This guest blog is written by Lourdes Cabrera, proud pet parent of Milo.
We remember it as if it was yesterday. A friend sent us a photograph of a scruffy, scraggly, skinny black kitten with ears too big for his small head. As a matter of fact, he looked like a bat. His name was Mr. Scruffy.
My husband was allergic to cats, so we knew we couldn't keep him. Plus, we already had two rescue dogs who took up a lot of room in our modestly-sized apartment. But there was just something about his little face, and I kept looking at the photos. I also kept throwing hints at my husband…but the answer was always a firm, "NO!"
Despite all of this, I kept checking on the kitten’s progress through emails. After a few weeks, my friend became worried that she wouldn't be able to find him a good home. I became determined to convince my husband that we should take in Mr. Scruffy. Even if it meant he'd have to go through an allergy regimen.
Luck was on my side. That or my husband eventually grew tired of my reminders and pleadings. Either way, he finally gave in. One day he turned to me and said, "FINE, you can have the cat, but I'm not changing any litter!"
The very next day we picked up Mr. Scruffy. The moment my husband saw him, it was love at first sight. He went to the doctor, got a prescription for allergy pills, and that was that. Milo, as we renamed him, became an important member of our family—and my husband’s best friend. Milo grew into a wondrous, regal, appreciative cat.
Today, Milo is going on three years young. We can't imagine our lives without him. And, just for the record, my husband has been changing his litter for three years!
For more heartwarming tales of rescue, visit Your Stories. To become an official ASPCA member, visit Becoming a Member.
