Woman Shares Lessons Rescue Cat Taught Her Over The Past Decade—’True Love’

A lot of things can change in the space of 10 years, but Ashley Daniels has had one constant through every step of the last decade: her rescue cat.

Daniels, from Minnesota, recalls the day she went into the Humane Society to find her new best friend, in January 2014. The minute she met Luna, it was clear she was the one. There was an instant connection between the two, and now Daniels has reflected on the countless ways Luna has changed her life for the better.

Daniels told Newsweek: “Our bond has grown so much stronger since I took her home. She’s been here for me through the toughest times, and after I developed non-epileptic seizures at the age of 25, she has truly become a therapy cat for me. She recognizes when I’m having symptoms, if I’m overstimulated, or when I’m having a bad mental health day.

“She was a ‘forget-me-not’ at the shelter, meaning that she had been there for a while because she had a chipped tooth and people were wary of adopting her. I was able to get her tooth removed and to give her all of the care she has needed.”

It’s safe to say that January 28 is a special day for Daniels, as every year she celebrates Luna’s gotcha day. But on the 10^th anniversary, the now 32-year-old couldn’t help but reflect on the last decade and wanted to share some of the most memorable moments on social media.

An adorable Instagram reel, revealing a montage of photos to document the last 10 years, has already been viewed more than 4 million times and gained over 303,000 likes.

There is no denying that pets play an important role in our lives, as 58 percent of Americans believe that they’re part of the family. According to a YouGov poll in 2022, 77 percent of pet owners seek comfort from their four-legged friends, including 41 percent of cat owners who say they do so regularly.

With that in mind, plenty of owners will happily go the extra mile to celebrate their pet and show their gratitude. Just like Daniels, results show that 40 percent of Americans choose to commemorate their pet’s birthday every year—they are part of the family, after all.

The Social Media Reaction

After her Instagram post went viral, Daniels told Newsweek that “some of [her] favorite memories” are captured in that reel, and she’s so glad she can look back on them. She thinks fondly of all the times Luna has made her laugh hysterically, or any time when she’s been “extra snuggly.”

Plenty of fellow pet owners were moved by the photos, showing Daniels and Luna when they were both just 21 and 3 years old respectively. Time can change a lot, but one thing that hasn’t changed in the last 10 years is the unbreakable bond between Daniels and Luna.

Daniels continued: “She’s taught me how to live and she’s given me something to live for. She shows me every day what true love looks like and how unapologetic it’s supposed to be. Because of that, she’s taught me how to unconditionally love.

“I didn’t expect so many people to relate so much to mine and Luna’s story. I think my favorite thing that has come from sharing it is reading about so many other people’s experiences in the comments. It’s truly amazing how much love we have for our pets, and how our pets love us so much.”

With over 1,600 comments on the viral post at the time of writing, there was plenty of praise for Daniels and Luna, as other pet owners wanted to share their own personal experiences of rescuing a cat.

One comment read: “I’m 25 and my cat is 2. I am so looking forward to us growing together. Everything that I’m today is because of him. He gave me the reason to live life.”

Another Instagram user responded: “This is so beautiful. Isn’t it true? Cats are a gift.”

While another person wrote: “I just got my first cat and I hope to make so many cheesy videos like this in the future.”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.