Recently my family unexpectedly lost our cat, Molly. It was very sad and It’s not something I want to write about, but I can testify to the fact that from something awful does come something good. Now, this house is home to Fred and George, two 5 year old rescue cats.
Meet Fred and George
According to their microchips, they were originally named Bruce and Zapper, which to me seems impossible because they just look like a Fred and George. We were discussing names suitable for cats and wanted their names to be cute and sound like a matching pair. Some of the other name suggestions were Arthur and Tommy and Loki and Thor. If you don’t know, those names are from Peaky Blinders and the Marvel movies – but we ended up going with Harry Potter inspired names in Fred and George, (AKA the Weasley twins).
I didn’t realise until a friend pointed it out, is that our previous cat was named Molly, and in the Harry Potter films, the character Molly Weasley is Fred and George Weasley’s Mum. It’s a nice sentiment that really fits and it ended up being a random subconscious decision. Now, when I think about it, it makes me smile, like it was just meant to be.
Of course, they really fit their names (despite not being ginger like the film characters), but I do occasionally call them by other nicknames too, such as Fwed, Freddo, Fredlington and Georgie or Georgie Boy. They are also very often referred to as ‘lovely boys’.
The adoption process
Fred and George were adopted from Anna’s Rescue Centre in Rumney, Cardiff. A wonderful rescue centre that I would highly recommend contacting if you are looking to adopt a cat or kitten. They also help and other animals in need 24/7 like rabbits, dogs and foxes to name a few.
I contacted Anna regarding 12 cats she had posted on Facebook that had all been rescued from the same home. I said I was willing to take on any cat into a very loving home, but as we’d recently lost Molly we were looking for one who was fairly young (maybe 1-5 years old). We conducted a video call and I did a virtual tour of the house and garden was told I would be put to the top of the list. Little did I know around 2 days later I would be greeted with a video of the boys asking if I was interested in them.
We were told that their previous owner had passed away and they had only been in the centre for two days. They were brothers, around 7 years old and very friendly. Fred clearly loved people and a very shy George was timid and hiding. I visited the next morning and the rest is history.
Meeting the boys
On meeting them I fell in love instantly.
Fred stole the show, he was the most friendly cat I have ever met in my life! I had only just met him and he was so affectionate, rubbing his face all over me, practically hugging and kissing me within seconds. George on the other hand looked so timid and shy, but very, very sweet. I assumed he might come out of his shell with time, so it really was a no brainer. Anna specified that they had always lived together so needed to be re-homed as a pair, and that’s exactly what happened!
We paid a small fee of around £65 per cat and took them home there and then. Both boys had already been neutered (some time ago), vet checked upon entering the rescue centre and were confirmed as microchipped.
Why cats, not kittens?
As a family, we felt that having recently lost a wonderful, sweet, 12-year-old cat so unexpectedly, the right thing for us to do was to adopt and give another adult cat (or what ended up being two cats) a loving home. You never know what an animal’s backstory or previous life might have been like, and with so much love to give, adoption was certainly the only option for us.
The other reasons were:
- We’ve had a kitten before.
- Kittens can sometimes be a lot of work.
- Cats already have fully-formed personalities so you never know what you’re going to get.
- Adopting adult cats just felt right because there are so many cats that no longer have a home. Their owners could have passed away, they could have become stray cats, lost, ill or elderly and they need love just as much as any cute kitten.
What happened next?
Fred and George have been living in the family home for 2 months now. They’ve settled in wonderfully, they go outside whenever they like and don’t go far (which I love).
George very quickly became my shadow. He follows me around the house all day and loves to watch TV in bed at night, (we’re currently watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills). He’s a very pretty, very playful and talkative boy who is such a sweetie. He also has a ‘thing’ when if he’s not sure about something or is curious he lifts up his front paw – it’s so cute! George’s favourite toy is a felt carrot.
Fred is a very handsome, long and tall boy who loves people. He is the definition of a lap cat and enjoys snuggles with anyone. Fred is a chilled boy who is always relaxed, a total sun worshiper and loves to eat. Fred’s ‘thing’ is that when you’re smoothing him and he’s not ready for you to stop, he looks back at you with wide eyes, basically asking for more.
They’ve just had their second booster jabs with the Vet, who said they are very healthy and ‘lovely boys’. Originally we were told they are around 7 but the Vet said they’re certainly more around the 5-year-old mark. If you are looking for a lovely vet practice or even a cat specialist, I cannot recommend The Cardiff Cat Clinic enough. It’s a place I genuinely feel like my cats are 100% safe and always in the best hands. I wouldn’t take them anywhere else.
A blog by Amy 
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