A man who never thought of himself as a cat person found himself falling for a feline with a grumpy appearance, chubby cheeks, and downturned eyes.
Bob and El Jefe
Jo-Anne
Bob never saw himself as a “cat person” or owning a feline companion due to his allergies. That changed two months ago.
When Bob and his wife, Jo-Anne, returned home from their trip, they heard about a cat that had been saved from the freezing cold, buried in snow.
“Our friends informed us about this amazing grumpy-looking cat with chubby cheeks, droopy eyes, and no neck. Bob joked, ‘Well, he sounds just like me,'” Jo-Anne recounted to Love Meow.
Jo-Anne, a cat taken in by Shuswap Paws Rescue Society, received medical attention and was actively being sought a foster home. Bob and Jo-Anne decided to introduce the feline into their household. “He entered confidently, acting like the boss he is, and affectionately rubbed against us. We anticipated him to be timid or reserved, but he proved otherwise.”
When they first encountered each other, Jefe immediately flopped down for belly rubs from Jo-Anne. With his commanding presence, he earned the nickname El Jefe, or The Boss, in Spanish. Jefe strutted around and then plopped down in front of Bob, inviting him to rub his belly.
Bob was pleasantly surprised by how friendly Jefe was and how quickly he warmed up to them. “I can already tell this is going to be a good fit. I’m almost emotional. And I’m not even a cat person,” he said, holding back tears of joy.
Jefe made the decision to sleep among his people at night; he was content with a roof over his head and a loving family. Jo-Anne shared, “We decided right then and there, ‘We will foster him.'” That evening, Jefe squeezed himself between the couple in bed and slept soundly. “My husband used to snore a lot but now takes allergy pills before bed. The following night, Jefe was sleeping between our heads.”
He shadows Bob wherever he goes in the house. Jo-Anne noticed that on the fifth night, Bob woke up to find Jefe grooming his hair, taking care of him as if he were his own. “It was definitely a sign of affection and love for Bob.” Jefe started to follow Bob around like a shadow, making sure to keep him company wherever he went.
They both have similar characteristics and routines. When Bob was refinishing a table in the garage, Jefe, his loyal companion, was right by his side, not even moving an inch when the noisy compressor was turned on. Jefe continued to watch Bob attentively as he worked on sanding the table. “At one point, when Bob was sneezing a lot, I jokingly suggested maybe we couldn’t keep him,” Jo-Anne shared. “But Bob quickly shut that down with a firm ‘No.’ Jefe is here to stay with us, he’s found his forever home.”
They even nap together.
Jo-Anne
Jefe accompanies Bob on daily adventures and is always by his side.
“He stays near Bob as he chops wood outside for our fire pit. He has joined us in my husband’s old pickup truck. Bob’s beloved old dog, Reggie, used to ride in that truck for house repossession jobs, so Bob enjoys having El Jefe along for the ride.”
Jefe and Bob are practically inseparable, always sticking together like glue. They have a lot in common, from their habits to their personalities, making them the ultimate dynamic duo. No matter where Bob goes, you can bet that Jefe won’t be far behind.
Bob sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night because Jefe, his pet, is right next to his face. Despite the inconvenience, Bob wouldn’t give up Jefe for anything in the world.
Jo-Anne
Feel free to spread the word about this tale to your pals. For more heartwarming stories like this, you can also follow Shuswap Paws Rescue Society on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
For a similar story, check out how a cat found its way onto a balcony and started a new chapter in life, turning out to be the most adorable ‘supervisor.’
