“[It’s] like he knew what I needed, and his whole mission was to make me feel better.”
By Ashley Ortiz
Published on Jan 31, 2025 at 5:12 PM
It only took minutes after discovering a tiny kitten glued to the ground near Salem, Oregon, in 2018 for Chuck Hawley to know he’d made a new forever friend. After freeing the kitten from the concrete and searching for his family members — human and feline alike — with no such luck, Hawley scooped him up and brought him home.
Hawley and the kitten, whom he named Sticky, clicked instantly. Sticky was far from Hawley’s first pet, but the two quickly forged a bond unlike any other. One of their favorite activities was driving to their local coffee shop, Dutch Bros, and talking about life.
Although Sticky didn’t have the words to respond, he always found a way to convey his messages to Hawley.
“I really did get a lot of answers to some important life-type questions from that guy,” Hawley told The Dodo. “Sticky was no normal cat. [He was] pure magic.”
In their six years together, Sticky and Hawley celebrated many accomplishments by each other’s side. Sticky’s story inspired Hawley to write a children’s book, “A Sticky Situation,” which garnered the attention of animal lovers worldwide.
And the loyal cat stayed close by while Hawley added more books to the series, including one about grief titled “We Don’t Say Goodbye.”
Sadly, at the end of 2024, Sticky’s health took a turn for the worse. Hawley had to make the gut-wrenching decision to put Sticky to sleep, and on the day of the appointment, he received another sign from his departing companion.
“My wife and I walked into the room where they do it, and she immediately pointed at the bookshelf. ‘We Don’t Say Goodbye’ was at the top of the pile,” Hawley said. “It was like he was telling me he would see me later and not to forget what we had done and to keep going.”
With their book in one hand and Sticky’s paw in the other, Hawley tearfully bid farewell to his very best friend. He had no idea that another sign from Sticky was waiting just around the corner.
A few days after losing Sticky, Hawley unexpectedly drove past the Oregon Humane Society and decided to check out the kittens inside. He wasn’t looking to adopt anyone, as he was still riddled with grief, but he figured hanging out with fluffy babies would make him feel better.
When he went inside, a staff member shared that all the kittens had been adopted that morning, but Hawley was still welcome to check out the remaining cats in the back. Hawley initially decided against it, but as he turned to leave, he suddenly changed his mind.
“[I] had gotten all the way to the front door before deciding to go back and take a look,” Hawley said.
In the back, Hawley found a row of metal cages covered with blue tarps and a glass cage with a Sticky-like kitten at the end. Hawley admired the kitten from afar, wished him a good life, then decided to leave. But as he walked past the tarp-covered cages towards the door, the grieving cat dad suddenly felt something on his shoulder.
“I turned to leave, and this paw reached out and tapped my arm. I took my phone out to take a photo of this paw sticking out of the cage, and while I was doing that, he just left it dangling,” Hawley said. “He just left it there. Like he knew what I needed, and his whole mission was to make me feel better.”
Hawley pulled back the tarp and was shocked to find a vision of Sticky on the other side. This cat, Allen, had his own unique look, but something about him when he turned to the side resembled Sticky. At that moment, Hawley decided he couldn’t leave without him.
“I just knew right then that he needed to come home with me,” Hawley said.
Hawley left the humane society that day with Allen wrapped in his arms and a new spark of hope in his heart. Allen could never replace Sticky, but his presence was already healing an impossible wound.
“[H]e has been the absolute best medicine I could have ever asked for,” Hawley said. “Getting to know him has been the distraction that I need to heal. And on the days I just can’t escape that grief, he will just snuggle up next to me and wait for the sad to go away.”
Allen adjusted to the Hawleys’ home swimmingly, as if he’d always lived there. He even knew all of Sticky’s favorite spots to relax, including the less-obvious ones. To Hawley, it was as if “he was told about them by the guy who used them last.”
There’s no doubt that, even after his passing, Sticky is still sending Hawley messages. Battling through the grief of losing him has been no easy feat, but with Allen now in his life, Hawley feels assured that Sticky’s still looking out for him from the other side.
“I can’t imagine where I’d be at this point if Sticky hadn’t sent Allen to find me,” Hawley said.
To help pets like Allen get the care they need, you can donate to the Oregon Humane Society here.
You can check out Hawley and Sticky’s children’s book series here.
Related
It Took 1,400 Days For This Shelter Dog’s Biggest Dream To Come True
“To know her was to love her” ❤️
Want more animals?
Get a daily dose of uplifting animal stories straight to your inbox
Subscribe
By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.
Dodo Shows
00:00
03:07
https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.723.0_en.html#deid=%22%22&eventfe_experiment_ids=%5B%5D&fid=%22goog_71088286%22&genotype_experiment_data=%7B%22experimentStateProto%22%3A%22%5B%5B%5B45713128%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B803064088%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45681221%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45722344%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45706017%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45668885%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45685340%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45663239%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45715032%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45661356%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45676441%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45675307%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45675308%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45702384%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45726365%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45692337%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45688859%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45656766%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45710689%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45710688%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C500%5D%5D%2C%5B775241416%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107959%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107958%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107957%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45658982%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45725657%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B%5B16%2C%5B%5B1%2C%5B%5B31089630%5D%2C%5B31089631%2C%5B%5B45668885%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B50%2C%5B%5B31092099%5D%2C%5B31092100%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C749060184%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C100%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B31094192%5D%2C%5B31094193%2C%5B%5B775241416%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1000%2C%5B%5B95332046%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95332047%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95333808%5D%2C%5B95333809%2C%5B%5B635466687%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95338769%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95338770%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C2%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95345206%5D%2C%5B95345207%2C%5B%5B45661356%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95356068%5D%2C%5B95356069%2C%5B%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95356070%2C%5B%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95356071%2C%5B%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C100%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B100%2C%5B%5B95364127%5D%2C%5B95364128%2C%5B%5B45706017%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B100%2C%5B%5B95365753%2C%5B%5B45710689%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95365754%2C%5B%5B45710688%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95366606%5D%2C%5B95366607%2C%5B%5B45713128%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95370402%5D%2C%5B95370403%2C%5B%5B45722344%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B5%2C%5B%5B95371971%5D%2C%5B95371972%2C%5B%5B45725657%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95372277%5D%2C%5B95372278%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C745150931%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B95373378%2C%5B%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95373379%2C%5B%5B781107959%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B781107957%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1000%2C1%2C1000%5D%5D%22%7D&imalib_experiments=%5B95322027%2C95331589%2C95332046%5D&managed_js_experiment_id=0&pvsid=511395821047281Guy Becomes Best Friends With A Butterfly
Read Full Article
Lonely Cat Hears Tapping On Window — Then Gets What’s She’s Always Wanted
“Nonna desperately wants a friend …” 🥹
By Ashley Ortiz
Meet Nonna: an 11-year-old house cat whose biggest dream is to make a friend. As much as she tries to win over the other cat in her house, 7-year-old Stevie sadly ignores most of her advances. She’s even tried to befriend her mom’s friend’s cat, but they only get to hang out now and then.
Nonna’s quest for a companion seemed hopeless until the other day, when someone unexpected showed up at her house with the same goal of making a new friend.
It all started when Nonna’s mom, Hayley Friel, was spending time in her living room and suddenly heard tapping on the window.
“I thought it was leaves or a squirrel, but I couldn’t believe it when I saw the tiniest rabbit I’ve ever seen tapping at the window as if to try to get in,” Friel told The Dodo.
Friel was stunned to see a baby rabbit on the other side of the glass, staring inside as if she’d been invited over. The cats seemed curious, too — especially Nonna.
“Stevie was slow to notice, but Nonna jumped up by the window and saw her,” Friel said.
You can watch their first encounter here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJxMQnypRoH/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fshelter-cat-holds-hands-with-grieving-visitor-and-secures-a-forever-home#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A26684.299999952316%2C%22ls%22%3A24718.699999928474%2C%22le%22%3A26613.699999928474%7D
While Stevie watched from afar, Nonna sat directly opposite the bunny and stared at her. The tiny visitor didn’t flinch. Could this be the friend she’d been looking for?
The bunny hopped away moments later, but she wouldn’t stay far away for long. The bunny showed up the next day, tapping again to get the family’s attention. This time, Nonna was ready to befriend her.
“When the bunny returned the next day, she was pawing at the window and following her as the bunny walked the width of the window,” Friel said.
Nonna and the bunny played with each other through the window for a bit, until the tiny rabbit hopped away again. The following day, Friel found the little bunny taking a nap in one of her plant beds near the living room window. When she rechecked the plant bed hours later, she was startled to find a snake where the bunny had been.
Friel was worried for the bunny’s safety after seeing the snake, and she crossed her fingers that the fluffy baby was safe. She kept her eyes peeled for any sight of the little one and eventually noticed a bigger rabbit hopping through her yard.
“I thought this might be the mother,” Friel said.
Friel felt hopeful after seeing the bunny’s mom, but she couldn’t rest until she knew the baby was OK. After a week of worrying, she finally got the visit she’d been wishing for.
“I was working in my office, which is on the other side of the house and has a door to the outside, and I heard the same tapping again,” Friel said. “I ran to the door and saw the baby bunny again and was so happy to see she was still around!”
You can see the bunny’s momentous return here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKUjdVLIals/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fshelter-cat-holds-hands-with-grieving-visitor-and-secures-a-forever-home#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A26689.5%2C%22ls%22%3A24718.699999928474%2C%22le%22%3A26613.699999928474%7D
Nonna was elated to see the bunny again and resumed her spot at the window while Stevie watched from a distance. Finally, Nonna had the friend she’d always wanted.
With summer now underway, Friel hopes to see the bunny visit more often. She loves knowing that the wildlife in her neighborhood is thriving, but she especially loves to see her beloved Nonna’s biggest dream come true.
“Nonna desperately wants a friend,” Friel said. “So, it’s so cute to see her react to the bunny outside.”
To keep up with Nonna and Stevie, you can follow them on Instagram.
Related
Rescuers Enter An Abandoned House And Find So Many Babies Watching Them
“[They] know all the best hiding places” 😰
Want more animals?
Get a daily dose of uplifting animal stories straight to your inbox
Subscribe
By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.