“[She’s] in our spare room making biscuits …” 🥺
Last month, Emily Stepp had an unexpected visitor when a fluffy cat darted into her home through the open door. As a dedicated cat mom to Zuko and Mew, she was used to feline antics, but this newcomer was too skinny and worn to be one of her own.
Stepp quickly noticed that the thin cat had a tattered collar with a silver pendant that read “Ginger” on one side and a phone number on the other. Intrigued, she texted the number, hoping to learn more about the cat’s background. The response she received was both surprising and unsettling.
“I’m pretty sure we used to have a cat named Ginger back when I lived [with] my parents in the valley,” the person replied. They explained that their parents had moved to Florida five years ago, leaving the cat behind. “Do [with] that cat as you please; I’m very surprised that collar is still on,” they added.
Realizing that Ginger had been on her own for quite some time, Stepp felt a surge of compassion. Although she was uncertain about adopting Ginger permanently, she was determined to nurse her back to health and find her a loving home.
“I’m going to make sure she’s spayed, but [I’m] not going to let her back out,” Stepp stated on social media, noting that Ginger didn’t seem to want a life outdoors. She set Ginger up in a spare room, providing a safe space for her to decompress. Almost immediately, Ginger began to make herself comfortable, “making biscuits” on the bed.
As time went on, Stepp shared updates about Ginger, who had apparently survived outdoors for five years, prompting many concerned messages from followers. “It’s still impressive with all the wildlife we have and fires and freezing weather, though,” she noted.
Stepp soon found herself growing attached to Ginger, especially since the cat resembled a smaller, female version of Zuko. A few days later, Ginger had her first vet appointment, and Stepp held her breath, hoping for a clean bill of health so they could spend many happy years together.
The news came back positive: “She’s healthy!” Stepp announced. The vet confirmed that Ginger tested negative for both feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency viruses, allowing for a slow introduction to her new feline siblings, Mew and Zuko.
As Ginger settled in, she began to reveal her playful personality. “You can tell she was a very fierce little hunter when she had to be but also quite goofy,” Stepp wrote.
Now, over a month since Ginger moved in, she couldn’t be happier. Mew and Zuko are gradually warming up to their new sister, and Stepp reflects on the surprising turn of events that led to Ginger joining her family.
“She did find us,” she concluded. “Everyone was right.”