When we lost our first stud, Pawzilla I, we began looking for a new boy, but not a kitten. Yeti immediately caught our eye. He came to us all the way from Russia, flown over by a courier who personally delivered him to our home. The moment the courier handed Yeti to me, my first thought was, “Wow, he’s huge!”

We brought him straight into our home office, where he spent his quarantine period getting used to his new surroundings. Looking back now, we laugh at the posts we made during that time because Yeti was absolutely terrified. He wouldn’t come near us, and if I raised my arm to pet him, he would flinch and hunker down.

To be clear, Yeti wasn’t abused before coming to us. He just wasn’t socialized and didn’t understand a bit of English. Everything around him was new and overwhelming. It took time, patience, and love, but eventually Yeti came out of his shell and began to trust us.

At first, I was worried about how he would do as a stud. He was timid with people and nervous around the girls. Once quarantine was over, we slowly introduced them, and to our surprise, we soon had a couple of pregnant cats. It turned out that shy Yeti wasn’t so shy once the lights were out and the door was closed.

Fast forward to today, and Yeti has completely transformed. His head has doubled in size, his coat is thick and luxurious, and he has grown into a massive, lovable teddy bear. He’s vocal, affectionate, and full of personality. If I walk into a room and don’t greet him, he makes sure to remind me he’s there.

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🧡 Personality

Yeti has done a complete 360 in personality since arriving in the U.S. Today, he’s one of the most affectionate and well-rounded cats we’ve ever had. His best friend is our miniature poodle, Frenchie, and the two are inseparable. Frenchie is a bit of a food hog, and Yeti always tries to sneak a bite of her food. Watching her stand guard over her bowl while he plots a way to get to it keeps us laughing daily.

Yeti doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He loves every cat and dog in the house and absolutely adores his humans. He often visits me while I’m grooming dogs, jumps up on the grooming table, and wedges himself between me and my work, convinced it’s his turn for attention.

This big boy is truly as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. His transformation from scared and uncertain to confident and loving is one of my favorite stories from our cattery. Yeti isn’t just impressive in size; he’s an incredible reminder of how patience and love can change everything.