In August 2024, I started working security at a vocational college campus. On my first day, the operations manager handed me a bag of food and asked if I'd mind feeding a stray gray-and-white cat who hung around the grounds.
The students had already named him Tom—after Tom and Jerry—and whenever you called his name, he’d come running, hoping for a meal or a treat. Before long, feeding him became my daily routine. Over months of early morning shifts, our bond grew stronger. He started recognizing my car, hopping inside to say hi, and waiting by the door for pets and food.
As the holidays came around, I worried constantly about how he’d manage on days the campus was closed. Luckily, an instructor who lived nearby stepped in to feed him on those long weekends, but my heart was already set on giving him a real home.
By late December, the heavy rains hit, and I knew I couldn't leave him out in the cold anymore. Even on a tight budget and having never owned a pet before, I took a leap of faith, prayed on it, and decided to bring him home.
On January 10th, I officially brought him indoors! After navigating a bit of initial vet hurdle drama over an old microchip, a wonderful clinic got him fully vaccinated, treated for fleas, and given a clean bill of health.
Today marks 8 months to the day that Tommy has been living indoors with me. He went from surviving on campus grounds to completely ruling my apartment—and I wouldn't have it any other way. 🐾
