June 29, 2026

To Everyone who has considered adopting a furry friend from an adoption agency, let me tell you the story of how Poppy came into our lives.

My husband and I were looking to adopt a younger cat, not a kitten, and were seeking a British Shorthair because my husband has mild cat allergies.  My daughter did a search on her phone and showed me a picture of a lovely grey cat, and said, “what about this one?”  She sent me the link to inquire about adoption.

I thought about the picture of this grey cat through the night, and the next day wrote a response to buddiesandpalsrescue@gmail.com.  I had written to a couple of breeders and hadn’t received any responses, but several hours after I hit “send” with my email to buddiesandpals, there in my inbox was a response from Natalie.  After reading my email, she suggested that my husband and I meet “Paedyn” at the home of her foster mother.  We were able to set up our initial meeting just a few days later. 

Upon arriving at Paedyn’s foster home, we were warmly greeted by Natalie, and her friend, Alexis, who was her foster Mom.  Both Natalie and Alexis are Vet Techs, which immediately impressed me and my husband.  These ladies knew a lot about cats.  Before we met Paedyn, Natalie and Alexis told us her back story and explained she had been in foster care with Alexis for several weeks.  My husband and I told them our back story, that we had previously had the companionship of Libby, a British Shorthair, who had been our furry companion for 14 years, and had passed five years earlier.

When we entered the bedroom that served as Paedyn’s temporary home, we could see that she was in a good, caring space.  She had toys, a cat tree by the window, a soft pillow on a rocking chair where she slept, and her “secret tunnel” where she loved to hide.  I sat down on the floor, put out my hand, and Paedyn walked over to check me out.  By this time, tears were in my eyes, because she reminded me so deeply of Libby.  As we sized each other up, my smile got bigger and Paedyn seemed willing to get to know me and my husband better.

It was clear to the four of us that this could be a match made in heaven, and Natalie asked us if we would be willing to adopt Paedyn.  Of course, we said she was just the furry companion we had been waiting for and we were happy to proceed with the adoption.  At this point, we needed to share that we were going out of town in two weeks to visit family, and would not want to bring her home, only to have to leave her with a daily neighbor to visit her.  This meant we would have to delay the adoption for a month. Alexis immediately agreed to keep Paedyn until we returned, and we agreed to this arrangement with deep gratitude for her generosity and flexibility.  

That night, I was thinking about a new name for Paedyn, as I felt she was young enough to adapt to a new name.  Being a British Shorthair, I was seeking a name with a British tie to it, and “Poppy” popped into my head.  It was short, sweet, perky and British…just perfect for her.

On Friday, June 12, Poppy was introduced to our home by Natalie and Alexis, who personally made a home visit and brought some of her favorite things.  Within the hour, Poppy was off exploring, alertly checking out her new living space, going up and down the stairs, noting every window ledge and opportunity to check out the action outside. 

We were smitten with Poppy, and we still are.  Several times a day you will hear me and my husband say, “Where’s Poppy?” and then we look around until we find her.  She has settled in so nicely, and it feels like she’s been here much longer that just over two weeks.  She is not hesitant to “use her voice” to let us know she’s hungry or wants scratches or wants to play.  

We are blessed in finding Poppy, but even more so to know she comes to us from knowledgeable, caring people like Natalie and Alexis who not only know animals, but also care deeply about them, and about finding them the “right home.”  

Since the adoption, we have exchanged occasional texts, and I’ve sent pictures of Poppy to Natalie and Alexis as she continues to discover new places to hide and sleep and expands on her playful activities and never seems to grow tired of collecting her scratches. 

Buddiesandpalsanimalrescue@gmail.com is a special organization run by exceptional people who care about animals and take the time needed to find the best match for their foster furry friends.

With forever gratitude,

Judie and Stu