California Couple Has A Full House Of Cats, But Their 18-Year-Old Matriarch Thinks She’s The Only One
Meet Meep, an 18-year-old cat who rules her household. Her humans go to incredible lengths to maintain the illusion that she is the only feline in a very busy home.
A Full House Of Felines
Dave and Karin have dedicated a huge part of their lives to helping animals. Over the years, they have fostered an incredible 134 cats and kittens.
Their home is a bustling sanctuary for felines in need of a safe place. In addition to their fosters, they have eight resident cats of their own.
Many of these permanent residents stayed for a reason. Some are what the couple considers special needs, requiring a little extra love and attention.
But despite the busy, cat-filled environment, there is one resident who remains blissfully unaware of the crowd.
Meet The Matriarch
Meep is the undeniable matriarch of the family. At 18 years old, she is the equivalent of a human nearing 90.
She is a tiny, delicate girl, weighing in at just about six pounds. Like many seniors, she has developed a bit of arthritis.
Her parents also believe she is now completely deaf. However, her age hasn’t stopped her from being a very chatty cat who always has something to say.
Meep is deeply loved, and her parents have established a very specific set of rules just for her.
The Grand Illusion
Meep thinks she is the only cat in the house. And Dave and Karin go to great lengths to maintain that illusion.
They have to be incredibly careful that she doesn’t see or interact with the other cats. Even when the other felines are being gentle, their presence simply overwhelms her.
Even the kindest resident cat can leave Meep feeling flustered. To keep her happy and stress-free, her parents ensure she never feels the need to exert boundaries.
They let her believe she is the sole queen of their lives, ruling her kingdom without any feline competition.
Careful Coordination
Maintaining this illusion takes a significant amount of daily effort. Meep has never met any of the foster cats that pass through the home.
Other than a couple of specific resident cats named Mouse and Monkey, Meep doesn’t realize there are other animals sharing her roof.
To keep her world peaceful, Dave and Karin carefully coordinate her movements. They make sure the other cats are safely tucked away before Meep gets to explore different areas of the house.
It isn’t that she actively dislikes other cats; she just doesn’t want them in her personal space.
A Custom Kingdom
To give Meep the best life possible, Dave even built a couple of custom catios. These enclosed outdoor spaces allow her to sit outside safely.
She can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while remaining completely contained and separated from any other animals.
Karin notes that seeing Dave’s dedication is part of why she loves him so much. She points out that it isn’t often you see men so deeply involved in cat rescue.
Dave’s gentle care for Meep and the other cats is a testament to his kind heart.
A Lap Cat At Heart
At the end of a long day, Dave often just wants to sit down and relax. And Meep is always there to greet him.
She chats away, seemingly telling him to sit down so she can climb into his lap. For Meep, a warm human lap is her absolute happy place.
What she craves most in her golden years is dedicated human time. She is incredibly affectionate and loves to share her warmth.
Her love for sitting on laps has even made her quite popular with visitors.
Winning Over Visitors
Friends of the couple have a five-year-old daughter who completely fell in love with the senior cat. Every time the little girl would sit down, Meep would immediately climb right into her lap.
The young girl was absolutely thrilled to have such a willing and affectionate lap cat to snuggle with.
Meep’s reputation as a premier lap cat quickly spread. Some friends even started bringing their husbands over specifically just to sit with Meep.
She happily accepts the attention, proving that age is just a number when it comes to spreading joy.
Enjoying The Golden Years
Meep has some surprising hobbies for a senior cat. She absolutely loves car rides, eager to sit on a lap and watch the scenery go by.
Her parents joke that she acts almost a little bit more like a dog than a cat in that regard.
Even at 18, she still has bursts of energy. She will occasionally dash across the whole backyard before finding a sunny spot to lie down in.
While she is certainly slowing down as she nears the equivalent of 90 human years, she is still really enjoying her life. For Dave and Karin, Meep makes them smile every single day, and they treasure every minute they have with their reigning queen.
