goodness for them. Marble has never been one of those outgoing cats who run to greet every visitor. Cats like that are usually the most popular in shelters and often get adopted quickly. Marble, on the other hand, is shy, cautious, and in the beginning, he was scared of almost everything.
But that’s exactly who he is, and I wouldn’t want him to be anyone else. More than anything, I hope I can make him feel happier, safer, and more relaxed, and help him truly enjoy the life we share together. I hope he gets to live a peaceful life, always knowing that he is loved exactly as he is.
Our story is still being written :))
Latest photo with Marble.