The day after I had a "mysterious dream" where I wished to adopt a cat with the same pattern as my deceased beloved cat

Since my beloved cat Gigi passed away in May 2025, the cat-shaped hole in my heart has remained unfilled. The painful part of pet loss is that at unexpected moments, I'm reminded of my beloved cat and my heart aches. It feels like getting a body blow out of nowhere.

There are so many moments when Gigi comes to mind and heart—when I accidentally pass by the animal hospital, or when I see something at the supermarket that Gigi used to love. Living through such days, a new desire blossomed: "I want to adopt another calico cat, just like Gigi."

I want to adopt a calico cat, just like my deceased beloved cat.

I believe choosing to adopt a cat with the same fur pattern as a deceased beloved cat requires great resolve. This is because you must not view the new cat as "a replacement for the deceased beloved cat."

No matter how similar they may seem or how much they remind you of the old one, they are two completely different lives. Because I wasn't confident I could feel that way, when I lost Leo, a ginger tabby kitten I lived with for just one week, it took me about three to four years before I could adopt another ginger tabby cat.

Gigi and I spent 11 years together, which was a long time, so I thought I might never be able to adopt another calico cat again.

But one day, my feelings changed. On my way to the supermarket, a song that Gigi and I often listened to during her vet visits accidentally played in the car. Of course, I couldn't help but cry, but at the same time, a thought occurred to me.

Instead of replacing Gigi, I want to adopt a calico cat, just like Gigi, and cherish it for the life Gigi didn't get to live. I want to use all the lessons Gigi taught me to love a calico cat, who often struggle to find homes, with all my heart.

Since then, I started checking the adoption listings of the local animal shelter (where no animals are euthanized) every day.

Drawn to a Calico Kitten Up for Adoption at the Animal Shelter

In early December 2025, my eyes were drawn to a calico kitten listed for adoption at the animal shelter. Its round, un-cat-like face somehow reminded me of Gigi, and I was captivated by that cat.

I thought about adopting it. But there was a reason why my family couldn't decide immediately. Our tabby cat, Kotaro, has a delicate personality and is sensitive to changes in his environment. When we adopted Leon, a ginger tabby kitten, Kotaro wouldn't stop growling at him and stopped using the litter box that Leon used.

Incidentally, the issue of not sharing a litter box persists even now that they are close.

When considering adopting a new cat, it's important to prioritize the feelings of the resident cat. That's why I checked the shelter's website many times a day, agonizing between "I want to adopt" and "it might be too difficult..."

After much deliberation, I came to the conclusion to "wait for a set period." I felt it would be sad for them to spend the New Year's holidays at the shelter, so I decided that if no one adopted them by Christmas, I would.

Torn between "I hope someone adopts them" and "I want to adopt them myself"

There was another reason why I hesitated to adopt them into my home. The calico kitten had what appeared to be a sibling, a straw-colored kitten.

I thought that if there was a family that could take both of them, they would be happier. So, I checked the shelter's website diligently every day, watching over the two of them.

As I watched them, my desire to adopt the calico kitten grew. This was because all the other cats, except for the calico and straw-colored kittens, had found homes within about a week.

I wanted them to find a home, but I also didn't want them to find one. With such complex feelings, I watched over the two until the deadline I had set for myself.

Even as Christmas drew near, the two cats remained eligible for adoption. Although it felt sad to separate the siblings, I wondered if I should just adopt the calico kitten. With that thought, I spoke to my husband for the first time, telling him, "I want to adopt a calico cat from the shelter."

When I showed him a picture of the calico kitten, my husband said, "She certainly has a Gigi-like quality, doesn't she?" He then gave me his full support, saying I should do what I wanted, showing a positive attitude towards welcoming a new cat.

Encouraged by his words, I decided to move up my self-imposed deadline slightly. I decided that if no one adopted the calico kitten by Christmas, I would take her in.

A "Strange Dream" During Adoption Consideration and What Followed

On December 23rd, just before Christmas, I had a strange dream. My deceased beloved cat, Gigi, appeared with half of her fur missing. Her appearance was painful to see, so I approached her with concern, but Gigi seemed fine.

After watching for a while, a small amount of black fur grew on the bare spots, and Gigi, looking straight at me, vanished.

Waking up at the same moment Gigi disappeared, I thought, "Could this mean she's in the middle of being reborn and wants me to wait...?" As usual, I checked the shelter's website. Both the calico kitten and the straw-colored kitten were gone from the adoption listings, meaning they had found homes.

Gigi, by any chance, did you use some power to prevent me from meeting the calico kitten...?

I'm usually a practical person who doesn't believe in spiritual things, but at that moment, I couldn't help but think that.

Perhaps Gigi is searching for a way for us to reunite from above. If so, all I can do is wait. With that thought, my perspective on "life without my beloved cat" shifted slightly.

Now is a period of preparation until we meet again. Gigi must be working hard to choose her favorite fur pattern, so I've started to look forward a little, determined to prioritize cats even in this moment.

Gigi was gentle, but also stubborn when she decided on something. So, I'm sure she won't compromise on choosing a fur pattern until she finds "the one."

Gigi, I'm confident I can love any fur pattern for the rest of my life, so please decide on a fur pattern as soon as possible. May this plea from your helpless servant, who desperately wants to hug you again, reach the heavens.

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