Booty is doing amazing! He’s the most spoiled cat on the planet — and still the coolest cat ever, full of personality and such a lover. We live in Hawaii now. He’s by far our favorite subject to photograph, and even our veterinarian and vet techs are head over heels for him.

When you think back to Booty on the day you met versus now, has anything changed? Has anything stayed exactly the same?

When we met Boot Strap, he was still recovering from surgery. HSSV’s best guess is that he’d been hit by a car, so they’d had to remove his left eye and three of his canine teeth. His jaw was — and still is — a little crooked. He honestly looked a bit rough: a reverse-Mohawk haircut, an IV shave on his leg, stitches where his left eye used to be, and some sore spots from the accident. He was also under ten pounds. Now he’s completely healed, oh so handsome, and definitely not under ten pounds — he’s thirteen-plus! He’s the most food-motivated cat we’ve ever seen, and that’s been true from the get-go. Seafood is his love language, but he’ll eat any cat food offered to him. From day one, he’s been a lover. My daughter knew he was The One right off the bat — she saw him on the website and loved him on sight. In person, he crawled straight into her lap. It was a done deal.

How would you describe the bond you and Booty share?

Booty is a family member, pure and simple. Our family is obsessed with him — even when he’s naughty. We have a family group text, and it’s filled with photos of BSB. Whenever we leave for the day, or for a rare weekend away, we can’t wait to get home to him. We even have a “BootyCam” for when we’re out of town, so we can watch him lounge around waiting for the pet sitter to come give him treats and love.

What’s something you didn’t expect about Booty — something that only showed up once he was settled in and comfortable?

We’ve never had a cat as cuddly as Booty, or one who loves being picked up the way he does. I always say he’s part dog! You can hold him like a baby, scoop him up, and he’s perfectly happy. He loves belly rubs. It’s awesome and weird! Every night, I pick him up, put him over my shoulder, and carry him upstairs to my daughter’s room, where he sleeps. He just hangs over my shoulder like a rag doll, purring. I call it the “Booty-vator” (the Boot Strap Elevator). If he doesn’t get “Booty-vatored,” he sits at the bottom of the stairs and cries — how dare we expect him to walk up to bed? He’s grown accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and he expects it.

When you think of your past few years together, what brings you the most pride?

I’m proud of how much Boot Strap has rescued us, just as much as we’ve rescued him. He’s a happy boy, and he’s brought us so much love and joy.

What was the move to Hawaii like for Booty? How has he settled in?

Booty is the most confident, trusting, and adaptable animal I’ve ever seen. He did great on the flight over. We stayed in an Airbnb for two months before finding a permanent place, and every single time — including the very first day we brought him home — he strutted around, explored everything, used his litter box, and declared himself home. It’s truly remarkable. We appreciate him allowing us to live in his house!

Do you have any memorable quotes from your vet team about Booty?

Our vet team here is in love with Boot Strap! They get so excited when we bring him in for a checkup or a nail trim. He rubs against their legs, purrs, and doesn’t fight or claw when they trim his nails. They know the way to his heart and always have pets and treats ready for him.

Knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself on adoption day?

I’d tell myself what I still tell my daughter to this day: that she was right about choosing to adopt Boot Strap.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Thank you so much to HSSV and Humane Society of the Central Valley (Fresno) for saving Booty. They could have given up on him given his injuries, but instead they patched him up and changed all our lives for the better. The work you all do is amazing and important.