Anchovy and Anna Brown: Furry Friends Fur-Ever

“I live alone in my own apartment,” Anna says. “I’ve always been a cat person at heart, having grown up on a farm, where the barn cats were my favorite part of each day. Watching them explore, play and hunt brought me so much joy.

“I met Anchovy, formerly named Tom Cruise, at the Furry Friends shelter. While all of the other kittens were snuggled together, he jumped right into my lap, and at that moment, I knew he was the one. Adopting him has completely transformed my life. As to why I renamed him Anchovy, like the little fish? It perfectly suits his quirky, playful personality.

“He’s never stopped showing me how affectionate and loving he is. He sleeps on my chest every night, rubs on my face and nose, kneads me constantly, and wants to be near me at all times. Adopting Anchovy came at a crucial period in my life. I had recently moved out of homelessness into my apartment after too many years alone and without a companion. Anchovy’s being here has brought a joy, a purpose and a love I didn’t know I was missing.

“Anchovy is a cat full of surprises. He’s incredibly food-motivated, which has made discovering his favorite toys and tricks fun. He knows ‘sit’, ‘roll over’, ‘jump’, and even waits patiently for his meals, spinning three times before I release him to eat! He loves his shaker mice and springs, plays fetch, and boasts the kind of energy that fills my apartment with ongoing exuberance.

“He’s also mischievous. I once came home to find him curled up in my flipped-over trash can. But even then, I discovered something amazing: Anchovy loves baths. He purred, kneaded and happily splashed in the water completely defying the stereotype that cats hate water.

“A mix of majestic and silly, he’s famous in my apartment complex for sitting in the window across from the dog park, watching the dogs go by. Always affectionate, he never tires of demanding attention and cuddles. And, as a bonus, he’s become my little model. I’m a photographer and I recently had a studio photoshoot with him. Using his food motivation, I encouraged him to pose, and he was a superstar, showing off both his charm and his playful personality.

“Every day with Anchovy is a joy. He’s affectionate, clever, playful and endlessly entertaining. Furry Friends gave me the chance to meet him, bond with him and bring him home. That kindness has changed my life in ways I never imagined. Anchovy is more than a pet. He’s my companion, my joy and a little furry miracle that turned a lonely apartment into a home filled with laughter, love, and endless adventure.”
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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.