May Palacpac, Storyteller

We adopted a 3.5 month old kitten from Ampon Alaga! I’d been following their page for a while and had always thought I might adopt one of their rescues. But I wanted to be 100% sure we were ready for the responsibility of having a pet so we waited until we knew we could fully commit.

To be honest I thought we were going to get a dog. Jay and I had always talked about getting two dogs once we moved into the new house. I even imagined one of them curling up in one of the kids rooms—probably Judah’s since dogs seem to gravitate towards him.

But if I’m being real I’ve always been fonder of cats. Growing up I had cats who loved me right back. It’s just that a dog seemed what we needed (and I can’t even explain why I thought that).

Jay knew I’d been checking out rescues for a while. I’d call him over sometimes to show him pictures and read the descriptions of the rescues that caught my eye. I won’t lie—I definitely had favorites. But I’m glad I didn’t just dive in and adopt on impulse. If I had I probably wouldn’t have been as ready as I am now.

Learning from animal advocates

In some ways, I think meeting a few animal welfare advocates helped prepare me for this. Last year, Judah joined an animal welfare organization called Likha’s Cradle, which is led by a fellow homeschooler, Megan Uyao. We also met Ilene, a passionate advocate for animal welfare and the organization’s consultant.

And there are others I’ve met, as well. I learned that three bloggers from my circle are animal rescuers.

I wouldn’t call myself an advocate, at least not like they are. I would never treat an animal cruelly, but through these advocates, I’ve learned how to love them better.

Anyway, last week, while sitting on my laptop, I happened to glance at our huge couch and thought of how snug a cat would be on those cushions. I suddenly felt that I needed a cat in my life. I thought about Tiger and Boss Miyawok, my cats in my childhood, and I just knew I wanted another one. I was ready.

Personal reasons

I have to admit, part of it was selfish—I wanted the comfort of a cat who would sit with me in the quiet. One who’d curl up next to me, purring softly, pressing her face against mine. A cat who wouldn’t need explanations for my quirks and eccentricities—she’d just get me.

I also wanted a cat with a little attitude—sweet but sassy. The kind who’d almost roll her eyes at you if she could when she thought you were being ridiculous. She’d make me laugh, no doubt.

When I first brought up adopting a cat, Jay wasn’t too keen on the idea. He worried about my asthma and allergic rhinitis, thinking it might trigger a reaction. I even considered bribing him with the promise of a handheld vacuum, just to reassure him that I’d keep the fur situation under control.

But in the end, I didn’t have to try that hard. That afternoon, when he got home, I told him I was ready to adopt and showed him a post from Ampon Alaga about four rescued kittens. He didn’t say yes—not yet—but he also wasn’t giving me a firm no anymore. And that was something.

Applying to adopt

Screening of adopters is crucial

For the safety of the rescues under Ampon Alaga’s care, I won’t be sharing my answers to their adoption questions here. Careful screening of potential adopters is essential because, sadly, not every rescue story ends the way it should.

Have you heard about the python that was being fed stray cats and dogs?

There have also been cases where adopters lost patience with their rescued cats and let them outside because they were “in heat.” These cats, never meant to fend for themselves outdoors, ended up in tragic accidents—and didn’t survive.

Anyway, Ross asked me to send photos of our living room to Kat. When I did, Kat told me that this meant I’d been approved. She said that they’d be in touch soon to schedule Kringle’s arrival.

Overshopping for the Señorita

No one was more excited for Kringle’s arrival than me! The moment everything was confirmed, I went on a shopping spree for all her essentials. I ordered a twin-bowl feeder with a water bottle, a soft pink bed, a scratch post-slash-toy, food, litter, dry shampoo for her fur and paws, a steam brush, pet-safe deodorizer spray, a toothbrush and toothpaste, nail clippers, and ID tags with our numbers on them.

I also messaged Kat, asking what brands of cat food Kringle liked and bombarding her with even more questions. I wanted to make sure that everything was ready—that Kringle would have everything she needed the moment she stepped into our home.

Renaming Kringle to Señorita

Jay and I decided we wanted to change Kringle’s name. We have a friend with that name, and, honestly, it just didn’t feel like the right fit for our family’s personality.

We tossed around a few ideas—Figaro, Wednesday Addams. I loved the idea of Wednesday Addams (such a cool name!), but she just didn’t feel like a Wednesday to me.

Then Jay suggested Señorita, and I instantly fell in love with it. It made perfect sense—she’d be the only other girl in the house besides me, and let’s be real, she’s going to get a bit pampered.

Just to clarify, while Señorita can sometimes be interpreted as a “female master,” it actually just means “Miss.” And it suited her perfectly.

I also looked into pet HMOs, just in case. I found one with a reasonable premium that could help cover emergencies, so I requested Ampon Alaga to officially name her Señorita in the adoption contract before getting it notarized. That way, if we ever needed to claim any benefits for her, there wouldn’t be any issues.

We’re committed to taking the best care of Señorita and, hopefully, she’ll grow up to be a strong, healthy, and happy cat.

Conditions in the Contract

What I love about Ampon Alaga is how well they take care of their rescues before adoption. They handle the initial anti-rabies shots and deworming, ensuring the kittens are healthy before going to their new homes. They also take care of the spaying.

In Señorita’s case, they’ll come pick her up when she turns six months old, take her to the clinic for her spay surgery, and then bring her back to us. If we prefer to handle it ourselves, I get the sense they’d be fine with that too.

They also provided a starter kit—a litter box, a bag of litter, a toy, and some food—to help make the transition easier. It’s a thoughtful touch that makes adopting through them even more reassuring.

The Cat Contract

Back to our Señorita

As for Señorita, she has been nothing but pure joy for us! She’s just as playful as she is sweet, and from the looks of it, I think she loves us back.

The kuyas have welcomed her with open arms, playing and cuddling with her whenever they’re home. Judah, in particular, has made it a point to spend time with her every afternoon.

She’s been grooming herself—washing her face and fur—which is a sign that she feels safe and content in her new home. And last night, for the first time, she decided to sleep upstairs with us. I think she originally wanted to stay with Pablo because she lingered by his door, watching him sleep for a long time before eventually making her way to our bed.

And just a few minutes ago, she showed me her belly and let me touch it—one of the biggest signs of trust a cat can give. Señorita is settling in beautifully, and I couldn’t be happier.

She’s met Lorena who comes here to do general cleaning every week. She’ll also be the one who’ll come over to check on her whenever we’re not home.

Want to adopt?

If you have the heart to adopt a stray, you may visit Ampon Alaga’s Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/AmponAlaga

You may also visit my son Judah’s blog for a list of other animal rescue groups and organizations:
Code Campassion: Creative Coding with Pixel and Python to Raise Funds for Animal Welfare

Let me know if you’ve adopted one. We would love to celebrate your little one with you!

Update:
In July 25, 2025, our beloved Señorita passed away due to complications of Pneumonia.

We rushed her to GMC Veterinary clinic the day before where she was IV’d and given more antibiotics and vitamins to help her recover. She had been taking meds for upper respiratory infection for almost two months already.

We thought she recovered twice, having sought a second opinion with my friend, veterinary doctor, Millan Anderson of The Ark Animal Health Clinic who upgraded her meds, and she showed healing and recovery after taking them. But only a few days later, she would again grow weak and can unable to eat even her favorite brands of cat food. We resorted to feeding her recovery food instead, hoping that the nutrients were enough to help her regain her strength.

Losing her is one of the most painful experiences our family had to go through. We love her so much and her untimely passing came as a shock to all of us. We are still reeling from the pain. Even with our remaining three kittens, Chili, her best friend, Bean and Sylvester, the depth of sadness we feel remains inexplicable. Señorita was a living, breathing force in our lives.

Here was a short tribute I posted about her on Facebook, as a comment to a video reel I created when she first came to us:

“Our beloved kitten, Seňorita, left us for good last night. I miss her terribly. For the past five months, she has been the one who would wake me up at 6 am in the morning and each time any of us would come home, she was the first one to greet us at the door.

She’s the only one of our cats (we had three at the time of her death) who chose to sleep in our room at night. She kept the other cats in check in true lady boss form, and when the two new kittens were rescued, she nurtured them, cuddled with them and cared for them like a big sister.

She was feisty and swift – she could bring down Chili in one throw. There was never a doubt who the Alpha was in the house.

She was playful, and gave us a lot of joy in the few months she’s been with us. She made us laugh a lot and kept me company in the sala when I worked. Her presence in the house made me feel less lonely especially when all the boys were out.

She liked being carried around the compound to see the birds and the swaying leaves and the skies. She loved watching the birds and taught Chili to do the same.

We called her our quality control officer because she would always sniff our packages when they’re delivered and she checked the contents thoroughly.

She loved our boys and we all love her back very much.

We imagined many Christmases and birthdays, and many other celebrations with her as part of our family. We hoped for at least 10 years with her.

She came to us through Ampon Alaga. We adopted her when she was 4 months old.

Seňorita was 9 months old, almost 10, when she blinked her last I love you.”