Happy Tail: Django and Quentin
Onyx and Sheldon have always enjoyed cats’ company and shared the love of Onyx’s two cats until their passing. Two years later, the couple felt ready to invite new feline companions into their home. “I knew we would look for rescue kitties to help take some cats off the streets, so I contacted Annex Cat Rescue,” recalls Onyx.
After meeting on Zoom with ACR volunteer foster Sarah, the couple loved the idea of taking in two bonded brothers. “Sheldon wanted to name one of the kittens Quentin Collins, a character from a gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows,” says Onyx, who wasn’t keen on the name at first.
Upon seeing a photo of now-Quentin, however, she realized it fit. “He looked like a gentleman who in his shyness exuded a mysterious air,” says Onyx. Sheldon named the other kitten Django – a tuxedo kitty. Onyx looks forward to naming a third cat down the road.
“ACR informed us that the brothers were born in an auto shop, so we knew it could take a while for them to adjust to a new place,” says Onyx. While their mother had done her best to care for her litter, fostering and adoption through ACR were the best option, and the boys went to their forever home.
Skittish at first, the boys spent two weeks in a bedroom with the comforts of food and a litter box, and eventually came out to explore. “They were cautious sniffers – checking out the other rooms and sticking close to one another,” says Onyx.
Soon enough, the pair began playing and laying around the apartment. Django is adventurous, while Quentin watches and learns from his brother. They equally enjoy an enclosed cat playpen on the terrace, where they can safely enjoy listening to birds.
“To this day, sometimes their ‘playground’ becomes a ‘Thunderdome’ where they playfully tumble around together,” says Onyx. Thankfully, Django is a gentle giant with his smaller brother Quentin when playing.
Django sleeps with Onyx and Sheldon at night, while Quentin opts for the cat tower nearby. Quentin went from shy to curious – embracing a morning cuddle, trying to turn doorknobs and keeping a watchful eye on his family. Described as a “monkey kitty,” Quentin will adventurously swing off cat towers and do somersaults in the air!
Django is described as their “matrix cat” – loving a fast-paced chase, yet also content to be held by his loving parents. “Sometimes he can’t get enough of petting and attention while he kneads his special blanket,” says Onyx.
While sensitive to noise and other people, Django and Quentin love their home and have continued to gain comfort over the last 20 months. Onyx and Sheldon credit ACR for taking care of the kittens’ initial needs, creating a safe space for them in a foster home and considering their personalities in the context of a forever home. “Both Sheldon and I feel very blessed. Living with our cat companions here is purrrrfect,” says Onyx.
-Amy Ellen Soden
