10 years ago this month, I adopted my sweet calico kitty, Sybil, in Utah. She’s been with me through most of grad school, two relationships, and a move from Utah to Idaho. She was an unplanned surprise addition to the family but I couldn’t imagine life without her now!

In honor of 10 years with my sassy calico Sybil, I’m sharing her adoption story, what life is like with Sybil, and a few of her favorite things and silly quirks!

10 years with my calico cat, Sybil | Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

10 Years with Sybil

Sybil’s Adoption Story

In September of 2013, I went to Petco to pick up things for Rosie when I wandered over to check out the cats available for adoption. At the time, I was in grad school and living in Utah. I was also living with my now former partner and his cat, Melody. There was no reason why I should have been looking at the adoptable cats. I didn’t intend to adopt one!

I made the mistake of not only looking at the cats but reading their bios, and on Sybil’s form (at the time her name was Gwenda), it said her intake to the humane society was in September 2012—a full year prior. And she had been in Petco since July 2013 (she was being adopted out by a rescue that partnered with the humane society). Two months of living in a cage. To top it all off, she wasn’t even two years old yet according to her arbitrary birthdate.

Sybil looked so sad in her cage. She was curled up and not interested in much of anything. I left Petco but couldn’t get her out of my mind. I spent the whole night sobbing because I felt so horrible that she was living in a cage and that she hadn’t been with a family in a year (who knows what her life was like prior to her intake).

The next day, I went back to Petco to adopt her—only she wasn’t there! An employee had taken her for the night so she could get out of the cage. I waited until she came back, and they were so gracious to give me the toys they had purchased for her. I felt bad about the timing, ha.

She cost $15 to adopt because she didn’t have a chip. (Now she has one!) And she’s had a family ever since. I no longer look at the adoptable cats at Petco, LOL. It makes me too sad; I wish I could adopt them all. 😭 (It’s the same reason why I can’t just go to the humane society to look at ALL the cats and why I can’t browse the adoptable cats online.)

Sybil laying on the cardboard scratcher | Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Life with Sybil

I adopted Sybil when I was a Master’s student the same weekend that I started blogging (what eventually turned into CCCH)! It’s crazy I’ve also been blogging for 10 years! I already had Rosie, and we also had Melody, so I attempted to do a proper cat introduction and kept Sybil secluded in the guest room and let the cats gradually “meet” through the door. The funny thing was that the guest room was a loft, and Sybil quickly figured out how to jump up and sit on the railing looking down at Rosie and Melody from above.

After adopting Sybil, we quickly realized just how silly she was! She would “parkour” around the house as she was running around (jump sideways, run on the edge of the bed, etc.). She doesn’t do that quite as often now but every once in a while if she gets riled up she’ll run around like a crazy kitty! She also loves laying on things, so much so that I made a mini series out of the photos I took of her laying on random things around the house (part 1, part 2, part 3). She still does this!

Sybil was closest with Melody, and she was very sad when Melody moved out. She would cry by the front door for her friend. It was so sad! She and Rosie tolerate each other; they will sit near each other if they’re also sitting by Korri and me, but they won’t go out of their way to sit near each other (unless the patch of sunlight is very small lol). I think Sybil wishes she and Rosie were friends, though. She could probably use a friend!

During grad school, whenever I went home to Boise on breaks, the cats came along with me. Sybil is not a fan of car rides and is somewhat vocal at times, but she’s not as consistently vocal as Rosie. She would develop struvite crystals in her urine regularly after traveling (or after I traveled in general), and I spent a large amount of money (especially for a grad student) on treating those crystals every time they happened. I even learned how to give her subcutaneous fluids! The vet prescribed urinary prescription food and now she gets a small amount daily, and it has helped immensely. She hasn’t had a crystals episode since!

Sybil yawning on the cardboard scratcher | Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Sybil has very much enjoyed life in Boise since we moved following my PhD. We have a second story balcony (I also call it the porch and the patio, LOL) that she absolutely loves. She will lay out on the chair we have outside for hours and hours. She also likes to eat whatever random leaves or other items end up on the porch and then puke them up later. A few years ago, I accidentally left her outside overnight! She was so quiet and content that I didn’t realize she was out there all night until Rosie made a fuss by the door the next morning. I’m so glad Sybil survived the night and wasn’t taken by an owl, lol. Now I crack the window shade to remind myself that she’s out there.

My sweet kitty finds the best hiding spots. Half the time I have no idea where in the house she’s hiding. She usually appears out of nowhere if I call for her, though. She’s kind of like a dog in that way (but she also ignores you, too, so not fully like a dog). She gets in our faces when we eat and wants whatever we have. She’s also extremely strong. I don’t know what she does all day when I’m not watching but the vet always comments on how strong she is! It’s hilarious.

After a recent stint at the emergency vet due to vomiting and lack of eating and drinking (my first time at the emergency vet), Sybil was recently diagnosed by her regular vet with pancreatitis, and her vet also found that her bowels are not absorbing vitamin B12. To diagnose her, she had a followup appointment with her regular vet, who noted significant weight loss and sensitivity around her bowels. We did a GI blood panel and those results indicated the pancreatitis and very low B12 levels. She’s near the end of a month of taking Cerenia and also receives once weekly B12 injections (so much easier than giving fluids!). The injections will eventually taper off to every other week, then monthly, probably for the rest of her life.

Sybil taking a nap in her hammock | Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Sybil’s Favorite Things

My sweet Sybil loves SO many things! Here are some of her favorite things as told by me:

Laying in the sunshine
Staring at animals in the trees outside
Being on the porch all day long
Heated blankets
The scratcher in a Costco box next to the couch
Scratches from Korri while she lays in the box next to the couch
Sharpening her nails on the tall scratching post and cardboard scratchers
Sleeping on Rosie’s ball scratcher
Sleeping behind my knees as I sleep
Attacking catnip cigars
Sitting close to Rosie
Coming when we call Rosie or are giving Rosie attention
Sleeping in dark, very hidden places
Being near me while I work from home
Running around the house randomly
Eating Rosie’s food when she’s not supposed to

Sybil and Rosie sharing the afternoon sun | Cotton Cashmere Cat Hair

Sybil’s Silly Cat Quirks

It takes Sybil approximately three years to warm up to and learn to trust someone. This is less silly and more sad, as I’m sure it’s related to her past. It took her a long time to feel comfortable with me, and Korri experienced the same thing. He was so sad that she didn’t immediately take to him, and now they are buds!
Sybil CAN meow, she just chooses not to most of the time. She has the cutest lil squeaky meow, but every once in a while she’ll wail from another room, and it makes me wonder why she doesn’t meow like a normal cat because she clearly can, LOL. She does protest quite a bit at the vet and is much louder there than she is at home.
When she’s being pet, Sybil stretches her toes out repeatedly and it makes me think of chicken feet every time, haha! It’s so cute.
Sybil gets very jealous when Rosie is getting attention and she isn’t. She always has to be wherever Rosie is, and if Rosie is getting pets then she also wants pets. We have realized that if we want Sybil to come hang out with us, we just need to call for Rosie and eventually Sybil will show up!
Sybil now overgrooms her belly like Rosie used to. I’m not sure of the exact reason but it could be related to her recent health issues.
One of her canine teeth was pulled when she had her most recent dental—the same tooth that Rosie had removed! I think it’s funny they had the same teeth removed. Sybil’s lip doesn’t get stuck like Rosie’s does, though.

I love my sweet Sybil kitty so much, and I hope I’m able to have at least seven more years with her. Fortunately, she’s stayed relatively healthy so far (save for her current health issues), and fingers crossed she’ll stay that way for a long while. I’m going to cherish every moment with her. One giant benefit of working from home has been all this extra time spent with her and Rosie. I’m so grateful! (Trying not to cry right now. Why is our pets’ time spent on Earth SO short? It’s not fair.) ❤️

Check out my Life at Home page for more posts about Rosie and Sybil!