Have you ever had a goal or a dream which you were so passionate about that you were willing to jump through any hoops, hurdles, or challenges that came your way to achieve it? If so, this story is for you! You will learn about the obstacles, hurdles, and emotional rollercoasters that Tina had to go through on the journey of achieving her longstanding dream of becoming a first-time cat owner.

One thing you need to know about Tina is that she has the biggest heart when it comes to others and especially animals. During Tina’s childhood, she grew up around dogs and cats, and she explained that’s where her love for animals came from. When asked if she had a favorite animal growing up, she exclaimed “I loved them all!” It is safe to say that Tina has never met a dog or cat she doesn’t instantly fall in love with. In her spare time, she would sew cat blankets to give to Homeward Bound. She couldn’t have animals in her previous living arrangement. While Tina may have gotten sad in those moments, she would not let it get to her for long, as she refused to give up on her aspirations of adopting a little furball and becoming a cat mother.

After several years and various stars aligning, an opportunity arose, and Tina was able to relocate to a new MVA home. This new home was perfect for her. Not only did the house have people in it with similar interests who enjoyed animals, a place where Tina could continue one of her hobbies of gardening, but also the house already had a cat! To say Tina was excited would be the understatement of the century. She was now more motivated than ever to adopt a cat. While she now had a real possibility of fulfilling this dream, Tina still had to check a couple more boxes. She had to continue her jobs at a local chiropractor and insurance office to save up money, make sure her room was cat ready, and the best part of all check out cats. She created a list of the characteristics that would go into her perfect, or purr-fect if you will, kitty. After compiling her list, Tina set out on her mission to visit shelters and adoption centers. She visited animals at Homeward Bound Pets multiple times where she was able to hang around and play with the kitties to see which one chose her. As we all know, you don’t choose the cat, but the cat chooses you.

After several weeks of intense kitty research, Tina had zeroed in on a particular grey and black cat with tiger stripes named Pippen. Pippen would walk around Tina’s legs, rubbing up against her and purring louder than ever. They had an instant connection as Tina looked at her and said, “I think you want to come home with me.” Tina filled out the paperwork that day and with that, Tina accomplished her dream of owning her first pet.

These days, Tina’s days are filled with spending time with Pippen. Tina explained that Pippen loves to help “assist” her with crossword puzzles by snuggling in between Tina and the book. She also loves to play with the cat toys that Tina has purchased, especially the toys on a string. Pippen was perfect for Tina matching the characteristics of friendliness, silliness, and loyalty that she was looking for in a cat. Now whenever you meet Tina and you ask her if she has any pets, she’ll give you a larger-than-life smile and say the words she has dreamt of saying for so long “Yes I do”.

Whether the dream is big or small it is important that everyone has an opportunity to live their best life. We are so happy that Tina and Pippen found each other.