The week of Halloween, two little house panthers with golden eyes appeared in a Chicago rescue, the Catcade, an arcade-themed cat café. This cute house panther duo caught our eye because one of them is named Cole! His bonded brother is Popeye. But their amazing story takes the “it takes a village” proverb to great distances, as you’ll see.
As we shared before, the Catcade is known for its comedic take on adoptable cats. Their hilarious descriptions are not your usual, and you might easily snort with laughter. They celebrate each cat’s quirks and peculiarities with a style that is uniquely Catcade and Chicago. But these kitties are from somewhere other than Chicago, having traveled across the Atlantic to find homes in the windy city.
In April, 2018, Cat Man Chris visited the Catcade and gave Shelly a high five for National High Five Day and National Cat Lady Day.
“For #nationalcatladyday and #nationalhighfiveday Cole & Marmalade‘s dad dropped by and high-fived a crazy cat lady while I was left out once again,” the Catcade’s Chris shared.
Cat Man Chris visits the Catcade in Chicago and meets founders Chris and Shelly.
Popeye and Cole are Perfect Little Gremlins
Here’s how founder Chris described Popeye and Cole:
“Popeye and Cole are the duo you’ve been waiting for your entire life. Two skinny-ass little six and eight-month-old boys just waiting for you to come home so they can hear how your Bumble date went. Like, how cool is it that even if it ends badly, you still have not one but TWO highly attentive, wonderful dudes eagerly awaiting your return?”
Cole
“It’s true. Like, who would ever lie about something like that to get a couple of perfect boys adopted?! How unethical would that be? Luckily, not us because these dudes are handsome, clingy, and ripped like me in 1994, and how awesome is it that you get them before their lazy heartburn reveling in nostalgia era?”
Popeye
“So, if you’re looking for two dudes to cuddle and maybe do some petty crimes with, slide on through and touch these little gremlins.”
Born on the Virgin Islands
Although they’re ready to start new lives as house panthers/gremlins in Chicago, Cole and Popeye came from over 2,000 miles away! They were born in a tropical setting with palm trees and salty ocean winds. So, how did they get to Chicago, anyway?
First, a rescuer named Ray found an angry little kitten, Popeye, on the island.
“He was so angry! But I could feel he was so thankful at the same time. Such a sweet little boy,” Ray V. shared.
Ray V. rescues Popeye the kitten in the Virgin Islands
The kitten was suffering from a badly-infected eye but made an ameowzing recovery at the St.Thomas Humane Society.
“Popeye was so pitiful when I found him. His eye was all jacked up. Hence the name. I’m so thankful people believed in him, and he’s ready for a home ❤️😭.”
Popeye’s eyes are gorgeous today
Then, Popeye and Cole grew up together thanks to foster mom Brianna B, who says this duo is “super sweet.”
“These were my foster babies in St Thomas!” she shared. “They were raised with pitties, a rabbit, and other cats. Both are cereal thieves. Cole likes to sleep under the covers as the big spoon. Popeye demands full-body pets and likes to perch on shoulders,” she proudly shared.
Rescuer Brianna B. from the Virgin Islands with another black kitten she helped in 2020.
After growing up strong with lots of love, Cole and Popeye traveled a long way to find homes. Another rescuer shared they were “perfect little travelers” on the trip to where they are now seeking a new chapter in life.
Pets with Wings
The Humane Society of St. Thomas has a “Pets with Wings” program and works with other rescuers from all over the country to help pets like Cole and Popeye reach the U.S. mainland, where they can find homes.
Kelsey W. carries precious cargo with Off the Rocks Animal Rescue via Pets with Wings.
So many kind people were involved in helping two abandoned kittens find a better life in Chicago. Today, Cole is around 8 months old, and Popeye is 6 months old, and the bonded duo will be together forever. Visitors at the Catcade say Cole is a “cuddle monster!”