She recognized the cat as the one her family had found wandering the neighborhood, mistaking it for a stray cat that lived in the nearby woods. However, the way the cat reacted to her was telling, instead of running away like most stray cats, the friendly little creature approached her without hesitation.

Princess Catherine was surprised to see how quickly the cat became comfortable around her, especially since she had little experience with feline friends. At the time, she did not know that head butting and nudging were well-known signs of affection in cats. She quickly became fascinated with the cat, naming him Boots.

Wanting to keep him, she and her family adopted him, and he quickly became a regular visitor. Then, one fateful day, everything changed. As the temperature began to drop, her grandmother returned home to find her mother curled up on the deck, enjoying Boots' company. The cat adapted to life indoors seamlessly, as if he had always been a part of their family.

Although he was still free to go outside whenever he liked, over time he chose to stay indoors with his new family. Soon after Boots settled into this new routine, Princess Catherine discovered a heartbreaking detail about his past, he had been abandoned by his previous owners after they brought home a puppy. She learned that he had been left to fend for himself, which explained why he had been seen wandering around the neighborhood alone.

Despite the betrayal, Boots held no grudges against anyone, and his naturally sweet and trusting personality shone through. According to Princess Catherine, Boots spent his days happily with her, bringing joy to everyone around him. For the sociable tabby, the highlight of each day was curling up with his family. Looking back on that important day, Princess Catherine felt it was fate “I truly believe he chose us, and we are all better for it”.