When Tilly was only a week-old kitten, she was brought into the North Nova SPCA shelter as a stray by a good Samaritan on November 8, 2024. For a while, it was touch and go; there were a few days where she was struggling to thrive due to her size and age. Tilly was incredibly small and young; her immune system made her very vulnerable, so the staff were worried that she wouldn’t survive. She needed to spend weeks in a foster home. After a hard-fought battle by Tilly and the staff, she reached the adoption list!
Tammy, an employee at the shelter, fell in love the first moment she saw Tilly. But Tilly already had someone interested in adopting her. However, Tilly got sick shortly after becoming available for adoption and was under care for longer than expected. Because of this, her adoption fell through, and Tammy knew it was a sign, because her son, Cohen, had been asking for a kitten for a while. They struck a deal that if Cohen could show he was responsible enough to care for a kitten, she would consider it.
Cohen held up his end of the bargain by improving his grades in school. Between Cohen holding up his end of the deal and Tammy caring for Tilly, she knew it was meant to be. So, on a spring day in March 2025, she went home and told Cohen that they needed to go somewhere and that there was someone she thought he’d want to meet. As soon as he heard those words, his eyes filled with tears. “Oh my God Mom, are you serious?” Cohen exclaimed.
As soon as Cohen met Tilly, she came right up to the kennel door, climbed into his arms and fell asleep, melting both Cohen and Tammy’s hearts.
It was at that moment that Tammy knew that Tilly was coming home with them. 
For the past eight months, Tilly has slowly transformed Cohen’s room into her own purr-sonal condo. She’s got the run of the place and adores curling up next to Cohen. “When she was smaller, she would lie in his lap on his bed while he played video games, and she would either just lie there and watch him play his game and/or just lie and sleep. Now she lies on the bed beside him and sleeps, usually snuggled up to him!” Tammy explains.
Tammy describes Tilly as an intelligent, affectionate, and cuddly cat. She’s got her moments when she shows off her sassy side, as any cat would do. That comes out mostly when she knows she’s done something she’s not supposed to do or when she hears loud noises.
Tammy recalls her favourite memory of Tilly, and it’ll brighten anyone’s day. “The first time my husband met Tilly, he came into Cohen’s room and Tilly was on my lap on the floor. He closed the door, and she did a little scurry across the floor and climbed up his pant leg and didn’t stop and clung to his chest. He will tell you otherwise, but she melted his heart that day, too.” Sometimes people don’t realize they’re cat people until they have one.
Today, Cohen and Tilly’s relationship is still as strong, if not stronger, as the day they met. “My boy has been a different kid ever since. The two do not spend too many nights apart. They snuggle as much today as they did the first time. It’s adorable,” Tammy explained.
Tilly’s story is one of determination and love. Her determination to survive and Cohen’s determination to prove he could care for a kitten brought the two together. The moment they met, it was clear they belonged together. Now Tilly’s days are filled with cuddles, laughter, and the type of unconditional love that makes the world go round.
Just like Tilly, more furry friends are waiting for their loving home. Visit our shelters today to help change lives.
