A man grieving the loss of his beloved cat has found solace in his new companion, telling Newsweek that choosing a pet that reflected his grief helped him get through dark days.
Andrew McCarthy shared his story on Reddit under the username u/ajamesmccarthy on October 1st, and it has since gone viral. The post, which featured a photo of the unassuming cat he adopted, received 169,000 upvotes and more than 1,600 comments.
McCarthy said she felt a deep sense of emptiness after her cat died, and decided to adopt the “sadest” cat from the shelter to help her cope with her grief. The once melancholy cat, now named Gregory, has grown into a playful and affectionate companion.
“Gregory was adopted from the Pinal County Animal Shelter in Arizona,” McCarthy, an astrophotographer in the state, told Newsweek. “There were quite a few kittens running around and making noises to get attention, but Gregory, known as Boots at the shelter, retreated to the back of the kennel and remained quiet.”
A solemn cat with languid eyes and a reserved demeanor, he immediately caught McCarthy’s attention.
From left: Andrew McCarthy’s cats at a shelter in Arizona. and at McCarthy’s home after the adoption. An astrophotographer told the magazine that the feline was the oldest resident to be rescued. From left: Andrew McCarthy’s cats at a shelter in Arizona. and at McCarthy’s home after the adoption. An astrophotographer told the magazine that the feline was the oldest resident to be rescued. u/Ajames McCarthy
“His sad eyes spoke to me,” he said.
Gregory, the shelter’s oldest cat and the one who had been there the longest, seemed to mirror McCarthy’s own sense of loss. “Ever since my cat passed away, I had felt an emptiness in my life, so I adopted the saddest cat from a shelter,” he told viewers in the post.
“When I brought him home, he had a sad look in his eyes for the entire hour-plus drive, but he didn’t complain,” McCarthy said. .
Arriving home, Gregory explored his new surroundings with cautious curiosity. His change was gradual but heartwarming, and he has since settled perfectly in his new home. McCarthy said the cat initially maintained its natural alertness despite eating and drinking in a new environment.
“Only once since I let him explore his new home did he come and sit with me, and I noticed his sad eyes were gone,” he says. I did. “Now he’s playful and affectionate, purring constantly in between yelling for attention.”
The astrophotographer doesn’t usually share stories about his pets on social media, but he says they’re a big part of his life and stay with him when he’s working.
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