“I instantly knew we had to have her” 
LaRae Stevens and her daughter were taking a leisurely stroll around PetSmart last October when they decided to walk through the adoptable cats section. The mother-daughter duo had been longing for a cat for years, but sadly, not everyone in the household was on board with bringing in a new pet.
Still, the two wanted to check out the adoptable cats and daydream about the day they’d be able to choose one. They had no idea that someone would choose them just moments later.
Instagram/mama_stevens
As Stevens and her daughter walked past the wall of glass enclosures, a cat named Missy stood on her hind legs to greet them. She placed her front paws on the glass and enjoyed their distant coos at her. But as they started walking away, Missy became frantic.
The lonely cat began pawing at the glass incessantly, which intensified as Stevens’ daughter approached the glass. Missy felt instantly connected to the pair of visitors and begged them not to leave without her.
“As soon as she started doing this, I instantly knew we had to have her,” Stevens wrote in an Instagram Reel.
You can watch that moment here:
Stevens made an impassioned plea to her husband, the last member of the household who was wary about getting a pet. But after seeing Missy’s reaction to meeting his daughter, he couldn’t say no.
“We filled out [an] application before we left, knowing someone probably already got approved since she has been there for the past 2 weeks,” Stevens wrote. “[It was] worth a shot, [though].”
Instagram/mama_stevens
Stevens and her daughter left the store, crossing their fingers for a positive outcome. They’d decided that they’d visit Missy again even if their application was denied, but they ultimately hoped to be able to take her home forever.
A few hours later, they received the call they’d been desperately hoping for.
“I [got] a call from the [humane] society that we were approved!” Stevens wrote. “My daughter and I instantly [started] crying [because] we were in shock, over the moon excited [because] we have wanted a cat for a long time …”
You can see Missy sleeping in her new home here:
Stevens and her daughter picked Missy up later that afternoon and brought her home. As expected, Missy settled into her new home swimmingly and formed instant bonds with everyone there.
“She never leaves my side,” Stevens wrote on Instagram.
It’s been almost half a year since Missy joined the Stevens family, and she’s been thriving ever since. Whether she’s curled up on her mom’s lap, testing out a new toy or distracting her little human from homeschooling, Missy’s days are filled with joy.
“Missy is the best addition to our family,” Stevens wrote. “We could not ask for a better rescue cat. She is [perfect].”
