My favorite part of coming home is easily getting to see my cat, Talulah. In fact, I am writing this after just completing another joyous reunion.
This cat is literally my soul cat… if that makes sense.
Here’s our story.
I was in gym class during September of my senior year, literally the first or second week of school, and I overheard someone say “Does anyone want a cat?”
I stopped my way too competitive for gym class tennis match, to quickly ask “What color is it!?”. I don’t know why that was my first question, but it was. I then learned it was a grey kitten who had been abandoned in the middle of the country.
Grey cats are my absolute favorite, and it had always been my dream to own one. When they told me this little girl kitten was in such a sad state, unable to go into their home, and at risk of being eaten by coyotes, the begging my parents began.
I looked at the picture, and instantly assigned this cat the name Talulah, because it just looked so fitting. I knew in my heart this had to work out, because I had already picked out a name without even asking if I could even take on this responsibility.
Somehow my mom very quickly texted me back, telling me it was not her that I had to convince, and that I had to win my dad over.
I somehow survived the longest three hour shift of my life, dying with anticipation to see my dad and beg for this sweet cat.
Immediately after getting in the truck, I started the hardest negotiation of my life. If I was in Shark Tank at that moment, I easily would have been getting 100k for 10% stake of my company.
My dad painfully agreed, and as we hopped in the truck to go pick up this kitten, he kept repeating “I can’t believe this!”, as if he wasn’t the one who was allowing it.
Meeting Talulah, was probably the best moment of my life. We had an instant connection, and all we could do was cuddle. I promised my new life mission was to give this cat the absolute world.
As most dads do with the pet they “didn’t want”, my dad was being such a softie for Talulah. Bathing time in the sink was hilarious, as he gently said “It’s okay honey.”, to the wriggling ball of grey in his hands, squeaking relentlessly.
Taking Talulah to the vet for the first time was so scary. I imagine it to be how people feel while driving their newly born child home from the hospital for the first time, but I know it’s probably nothing like that whatsoever.
It was there I learned that Talulah.. my sweet girl.. was actually a BOY. Easily, it was the funniest thing ever.
My mind instantly went to a name change… to which I decided Bug, named after my very grey cat in Stardew Valley that donned the same name.
To my frustration, the name would NOT stick. I couldn’t stop saying Talulah, and it was then I decided, since when do cats need to align with gender norms? And his name became Talulah Bug.
Since then he has close to a hundred nicknames, plain Talulah, plain Bug, Noonie, and so on.
I adore him to the ends of this Earth.
He has such an amazing personality, always wanting to play, an obsession with watching TV, and the cutest “meow” you have ever heard. Being abandoned so young, he doesn’t really know how to speak very well, so when he tries, it is so silly and sweet.
He is such a lovable cat, and he makes every situation better. He knows when I am sad, sick, tired, mad, and so on. He perfectly provides me with the utmost amount of love and support in the most cat kind of ways.
Even when he is a typical animal and does something bad, I can’t help but be like Dave Portnoy with Miss Peaches, only responding with “Awww Talulah… you ate my shoelaces…” and shower him with love anyway.
He’s now approaching his 2nd birthday this summer.. and I can’t wait to keep living life with him.
Sometimes it hits me that he’s gonna meet my kids someday, move wherever I go after college ends, and always be my first pet. I wouldn’t want any other cat to live all of that with.
Bug is the best thing to have ever happened to me.