Take one marmalade aspiring Houdini.

Add the soulful sweetie who’s the last kid from her family picked for the adoption team.

Blend with Mr. Adopter Jr.

Within a week, ingredients will yield one forever family.

As I type this post, Steve may well be exploring the innards of his new adoptive dad’s couch, and Mahalia has her very own person to whom she can sing her songs. Best of all? These two too-long-overlooked loves have found a forever home together.

There’s something very right about Mahalia and Steve sharing their adoption. Now they’ll have years to talk about how they were overlooked for far longer than made sense…and how all that waiting was utterly worth it when Mr. Adopter Jr. came along.

Mr. AJ was one of those stellar souls who knew, coming into Tabby’s Place, that he was going to adopt a pair of cats. He’d done his research on our website ahead of time, and his first meeting with Steve and Mahalia sealed the deal: these were his babies.

Now there was the small matter of convincing Mahalia and Steve, who had not yet met, that this new family was a good idea. With a week to go before Mr. AJ’s return for his babies, we introduced dainty Mahalia to Adoption Room #1, where Steve was rooming with super-siblings Monica & Chandler.

As the most gregarious and confident of the four, Mahalia was ready to make friends with her new brother right away.

Scaredy-cat Steve? Not so much. The same anxious nature that led him to hide inside that dratted couch also led him to greet his new sis with a hiss.

Now, lest our bashful ginger guy be misunderstood, it’s crucial to realize that Steve means no harm. I’m more likely to become the Queen of Spain than Steve is to ever attack another cat (and, in case you were wondering, my coronation isn’t coming any time soon ;)). It’s just fear and loathing of change that gets Steve so hissy. A new sibling? Too much to handle.

I’m grateful to report that, within a few days, Steve’s kitten-courage had overpowered his natural neuroticism, and he was cool with Mahalia. My prediction? There are some snuggly winter days ahead Chez Mr. Adopter Jr.

OK, so what’s that “Jr.” bit about, anyhow? Mr. AJ has the honorable distinction of being the second generation to adopt a Tabby’s Place cat. His parents scooped up the darling and glamorous Courtney over a year ago, and her enormous charms clearly persuaded Mr. AJ that Tabby’s Place has quality cats.

Smart guy, that Mr. Adopter Jr.

Blessed cats, that Steve and that Mahalia.

PS: In case all these youngster-adoptions have you concerned that we’re running out of kittens, let me put your mind at ease. Let’s just say the magnificent seven – yes, seven – arrived at Tabby’s Place today. Stay tuned.

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