Bonded pair of cats finally adopted months after shelter has wedding for them
Marcell and Aspen - two inseparable cats - were dropped off at an animal shelter after their owner died. The pair were back at the same shelter where the owner had adopted them together four years earlier.
Marcell and Aspen first arrived separately at the SPCA in Belmont, New York, in 2020. Marcell had been surrendered by his owner, while Aspen was abandoned after her owner was evicted.
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An elderly man named Bruce adopted both cats in February 2021, said Lynda Pruski, executive director of the shelter. His dog had recently died, Pruski said, and he was 'lonely and depressed.'
'He was looking for mature and friendly, loving cats and he found that in Aspen and Marcell,' she said.
When Bruce became ill, his final wish was that the cats return to the shelter as a pair, with hope they could be adopted together again. Bruce's brother brought the cats back to the SPCA in November 2024 after Bruce died.
The bond between the cats was strong.
'They were just always together, always touching,' Pruski said. 'You'd always see them sleeping together.'
But rehoming two cats at once, Pruski said, can be difficult.
'We weren't getting adopters that were willing to do that,' she said. 'It's really hard for people to adopt a bonded pair.'
Adding to the challenge: Marcell was significantly overweight. When he arrived back at the shelter, he was almost 26 pounds - far heavier than the 6 to 16-pound average of domestic shorthairs.
'He's very large, but very, very handsome,' Pruski said, noting that his weight is not because of an underlying health problem. Rather, 'he's a good eater.'
Initially, the shelter tried to promote the two feline friends as a package deal, even hosting a wedding for the cats to draw attention.
'We had a great time with it,' Pruski said, adding that Marcell is very cuddly, and Aspen is more reserved.
Unfortunately, though, there were still no adopters. Several months passed, and staff at the shelter decided it was time to market the cats separately to improve the odds of finding them homes.
'I'm Marcell, and I'm ready to stride straight into your heart with 23 pounds of pure, unfiltered love,' the shelter wrote in a Facebook post on May 1. 'Aspen and I once thought we were a package deal, and while we would love to be adopted together again, we've come to terms with the idea of going our separate ways if needed. We'll always be friends, but we're open to love in new places.'
'So, what do you say?' the post continues. 'Do you have room in your heart (and on your couch) for a deluxe-sized gentleman like me?'
The post took off, with thousands of likes and hundreds of comments.
People gushed over Marcell's notable size.
'Look at this chonk,' someone commented.
'NEED BIG CHUNGUS,' someone else wrote.
Many commenters begged to keep the pair together.
'You NEED to keep them together. NEED,' someone wrote.
'Losing an owner is traumatic enough, please keep them as a bonded pair!' someone else commented.
Many prospective adopters came forward, including several who were willing to take both Marcell and Aspen. Marcell is now 7, and Aspen is 6.
Tricia Feuchter, the administrator of Willow Creek - an assisted-living facility in Hinsdale, New York - expressed interest. She had met Marcell and Aspen when she and her daughter went to drop off donations at the shelter earlier this year.
'They're just so cute,' Feuchter said.
Willow Creek had previously adopted two cats, Chowder and Ezzy, from the SPCA, 'and it was a great experience,' Feuchter said, explaining that the cats live at the facility and the 32 residents, as well as staff, take care of them together. Feuchter said all residents were on board to adopt the cats, and any time a new person inquires about moving in, they tell them right away. The cats have free roam of the facility, aside from the kitchen.
'The population that we serve doesn't get a lot of visitors, sadly,' Feuchter said. 'These animals are family.'
'We have toys everywhere, all over the place. They sleep in residents' beds,' Feuchter said. 'They get snacks from the residents and sit with them on the couch, and they play with them and hang out.'
Given how much the residents appreciate having Chowder and Ezzy around, 'we decided to add a couple more kitties here,' Feuchter said.
She put in an application to adopt Marcell and Aspen, and because the two cats previously lived with an older person, Pruski thought it was a natural fit.
'Everybody was really excited,' she said. 'We always wanted to adopt them together.'
Marcell and Aspen officially moved in May 8, and they are settling in well - and getting along with Ezzy and Chowder.
'They love life,' Feuchter said.
Marcell is continuing his weight-loss journey, and he is down to 21 pounds. In fact, Chowder is on a similar diet, so they're in it together. Chowder weighs about 20 pounds.
'We try to get them together and moving,' Feuchter said.
Feuchter said the cats have made a profound difference in residents' lives.
'The residents absolutely love it,' Feuchter said. 'Animal therapy is the best therapy.'
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