Hey, E here!
All of my cats are rescue cats, each with a unique story. Ralph and Phoebe were rescued together, and have been inseparable ever since.
Ralph and Phoebe are my original pair of cats. I got them when they were both 3 months old. They just turned 10 and were my only two cats for 7 years. I rescued them one summer in college when I was studying at a science lab on an island.
There was a tropical storm coming and I was up late hanging out with some of the other students. We were on the first floor of the dorm when I looked down and saw a small calico cat standing in the hallway. Someone had left the door open and she had wandered in looking for food. She was so hungry that she even ate a saltine cracker that someone offered her. I quickly scooped her up and prepared to take her back to my house, off the island, about an hour away. Someone else in the dorm let me know that she had seen the calico kitten earlier in the day with a grey kitten. I looked outside and found him hiding in a bush. They are likely to be litter mates.
They were friendly cats but clearly very hungry and scared. Maybe a vacationing family had taken care of them before leaving their vacation home. I scooped up both kittens into a small red basket that I had and wrapped them in a towel. I got into my car with my friend and started to drive back to the mainland. We went across the tall bridge that connects the island to the mainland about an hour before they closed it due to the approaching tropical storm. The kittens were snuggled together, warm and safe in the basket in my car. I hate to think about what would have happened to them once the storm hit the island.
I originally tried to adopt out the pair of kittens. I printed fliers and let everyone at the science lab know that the kittens needed a home. It quickly became apparent that the kittens were in fact already home. Then I had to come up with names for them.
I wanted them to have names that went together but were not dependent on each other. I have always loved fashion and decided to name them after different fashion designers. Ralph’s full name is Ralph Lauren, named after the American designer with the same name. The modern preppy aesthetic matches Ralph’s chill personality. Phoebe’s full name is Phoebe Philo, after the British designer with the same name. The more exclusive and refined couture represents Phoebe’s personality perfectly.
Ralph and Phoebe have been highly socialized since I got them. They are extremely friendly cats and will come to greet you when you come in the door. They are so loving and want to be the center of everyone’s attention. These two have been through so much with me and I love them intensely.
Ralph and Phoebe share an Instagram with their cat brothers. More pictures of them can be found at Five Points Snowy!