Adopt a Domestic Medium Hair / Tabby / Mixed (medium coat)

Hakuna Matata!  What a Wonderful phrase!   Hakuna Matata!  Ain't no passing craze!

It means... NO WORRIES - for the rest of your days!  It's our problem free... Philosphy.. HAKUNA MATATA!

If you are a fan of the Disney movie The Lion King, or the hit Broadway Musical, you probably just sang those words, didn't ya!?  When these two adorable kittens were rescued along with their (feral?) mama, after having been spotted in the bushes near a walkway near the UNI campus, we said right away... Hey sweeties... No worries, for the rest of your days!  SO... We have our very own HAKUNA & MATATA, rescued right here in the Cedar Valley area - not from the savannah plains of Africa!

They came in very scared, and their mama (named Afrika) was probably at one time in someone's home but never tamed down - as true feral cats don't sit near a sidewalk and watch people go by!  Students probably had them in housing where they weren't allowed, so they were put outside near the housing area and a creek instead of finding a home for them.  She is still plenty frightened and we are working on taming her down.  It took awhile for their foster mom to gain the kittens' trust, but now she has after a few months, and they have turned into beautiful, gorgeous sweet kitties!

Their amazing Bengal like fur coat is soft as silk!  The Brown Tabby and white markings are stunning!  They really do resemble a jungle cat!  The only way we've been able to tell them apart until we got to know them was, Hakuna has a PINK NOSE and a wide white blaze up his nose - and Matata has a BROWN NOSE, with a darling hour-glass shaped white blaze up her nose!  Plus Matata was a bit hissy, which Hakuna has never been!  

Hakuna is a very sweet boy and was easier to work with right from the start.  He came in with a sore on his neck, and originally it looked like an injury starting to heal so he was given medication and a Convenia shot to help it heal.  However, it never healed completely and he had to eventually have surgery on it.  We never really figured out what it was, but the testing proved nothing contagious or dangerous to his health, and it is completely healed now!   He is gentle and purrs easily and likes to be held or snuggle up around your chest/throat - where he was cuddled when he was little.  He loves to play with toys and cuddle with Matata!  SO much so, that we want them ADOPTED TOGETHER because they are very bonded!  Hakuna may do fine by himself, but we really think Matata would do much better if adopted with her brother!  Hakuna has grown SO MUCH and is a lot bigger than Matata; she looks really petite beside him now!  But don't let that fool you - she can/will hold her own!!

They will probably do fine with another cat if properly introduced, but you will want to keep them in a separate room for a couple of weeks so they can acclimate to the sights, sounds and smells of their new home.  Introduce to any new pets slowly.  They didn't mind the friendly small dog who came in to visit them - Hakuna really liked Yogi - but Matata was a bit more reserved.  They will probably do fine with a friendly, nonagressive dog if properly introduced, too.  They really haven't been around young children, and we think older children who are used to being around cats would be a better fit than little ones, as they may scare them.

They were probably born in late April or early May 2017, so they are about 9 months old as of Feb. 1, 2018.  They have been spayed/neutered, had several FVRCP vaccinations and their rabies vaccination, they are negative for both Feline Leukemia and FIV, have been given a Revolution treatment for parasites, and are microchipped, with a free lifetime registration.  Normal adoption fees would be $100 each, but since we want them adopted as a pair, their adoption fee is only $175.00.    

Hakuna & Matata live in a foster home and are available to be seen by appointment. They may make appearances at our weekly open house events but please watch our Facebook page to see who is attending the events. You may also let us know if you want to meet them specifically and we'll set up a time!

If you would like to meet Hakuna & Matata, please complete an application on our website at www.AdoptHope.org.