Paris Zarcilla’s life took an unexpected turn one morning.
He was going into his room to get a sweatshirt when he noticed a black and white cat hiding beneath his bed, something he had never seen before. He then realized she wasn’t alone.
Zarcilla had no intention of being a cat parent, but something changed in that moment.
Though Zarcilla could have rounded up that little family of trespassers and dropped them at a shelter, he didn’t. Instead, Zarcilla fell in love.
“Paternal instincts kicking in. Overwhelmed with feels,” Zarcilla wrote at the time. “Don’t know how to deal.”
Zarcilla had no idea where the mother cat had come from, but one thing was certain: she had chosen the ideal location for her kittens to be born. Zarcilla was excited about his new role.
He wrote, “I’m a dad now.”
Zarcilla’s loving reaction to the kitties had gone viral on Twitter at the time. Zarcilla’s devotion and commitment to the kitties never wavered when the online limelight dimmed.
That was the beginning. This is how things are going:
It’s been about three years now since the mother cat appeared under Zarcilla’s bed and had her babies — and things have never been better.
That random moment has led to a lifetime of love.
The kittens have subsequently grown up as a lovely family with their mother and Zarcilla.
“It genuinely aches to think about a life without children after almost three years,” Zarcilla told The Dodo. “They’ve taught me more about how to be a better human being than some of the people I know. And being among them has taught me some of the most valuable life lessons.”
Zarcilla had no intention of becoming a cat father, but he couldn’t see life any other way now.
“I knew my life would never be the same after I made the decision to retain them. Animal connection is quite wonderful “Zarcilla explained. “They are one of the most wonderful events of my life. As they grow, so do I. Stronger. Furrier. Meowier.”
