Today is the second anniversary of when we adopted Back Seung Jo!
Due to her previously friendly nature towards other cats, we knew we wanted to get a companion for Wendy—and before she got too used to being an only cat. After some reading, I decided a mild-mannered male kitten (younger than her, as she was under 2 then) would be a decent fit. I was low-key looking into a longer-haired black cat, as I’ve never had a black cat before (or a long-haired, or a male).
All summer 2017, I talked to Todd about it, but when it came time to go to the adoption event, he said we shouldn’t bring a carrier, because we obviously weren’t planning to get a kitten that day. I didn’t want to go if that wasn’t a possibility, but he insisted we go anyway.
We walked in, and right there was a litter of black kittens. I immediately connected with Seung Jo, despite him not sleeping cutely, or playing. He just had a ~vibe~. When we held him, he purred, and not in a fearful way. I left Todd with him while I took Gwendolyn to see other cats. When I got back, he said, “Well, if you want this kitten…”. From his foster mom, I learned that he was the best one of the litter. We were sold. Seung Jo was at the event, in a cage, less than 10 minutes, and we were home less than an hour later.
I’m pretty sure no other cat would put up with the amount of crap Wendy gives him, and still be polite, so it was a right enough fit. Seung Jo is good at listening, is super chill (always sleeping on his back, tummy up), and likes to play. And now he’s the most aesthetic, handsomest cat I’ve ever seen.
I’m so glad he’s a part of our family!
‘Our’ Rescue
But I don’t want this to just be a birthday post for my cat—I’d like to highlight the rescue that connected us to him.
When we were first cat-browsing at Petco (our pet supplier of choice), we happened to be looking when one of the volunteers for the rescue was there to clean cages. She told us all about the rescue, and I was impressed enough (and they were the ones who put cats in our local Petco), to follow their events on Facebook. I figured we’d get a kitten from them.
And that’s just what we did. We had actually put in an application, and gotten approved, for a previous kitten, but it turns out Petco was confused and that one had already been adopted. So, when we were doing our paperwork for Seung Jo, the process was very fast, as we’d already been approved by them. Everyone was super helpful and nice, and Seung Jo came fixed, vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped!
Ashley Valley is a cat rescue group that works in the Uintah Basin. They do adoption events, supply cats you see in the cages at Petco, help with TNR (trap, neuter, release; for feral cats), and spay/neuter.
They are also a foster-only non-profit–so, they rely on loving volunteers, instead of filling up a building with homeless pets. From their website:
“Ashley Valley Community Cats is a 501(c)3 non-profit, no kill, cat rescue. We have a strong focus on rescuing and rehabilitating felines who are abandoned, sick, injured and those in shelters across the state of Utah. We are a foster-based rescue made up of dedicated and passionate volunteers who rely solely on donations and grants. AVCC is a Petco Foundation Partner and a part of the Best Friends No Kill Coalition Initiative. We find loving forever homes for over 500 cats and kittens each year.”
In 2017 alone, they found forever homes for over 800 cats.
Get Involved
Seung Jo is such a great cat, I was motivated to volunteer to clean cat cages later on, too. The process just requires cleaning litter boxes, sweeping out litter, cleaning the glass, and any other things that would be best cleaned up, and giving the cats pets. All and all a pretty good time. Unfortunately, my run was only a few months due to scheduling conflicts and having a toddler, but I found it was a great way to show some love to cats that need it.
As I still follow them on social media, I learned that they desperately needed fosters during kitten season. Since my hormonal pregnant self was sort of gunning for another cat, I thought fostering would be a great way to get in a ton of kitten time without any of the commitment. Honestly, it’s been such a delight to have these little babies around. They’ve grown so much, and have really demanded to be integrated into our home (two are sleeping on my desk as I type right now). Having them around has been helpful for teaching Gwendolyn how to be extra gentle and aware, as well as letting her know how to behave around babies. Plus, we’ve learned that Seung Jo is very playful and social—he’s loved having friends (Wendy is not that)!
pure kitten joy
If you aren’t into doing the dirty work, Ashley Valley also takes monetary donations, and of course supplies. This is an excellent way to make a huge difference for many cats, but without your life changing at all.
If you’re in Utah and interested in adopting a cat, or just helping local cats, definitely check out Ashley Valley. They are a fantastic rescue, and if you’re anything like me, your life will be enriched by working with them!
