A rescued cat named Juno is learning to trust and love again, thanks to her owner’s boyfriend, who’s helping her see that men can be kind and gentle.
Juno was saved by Rosie Hardy from a cat sanctuary when she was just six months old. Rosie had recently lost her beloved cat, Tuna, and had gone through a tough breakup, so she was in need of something to bring joy and hope back into her life.
The moment she saw Juno at the shelter, Rosie felt an instant bond.
Juno was born with folded ears which make it look like she doesn’t have ears at all. To Rosie, this only made her more special, she felt an instant connection as soon as she laid eyes on Juno. As she shared in an interview:
“My ex didn’t like my fondness for cats and was quite critical of my appearance throughout our relationship. When I saw Juno, her appearance and lack of ears was a bit of a shock at first, but I didn’t want to have to change my looks for anyone, and nor should Juno.”
“I picked her up, and she fell asleep in my arms, and from that moment, I couldn’t walk away from the rescue without her.”
Juno had a difficult past. The shelter told Rosie that she came from a home where her owner was in an abusive relationship.
This experience left Juno so frightened that even the quietest sounds would startle her. Once, the noise of letters dropping through the door was enough to send her hiding under the bed for an entire day.
But things changed when Rosie met her boyfriend, Ashley Cox, just a month after bringing Juno home. She worried that Juno might be afraid of him, but to her surprise, Juno immediately warmed up to Ashley. As Rosie explained:
“I’ve fostered cats before and know it’s a long, steady process to get them to open up. So, I was very surprised to see her open up to Ash at all.”
While Juno loves her quiet time with Rosie at night, she spends her days happily curled up on Ashley’s lap while he works. Rosie, a wedding photographer, sometimes travels for work, and Juno seems perfectly content staying home with her “new best friend.”
Rosie often captures sweet moments between Juno and Ashley, showing just how gentle and loving he is with her.
She even shared a heartwarming video on TikTok, which touched thousands and quickly gained over 174,000 views and 23,000 likes.
“It was just one sweet moment of many that I chose to film. Seeing the online reaction has been validating and affirming that I’ve chosen the right partner and also that I’ve given Juno a wonderful safe home to live the rest of her years in.”
For Rosie, watching Juno and Ashley’s bond has been transformative:
“Ash hasn’t only taught Juno how to trust men again, he’s also shown me how to trust them, too. He’s always let her be her own self and let me be mine. I think seeing Juno fall in love with him has made me fall deeper in love with him, too.”
After the video went viral, it was flooded with loving comments. One person wrote, “Look at her looking up at him. Animals know the good ones. You’ve got a keeper there. Treasure each other.”
Another commented, “Nothing more beautiful than when an animal looks at someone with love/trust like that.”
This beautiful journey from fear to trust has not only changed Juno’s life but has also brought Rosie and Ashley even closer, creating a family filled with love and understanding.
@georgiarosehardy He also did the same to me! :hearts::smiling_face_with_tear:
♬ What Was I Made For – Andrea Vanzo
Leave a comment