Pet’s Place: Gigi the Cat Makes the Perfect Roommate
An empty bedroom works well for an adult cat who needed a new home
Brenna Malmberg
June 19, 2017
A human roommate moved out, and Gigi the cat moved in to this Michigan home.
Photos by Kari Radermacher
Pet at a Glance
Pet: Gigi, a domestic long-haired cat
Age: 2
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Owner: Kari Radermacher, a graphic designer
New roommate: Kari Radermacher’s roommate moved out in May, and she decided to get a cat instead of another roommate. “The task of finding another roommate that would live up to my standards was daunting, so I decided maybe a cat would make the perfect roommate,” she says.
Gigi had previously lived with a friend of Radermacher’s, but she wasn’t adjusting well to a household that already had cats. When Radermacher learned that her friend was seeking a new home for Gigi, she immediately volunteered to take her in.
Pet at a Glance
Pet: Gigi, a domestic long-haired cat
Age: 2
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Owner: Kari Radermacher, a graphic designer
New roommate: Kari Radermacher’s roommate moved out in May, and she decided to get a cat instead of another roommate. “The task of finding another roommate that would live up to my standards was daunting, so I decided maybe a cat would make the perfect roommate,” she says.
Gigi had previously lived with a friend of Radermacher’s, but she wasn’t adjusting well to a household that already had cats. When Radermacher learned that her friend was seeking a new home for Gigi, she immediately volunteered to take her in.
Room for a cat: “I hadn’t previously had a cat living with me because my place is kind of small, and I had no good place to put a cat’s food, water and litter, let alone all their toys,” Radermacher says. “I decided the recently vacated bedroom would make a perfect place for all things kitty.”
Today, Gigi spends most of her days in the second bedroom, mostly napping on her bed.
15 Design-Friendly Places to Hide the Cat Litter Box
Today, Gigi spends most of her days in the second bedroom, mostly napping on her bed.
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Sliding around the house: Gigi is still adjusting to the hardwood floors, Radermacher says. “Sometimes if she’s chasing after a mouse [toy] too fast, she’ll slide when she tries to stop,” she says.
The upside to a smooth surface is that her toys and random pieces of string easily glide across the floor when she bats them around, making for hours of entertainment.
New personality: Gigi is Radermacher’s second cat, and she has a different personality from Mikal, her first cat, who still lives with Radermacher’s parents. Gigi is very cuddly and nudges your hand to get more petting.
Sometimes she hops up on the bed and wakes Radermacher up early by meowing until she’s petted.
First cat: This is Mikal, Radermacher’s first cat. He’s more of a wild, exploring cat, and Radermacher knew he wouldn’t handle the transition to a new, smaller home. She visits him on the weekends and hopes to introduce Gigi to him soon.
House cat: At first, Gigi spent most of her time sleeping in her bed or under the bed. As she gets more comfortable, she spends more time elsewhere in the house, such as on Radermacher’s desk chair.
“The more Gigi gets used to my house, the more time she spends with me,” Radermacher says. “If I get up to go to another room, she’ll follow right along.”
Someone’s watching: Radermacher also lovingly describes Gigi as a little creepy. “She likes to peek partway out from behind a door or wall and just watch you,” she says. “She also walks really quietly so I don’t realize she’s following me around, and catches me off guard.”
Home fit for two: Radermacher spends her days at the office, but when she gets home she’ll call Gigi’s name and the cat comes running. “My favorite thing is that she’ll sit at my feet,” she says. “I’ll reach my arms down to her, and she’ll reach her front paws up for me to pick her up and give her a big hug.”
Your turn: Do you have great photos of your pet around the house or do you have a feature in your home that’s for your pet? Share a photo or two with us in the Comments.
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Your turn: Do you have great photos of your pet around the house or do you have a feature in your home that’s for your pet? Share a photo or two with us in the Comments.
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Laura Dominguez, we have a Siberian cat looks a lot like yours! Ours plays ball with us!
This is Hero and Little Girl. She is an average sized cat, but my previous cat who lived for 19 years, Zoe, was a VERY large tom cat. So when I rescued her, she was just a little girl compared to Zoe and it stuck. Little Girl loves her dog. When Hero is being brushed, she sits by him and licks his face and paws to calm him down. Sadly, we lost Hero at 13 last year and we now have a Catahoula puppy that she, as a middle aged woman of 6 is not fond of.
We live in the desert with the Bobcats, snakes and coyotes. So she cannot go outside. I can open the back door in the morning and she will sit outside in the sun about 3 feet from the door as long as the door stays open. It you shut it, she comes right to the door and meow's to come back in.
Animals are one of life's greatest comforts.