Cat Who Lost Owner Won't Stop Cuddling Beloved Stuffed Animal

“We’ve never seen a cat that is so attached ... It really seems to be his support system.”

A 16-year-old cat named Hoonie has seen a lot of changes in his life lately, but one thing has remained the same — Hoonie’s favorite stuffed animal, a gray and white cat, is still at his side.

Sadly, Hoonie’s owner recently died, leaving Hoonie without a home. The owner’s daughter initially took Hoonie in, but unfortunately, both she and her own son are allergic to cats, and they couldn’t keep him. So Hoonie and his stuffed cat went to a shelter run by Alley Cat Rescue in Maryland.

Cat wrestling with stuffed animal
Hoonie wrestling with his stuffed animal | Alley Cat Rescue

Hoonie’s doing “really well,” but he’s still adjusting to the new sights and sounds at the shelter, Brianna Grant, communications associate at Alley Cat Rescue, told The Dodo. His stuffed cat, which probably still smells like home, is his greatest comfort.

Cat at shelter with stuffed animal
Hoonie and his stuffed animal at the shelter | Alley Cat Rescue

“We’ve never seen a cat that is so attached to a stuffed animal,” Grant said. “It really seems to be his support system.”

Hoonie spends all of his time with his stuffed cat — he sleeps with it, cuddles with it and wrestles with it.

Cat in the litter box
Alley Cat Rescue

“It’s been a long-time companion,” Grant said. “She [the owner’s daughter] sent us photos of Hoonie roughhousing with the stuffed animal, so I think Hoonie has a lot of fun with the stuffed animal and seems so attached to it. He’s been in the cage just cuddling next to it, and it seems to really help him out.”

Cat cuddling with stuffed animal
Hoonie cuddling with his stuffed cat | Alley Cat Rescue

While the staff will do everything they can to help Hoonie get used to shelter life, they ultimately want him to find a new home, especially since he craves attention from people.

Cat lying on person
Alley Cat Rescue

“He’s a huge talker,” Grant said. “It’s very sweet. When he’s lonely, he’ll let you know. You’ll hear him from a room away. But once you go and hang out with him, he just gets silent and hangs out next to you, and he seems so content just to have people by his side.”

Hoonie is also in excellent health, so Grant hopes that his advanced age doesn’t deter potential adopters.

Cat lying on ground on his back
Alley Cat Rescue

“He is a senior cat in the last stages of his life, so I think people have a hard time dealing with the idea of adopting a cat and making a connection, just for the cat to pass away,” Grant said. “But I’m sure that whoever gets him and adopts him will have a great few years with him. He’s such a sweetheart.”

Cat and stuffed animal at shelter
Alley Cat Rescue

Grant explained that Hoonie would be best suited to a calm home environment with no other cats, and preferably with owners who are around a lot.

When Hoonie is eventually adopted, his stuffed cat will follow him to his new home. “We couldn’t separate the two,” Grant said with a laugh. “They’re a package — two for one.”

If you’re interested in adopting Hoonie and his stuffed cat, you can fill out an adoption enquiry with Alley Cat Rescue.