Christina Ha

Toni Bologna's Grandpa is a blue striped tabby. #catdadha #kitten #catdad #dad

My parents came here 45 years ago, somehow navigated a system and language they weren't fluent in and started a business, bought a home, and raised 4 kids. Because they did that, I was able to do this. Welcome to @Meow Parlour 2.0 #catdadha #meowparlour #catcafe #asianparents #cats

After a magical weekend in Chicago, I was back in the city for less than 24 hours when I got a text from our vet tech, Anna, asking if I could take in some kittens. The situation was still unfolding, but there were orphan kittens on their way into her work with nowhere to go afterwards so I said yes. When I saw they were four boys, only one option came to mind - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. When I was in pre-school, we used to play this on the playground and I was almost always April. I had purchased a heartbeat dog instead of a cat because it was less expensive, but it ended up being very fitting to be able to name it Master Splinter. I am sad for how they came to me, but I know their outcome could have been worse. That these kittens were born outdoors in February might be a worrisome predictor of what this year's kitten season may look like in NYC. When we thought about whether or not to move @Meow Parlour, we were thinking of how many more cats and kittens we could help with more space and as our winters have become more mild, it feels like we're opening just in time to make a bigger impact. If you've ever considered signing up to foster, this is your sign. #kittensoftiktok #rescue

Over the past 6 weeks, I've been harboring a 6 lb secret. I hoped I'd be able to share a happy ending, but now that she is gone, I'm sad that people didn't know she existed. Geppetto spent half her time with me and the other half with Haku's vet. Dr. Murphy loved Haku so much that she would call me to see how he was doing. When @Animal Care Centers of NYC emailed me about Geppetto, Dr. Murphy agreed to foster her for @Meow Parlour. She was magical with her weird walk, perfect dandelion head and luxurious mustache. She was always demanding affection. As far as we knew, her only flaw was in her pancreas. She was okay, until she wasn't. I took her to the ER because she stopped purring. It was such a small change, but it was significant. I wish this story had a happy ending. In the time we had with her, we often speculated on the neglect it took for a 6 lb cat to grow a pound of matted fur that hung off of her like tassels and how it was even possible that she was still so loving towards humans - even the same humans who fed her meds and cleaned her eyes. Geppetto was a kind cat and it breaks my heart that someone must have paid a lot of money for her, but that budget didn't include surgery for her entropion or to widen her nostrils. We wondered if the park story was true and if she had jumped out of a window to rescue herself - breaking her ribs in the fall and that caused her pancreatitis. She seemed like a cat who had a story to tell and we wanted to hear it. Dr. Murphy co-authored a book (Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals) and the release meant she couldn't be with Geppetto last week. Even when she couldn't be present, I leaned on her to help me navigate Geppetto's hospital stay and I was devastated she didn't get a chance to be the one to kiss her soft head and tell her how beautiful she is as we eased her from her pain. How lucky was Geppetto to have transitioned from a life covered in mats to one where a veterinarian loved her every moment of every day. We take in seniors knowing that not all of them will get the ending they deserve. Home is the place where you feel the most loved and if that's the case, Geppetto was home.

This is how it went when my dad met Tommi Salami. ❤️ #catdadha #catdad #kitten

My mom was so tickled to watch these two all day. It made her happy to see my dad have such a nice day with Tommi Salami. I'm starting to realize that while they may not celebrate in big ways, they do so quietly by appreciating the person they married and reflecting on how they have evolved together over the decades. #catdadha #catdad #kitten #anniversary