Kayla Baird, Potatoes, Leo, Luna & Roma
Cats left to right: Luna, Roma, Leo
Potatoes originally lived with my mom and brother after they found him as a kitten in a grocery store parking lot. While he and I didn’t live in the same state, the first time we met, we became friends immediately.
A couple of years later, my mom was traveling and Potatoes needed a place to stay. So, he was brought out to Seattle to stay with me for what was meant to be a few months. The months turned into years, and when I first moved to New York, he was still living in Seattle with my partner at the time. I cried every time I saw a cat because I missed him so much—it definitely felt like a part of me was missing.
I finally moved into an apartment where my roommates would let me have Potatoes—and I flew out to Seattle to get him! He traveled so well on the flight, and it felt amazing to have him in my bedroom with me in the city. This traveling boy was born in Montana and has lived on both coasts. He has now been with me in New York for 7 of his 13 years. Everyone who meets him falls in love, and he’s truly the friendliest most affectionate cat I’ve ever met. He will always ask for what he wants, whenever he wants, almost always waking me up by 5am to feed him.
Kayla and Potatoes share a kiss
In the summer of 2020, I moved into my own place in Brooklyn, with the intention of adopting a cat friend for Potatoes. I had always wanted a kitten, but it was recommended that I get an older kitten, so as to not completely annoy Potatoes. I reached out to a rescuer on Instagram to see if she had any matches available when she sent me pictures of an older tuxedo kitten named Leo. Leo, at around 7 months old, had grown up outside in the spring and summer of 2020. He was TNR’d (trapped, neutered, released), as it was believed he might be too grown up to stay inside and be socialized.
However, he frequented the backyard of the rescuer’s neighbor every day. He would spend hours hanging out and playing with the person who lived there, eventually discovering that humans might not be so bad. Thankfully, he was brought inside permanently with a foster. After “meeting” over FaceTime, I decided to adopt him.
He started off very shy, but with a sense of curiosity and bravery. He has grown exponentially over the last two years and is extremely loving and friendly. He reinforces the importance of patience within me, each sign of affection a milestone. After 2 years, he finally curled up in my lap, and I couldn’t have felt more loved. He’s still a little skittish, like most cats, but this has taught me to appreciate the moments of closeness even more. He’s a goofy, gentle giant, with the perfect tuxedo suit.
These two boys are very affectionate towards me, but the real treat is how they are so affectionate towards each other. Potatoes and Leo have a special bond, and Leo will sit for the longest time while Potatoes grooms him. They have an 11-year age difference, but you really can’t tell by looking at them interact.
In the fall of 2021, I wanted to foster so I could do something to help get cats off the streets. I was introduced to Brooklyn Kitty Committee after being shown a picture of a kitten around 7 months old like Leo was when I met him. She was a scruffy little kitten that had grown up outside and was quite shy like Leo had been. When I introduced her to the other two, she spent several days hiding under my bed. Once she emerged, it was weeks before she let me pet her, and even longer before she stopped becoming startled every time I pet her. I fell in love with how emotive she is, in most photos of her, she’s mid-meow with her mouth open and face scrunched.
Luna isn’t shy about getting pets anymore. She knows her name and comes running to me any time I call, trotting with her short little legs. She sleeps by my head every night and is extremely affectionate towards me. She’s the shyest of my cats, but that’s what makes our relationship even more special. While she’s incredibly gentle, the feral cat comes out whenever I try and take her to the vet. Luna is the queen of this household, bossing around the much bigger Leo on a regular basis. She’s soft but tough. I officially adopted her in March 2022, my first foster and my first foster fail.
Luna
In the spring of 2022, a litter of kittens was rescued from an abandoned laundromat. I decided to take the leap and foster again. I was working from home and it felt like the right time. I fostered the two boys, Woolite and Tide Pod. After sadly losing Tide Pod to an unknown illness, Woolite needed another small friend, and the rescuers made the decision to pair him with one of his sisters, Cheer. I spent months raising and socializing Woolite and Cheer, and the day they were adopted was one of the happiest.
Around the same time, Roma had to be moved from her foster. I agreed to take her in. I was told she was a little spicy but very independent—sure enough, when I first got her, she was SO mad. I kept her in a playpen at first, and she was a rowdy hissing mess. After a few days of adjustment, I introduced her to everyone else, and she fit right in. I was not prepared for how attached I’d become to this girl, and I don’t think Luna was either. Luna’s whole spirit changed when Roma arrived, and she loves having someone her own size to play with and cuddle. Roma is Leo’s carbon copy, and I believe they make each other feel safe as they often copy each other and follow each other around. The real milestone was when Potatoes accepted her, grooming her any chance he gets. Before she decides she’s had enough, of course. She's the most trusting of the cats, having been socialized from a very young age. She sleeps with me every night and will sit on my lap every time I’m in the bathroom, purring away. Roma loves water, too, and isn’t shy about getting a little wet. While she’s goofy and cuddly, she can also hold her own with the other cats and doesn’t let anyone boss her around.
I never planned on having four cats, but nobody actually plans on falling in love. All of them have unique personalities and ways of showing affection. While I’ve struggled with depression, they hold me accountable, allowing me to care of myself by taking care of them. Honestly, I used to be worried about what people would think of me for having them, but thankfully I’m not thinking about that anymore.
Kayla is a coffee professional living in Brooklyn, NY. She enjoys traveling, spoiling her cats, and exploring the city via food.