We often get asked one question we can’t really answer. Cats or dogs?
However, Debbie can. It only takes her a second to tell you that the answer will always be cats. After all, for almost 20 years, her house has known the sound of paws on the floor, the echo of meows from room to room, and the lyrics of purrs.
At the beginning of 2024, though, she found herself without those sounds. Within a year, she lost her two furry best friends, Booboo and Pookie. The heartbreak was louder than expected.
People told her to wait before adopting again. Let her heart heal. But one week passed, and Debbie found the silence was too much. So, in May of 2024, she took a trip to the old Pictou Shelter.
There in a kennel, hugging and comforting each other, were two tuxedo kittens, Stanley and Marvin.
“I felt bad for them from the start. They were in foster care prior to socialize them as they were feral kittens when someone brought them in. They were fine when we opened the kennel. They purred and purred and purred. But as soon as we tried to take them out, they were fighting. They needed help, the poor little things,” Debbie said about the first time she met them.
Eventually, Debbie and the staff managed to get them in a carrier, and the bonded pair left for their home.
To help them feel safe, Debbie got the spare bedroom ready for them. “They spent the first three days under the bed. They wouldn’t come out when I was home, but they clearly came out at night for food.”
They needed someone patient to help them bloom and realize the world isn’t such a scary place. And that patience paid off.
On the fourth day, Stanley made the courageous decision to venture out during the day. One paw at a time, he inspected. He sniffed and watched everything with cat-like curiosity. That is how Stanley spent his time for a week and a half.
And then something happened. Stanley, finally, gave his paw of approval, and Debbie found herself with a fluffy kitten in her lap. Right now, you’d expect to read that Marvin was right behind. But Marvin took his time and watched how Debbie and Stanley got along for another two weeks before he joined his brother.
And from that moment on, these two showed Debbie the true definition of inseparable.
“I have never met two cats like Stanley and Marvin,” Debbie admitted. “I’ve never seen cats so close; they do everything together. Even the neighbours comment about them. If you walk by the house, you can see them move from window to window together. Even their heads and tails move at the same time. It’s very funny to watch them.”
They play together, they eat together, they sleep together. Even when they don’t share the same ‘hobbies,’ Stanley and Marvin are close to each other. “Marvin loves horses, so when he sees them on TV, he tries to stand on his back legs and paws at the screen. Stanley just kind of sits there and wonders what he’s doing, but doesn’t leave,” Debbie said. While Marvin ended up being the adventurous one of the duo, jumping on bookcases, hiding to try to scare you, he only does that because of Stanley. “If Stanley gives the green light, then Marvin will follow,” Debbie told me about their personalities.
It took a little while to get these two out of their shells completely. “I think I was looking for a challenge,” Debbie confessed. “Even now, you have to let them come to you. They were and are quick to purr, but it has to be on their own terms. But I can’t imagine my life without them. I love them, and they are spoiled. And I am lucky I can do that.”
Debbie chuckled when she said she doesn’t like leaving them. “I love them so much. I had to leave them for a few days, and I didn’t want to go. I was concerned about their feelings. My brother stayed with them, and he had to stay at my house. I left him one front and back page of detailed instructions taped to the fridge.” 
Stanley and Marvin rule the house, and they know it. Gone are the days of being feral kittens, of hiding under the bed, unsure of the person who now constantly buys them toys because they can’t get to them from under the furniture.
Their bond with each other and Debbie is special, and Debbie is beyond grateful to have them in her life. They didn’t replace Booboo and Pookie as no pet is meant to replace another. What they did was show Debbie that love doesn’t have boundaries. Even when you think you couldn’t love as much. But love is ever expanding, shows up differently each time, and you never know where you might find it.
Debbie offered a last piece of advice. “Support your local SPCA, they do great things. And if you’re looking for a pet, you should go there first.”
Other furry friends like Stanley and Marvin are looking for a loving home. You can browse our adoption page, visit the nearest shelter, or, if you aren’t looking to adopt, you can donate to help with their care.