To Begin With…
I should mention that until Tippi was adopted, I was more of a dog person than a cat enthusiast. However, my apartment building didn’t allow dogs in my unit, though cats were permitted. At the time, this felt like a limitation, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that sometimes the universe conspires to make wonderful things happen.
In the late summer of 2020, I started to consider the possibility of getting a cat. I was undecided, but in September, the universe sent me a sign. In all the years I’d lived in that apartment, I had never had an issue with mice. Not once. But one day, there it was—a mouse in my hallway.
The mouse’s visit was brief, but its impact remains one of the greatest joys of my life.
Around the same time I was evicting the mouse, Chicago Animal Care and Control took in two cats found in a parking lot on the south side of the city. After a quick surgery, one of the cats was transferred to a local humane society.
His original name at the humane society was Dragon Fruit. He had an ear infection and some mites, but overall, he was noted to be strong and healthy. While in foster care, his caregivers observed that he didn’t get along well with their other cat. Nevertheless, he stayed with them for a few weeks.
At that point, I was still thinking a kitten might be a good choice. I searched adoption websites and found a charming kitten listed with another agency. I emailed them, but I never heard back. I called and left messages—still nothing. I was disheartened and frustrated.
When I told my family about my plans to adopt a cat, my mom gave me some thoughtful advice. She suggested that instead of focusing on a kitten, I consider adopting an older cat. Her reasoning was simple: kittens are always in high demand, while older cats are often overlooked. They deserve love too, and maybe I could provide that for one.
Feeling discouraged about the kitten, I decided to search for a cat I thought might not have much hope of being adopted.
On the adoption website, Dragon Fruit’s profile caught my eye. He was described as “a little bit of a character.” His fangs were visible in almost every picture, and his name was—of all things—Dragon Fruit. I took one look at him and thought, This poor guy probably doesn’t have many people lining up for him. That made him perfect for me.
Still feeling a bit stung by the kitten situation, I began filling out Dragon Fruit’s adoption application. It was long. After answering a few pages of questions, I got frustrated. When I reached an open-ended question, I ignored the prompt and wrote: I will do everything in my power to give this cat the best life possible. He’ll have a loving home, full access to my credit cards, and anything else he might need. I promise to take great care of him. I skipped the remaining questions and submitted the form.
Immediately, I felt a pang of regret. Poor Dragon Fruit needed a new name, and I might have just ruined my chance of adopting him.
But that regret didn’t last long. Ten minutes after submitting the form, I received a text asking if I could meet Dragon Fruit the following weekend. I said yes.
The next morning, I received another text asking if I could come after work that same day. Again, I said yes.
By 7:30 p.m., I was nervously driving home with Dragon Fruit in the back seat. During the drive, I told him his new name: Tippicanoe. I promised him that I would do everything in my power to give him a happy life. Thirty minutes later, Tippi was home.
And the adventures began…