Grace from Boomer’s Buddies Rescue in Los Angeles rescued Joey the cat from a shelter in November 2020. At the time, the employees said he was an aggressive feral cat and most likely would remain that way. When Grace looked at him, she saw “fear in his eyes,” as he huddled in the corner, howling in distress.
“I knew I had to take him home or he wouldn’t make it,” Grace said.
Image screenshot via YouTube/The Dodo
Wherever he came from, the streetwise cat survived with two shortened front legs, so he sometimes hopped along. Thus, his nickname is ‘Joey the Kangaroo Cat🦘.’ However, he doesn’t let it slow him down.
Images via Instagram/kittyboyandfriends
🦘The ‘Feral’ Cat Loved Affection 🦘
Although he seemed feral, Grace soon discovered that this supposedly feral cat loved affection when she petted him.
“I wasn’t sure how he’d react, but he just absolutely loved it,” she said of petting Joey. “And since then, the way that he’s flourished in my home, he’s completely transformed. He’s a completely different cat,” Grace said.
Grace Choi with Joey with caption: “Joey: “when is it kitty boy’s turn?” 😒”
Since Grace is always fostering kittens and cats, it wouldn’t be long before they all interacted. Would he be gentle with the foster babies?
Joey Meets Kitty Boy
First, he met a can named Kitty Boy, a famous kitty with now over 92K followers on Instagram and 2.2M fans on TikTok.
When Joey first got close to Kitty Boy, he hissed and wanted nothing to do with the tabby. (see video below) But, if he were going to stay in the home, it would be necessary that he got along with the fosters. So Grace continued to carefully and gradually introduce him.
Kitty Boy meets Joey for the first time
Before long, KittyBoy and Joey were playing and cuddling together, and Joey’s personality emerged. Everywhere he went, Joey brought joy and love to the home.
“It turns out he’s one of the quirkiest cats,” Grace said. “Every week, I see huge leaps of improvement.”
Video by The Dodo:
Meeting a Kitten for the First Time
Next, it was time to introduce him to a kitten.
“Introducing these kitten to him for the first time was a big moment,” she said.
When a kitten joined him in his cat bed, he began hissing and growling in disapproval. But then, the kitten’s cuteness seems to have won him over.
“Then, the cutest thing happened,” Grace said. “He started kissing her, and my jaw dropped. It was one of the most special moments I’ve ever experienced.”
Now, the affectionate cat was licking and cuddling with the kitten.
“He’s making up for lost time with love. He’s just ready to soak it all in.”
After that, the cat became obsessed with the foster kittens, following and playing with them all day. Spending time with the kittens was healing for him, and the kittens had a big foster brother to watch over them. However, things get a little tense and awkward anytime Joey meets a new kitten in the home.
Video by The Dodo:
A New Kitten Named Butter
Today, Joey and Kitty Boy are stars and are often seen together on Kitty Boy’s Instagram.
“And to think that just over a year ago, Joey hated Kitty Boy 🤯 .I honestly still can’t believe how much they love each other 😭”
As a permanent part of the family, (Grace adopted him in February 2021) Joey meets new kittens from time to time. Even so, he still tends to have a funny reaction when they first meet. Recently, Grace took in a gorgeous mama cat named Biscuit (who loves to knead her paws) and two adorable brother kittens, Butter & Jam! 🧈🫐
Biscuit the mama cat with her kittens, Butter (Butterbean) and Jam
As the two grew, it was only a matter of time before the rambunctious babies would meet the infamous Kangaroo Cat.
Joey meets Butterbean
Joey Acts Like a Dad Who Doesn’t Want Pets
Amusingly, Joey still has the same reaction he used to when meeting kittens for the first time. At first, he reverts to his old ways, being standoffish, like a dad who says, “I don’t want any pets.” Given a little time, the cat’s heart melts all over again. Then, he’s in love with the babies, cuddling and licking them like the best father in the world.
“That dad who said, “I don’t want any pets” 😆
“I love how Joey always acts like he hates the kittens at first then loves on them 😂” wrote one person in the comments on Instagram.
For more of Joey and the foster babies, follow Kitty Boy on Instagram or TikTok.
