Aman grieving for the loss of his beloved cat has found comfort with a new feline companion, and he told Newsweek how choosing a pet that mirrored his sadness helped him through the dark days.
Andrew McCarthy shared his story to Reddit on October 1 under the username u/ajamesmccarthy, and it has since gone viral. The post, which features a photo of the somber-looking cat he adopted, has garnered 169,000 upvotes and over 1,600 comments.
McCarthy said that he felt a profound void after his cat’s passing and was inspired to adopt the “saddest” cat at the shelter to help in his grief. Now named Gregory, the once melancholic cat has blossomed into a playful and affectionate companion.
“Gregory was adopted from the Pinal County Animal Shelter in Arizona,” McCarthy, who is an astrophotographer in the state, told Newsweek. “There were quite a few kittens playing around and being vocal for attention, but Gregory, who was called Boots at the shelter, was quiet, recessed in the back of his kennel.”
The solemn cat, with his melancholic eyes and reserved demeanor, immediately caught McCarthy’s attention.
“His sad eyes spoke to me,” he said..
Gregory, the oldest cat at the shelter who had also been there the longest, seemed to mirror McCarthy’s own sense of loss. “I’ve felt a void in my life ever since my cat passed so I adopted the saddest cat at the shelter,” he told viewers in the post.
“When I took him home—the entire hour-plus drive his eyes remained sad, but he didn’t complain,” McCarthy said.
Upon arriving home, Gregory explored his new surroundings with cautious curiosity. His transformation was gradual but heartwarming, and he has since fully settled into his new home. McCarthy says that the cat maintained a natural air of caution at first, despite eating and drinking in his new environment.
“It was only once I let him explore his new home that he came and sat with me, and I noticed his sad eyes were gone,” he said. “Nowadays, he is playful, loving, and purrs constantly between vocally crying for attention.”
The astrophotographer says that while he does not usually share daily tales about his pets on social media, his animals keep him company while he works and form a big part of his life.