Love is indeed blind when it comes to Fig and Lychee, two beautiful disabled cats who have traveled across the country to find a loving home together.
A blind kitty, the orange and white Fig, arrived in his new home in Seattle in 2017, rescued in Raleigh, North Carolina. He joined the resident blind adventure cat, Honey Bee, rescued from Fiji in 2014. They became best of buddies as Fig grew up in the purrfect home.
“The new baby is named after figs, which are a unique, delicious, and biologically interesting fruits,” Fig’s mom, Sabrina, shared.
Fig As A Tiny Blind Rescued Kitten From North Carolina
Along with telling the stories of her adopted cats, Sabrina Aeluro’s efforts with Kitizen Science are helping determine the impact of spay and neuter programs around the country.
Video by Honey Bee: Blind Cat from Fiji:
Although blind, Fig was also much like any other kitten in behavior.
Fig Says Goodbye and Meets a New Friend
Sadly, Honey Bee crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2020, but she had a wonderful life “dedicated to exploring and making sweetness, like a honeybee.” Her life inspired many, was featured in a children’s magazine, and had over a million YouTube views.
A children’s magazine features Honey Bee the blind adventure cat via Facebook.
Fig Meets Lychee
The family mourned the loss, but knew the best way to honor Honey Bee was continuing to save cats. After some time, they rescued Lychee, a blind and deaf rescued kitten from Florida. Like Fig, she’s named for a tropical fruit.
“This is my first cat who is both blind and deaf, and I’m excited to give her the best life and learn how to play with her and make her happy,” Sabrina shared.
At the two-year anniversary of her adoption day, she recalled:
Fig and Lychee Begin a New Life Together
After a week with a pet fence between them, Lychee and Fig met for the first time. After lots of sniffs and some adjusting, they started having lots of fun together.
They soon started to play fight and became fast friends.
One of their favorite things remains snuggling with their mama. Or helping her with her work!
Lychee became the ‘Queen of Smells,’ taking in the scents on the breeze from the open window. It’s likely her sense of smell is extremely powerful given the loss of her sight and hearing.
And Fig loves sitting in grocery bags, backpacks, boxes, and suitcases.
As you can see in the TikTok below, the two kitties have a favorite spot atop the Lotus cat tower. The way they sense each other and their environment is just astonishing!
Travels to Thailand
After a move from Seattle to Thailand, the family started another new chapter. Like Honey Bee before him, Fig could tune into the smallest sounds and started hunting bugs that came in through windows with no screens.
He’s become “the ideal man,” cuddly and happy as can be.
Lychee Overcomes Anxiety
One day, Lychee had a traumatic experience after being surprised by a landlord who had the scent of a dog on his clothes. With her powerful sense of smell, it must have been a jolt.
Afterward, she started having problems with ongoing anxiety. Unable to see or hear, she is prone to being startled. But after the scare that day, she stayed upset, making fearful growls and noises at night.
To help, she started on anti-anxiety medication, which did wonders for her. As with people, cats can suffer from mental health issues, too, a topic that is often stigmatized. But she’s wonderfully showing great improvement.
You can see more of Fig and Lychee on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
