In 2006 my boyfriend had acquired a cat from his room mate who had acquired her from a friend who’d left town. Her name was Terapin and she was a scrawny, scared Tortoise shell cat. Upon meeting this timid little girl, she and I quickly bonded and she came to really trust me and seem to be excited when I came to visit. After a while, I took Terapin in as my own cat, and we’ve been the best of friends. She’s really blossomed as a solo cat. She used to live with another cat who constantly intimidated her. In a space on her own, on her terms, she rules the roost.

Soon after my boyfriend and I got an apartment together with Terapin, we got a call from his ex girlfriend asking if we could please take her two older male cats Besa and Diaz. I was hesitant because Terapin was so happy and independent. I didn’t think she’d be content to share the space with more cats. There was also the worry that three cats in our apartment would be too hectic. Plus worries of more cat related expenses for two blue collar artists was daunting. The cats were aging and we didn’t really know what their medical condition was.

After much humming and hawing, it became clear that the least that we could do was give it a shot. At first the cats were not so sure of one another, but the cats have all come to bond and accept each other. There is the occasional spat for domination, but the five us under one roof makes for a very harmonious home. We’re so attached to all of our cats as they’ve become real family. Each a lovely and fascinating individual, we can’t wait to come home from a busy night of gigging to curl up with our boys and girl.

Currently we’re talking about becoming foster parents for cats that need to find good home.