Star Donaldson & Tito
I adopted Tito in Chicago in 2017. I always had long-haired adult male cats growing up, so when I walked into Harmony House for Cats, (an adoption center in Chicago) I told the staff that ideally, that was what I was looking for. I remember they showed me cats in the entire facility and at the tail end they took me to the room where Tito was. The only adult male cat with long hair that they had in the entire facility. I was shocked by how friendly he was at first meeting him. He immediately rubbed his face on my purse and even sat in my lap during our first meeting. But I’m sure he was like this with everyone (and he still is) because there were so many applications in for him. As part of the adoption process, I was required to visit him at least three different times for an hour each to see if we actually got along. He was named Tito Puente at the center and after getting to know each other there, I felt that the name suited him. LUCKILY after putting in time with our relationship I won out and was granted permission to adopt him—fate.
They included a free vet visit after the adoption, and when I took him in they told me that he had Feline Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex. At this time I didn’t realize he had a rash all over his body that you could see when you parted his fur, and his lips were also swollen and puffy with a red rash right in the center that I thought was just part of his look. This diagnosis meant that he would have to take medication every day for the rest of his life. Despite only having him for a month, I had to start giving him medication orally via syringe. But he remained incredibly sweet, trusting, and blissfully naive because it took him about 2 years to figure out that my coming at him with a syringe meant that he was about to get his meds. He’s a simple guy, which is what I love most about him.
“In his perfect world, he would have a leg draped over my arm with me scratching his belly at all times. He will settle for lying beside me or on top of me though for those moments when I need two hands.”
Tito is incredibly affectionate and LOVES company, the definition of a lap cat. In his perfect world, he would have a leg draped over my arm with me scratching his belly at all times. He will settle for lying beside me or on top of me though for those moments when I need two hands. He doesn’t have amazing spatial awareness either. He will often fall off the bed or couch after stretching out and often attempts high jumps where he doesn’t quite make it. After about a month of living together, he opened his mouth and has never shut it since. He is LOUD and very vocal about everything. He likes to announce when he's about to come in the room, jump on something when he's hungry, you name it! We have great convos.
After living in five apartments together across Chicago and New York we’ve finally found a safe place to land in Brooklyn, and he owns the place. We start each day by him gingerly touching my face (no claws) so that I get breakfast ready ASAP, and if I don’t move fast enough he will complain and slap my legs while I prepare his wet food. Then he loudly asks for attention and belly/face scratches until he gets what he wants and eventually falls asleep. He can tell when I’m sad or stressed and often comforts me during virtual therapy sessions and stressful meetings. He is very attentive and waits for me outside of the bathroom while I shower and sleeps next to me every night. My world is so much softer and sweeter with him in it. He's trained me to keep my apartment super clean and to read up on any and all things poisonous to cats due to his taste for danger. Tito is everything to me, and we've grown so much together. He's my home, my family, and my sweet boy.
Star Donaldson is the senior social media editor for Byrdie.com.