Published Mar 22, 2025
This bun-mom moved into her first house with her two rabbits, only to find a family of cats living in the trees, as though the universe was offering up a housewarming gift.
And what a gift it was, because within that family she found Cashew–her new best friend.
Kittens don’t grow on trees…right?
When Maria purchased her first house in Cheshire in the United Kingdom, she didn’t expect to find kittens climbing around in the trees and shrubbery.
As it turned out, the mother cat was a runaway from one of her neighbor’s homes who had decided to birth her kittens in Maria’s backyard.
Maria loves animals, so she welcomed the kittens by providing them with food and an outdoor shelter. She took care of them until they were old enough to be separated from their mother. Then, mama cat was returned to her previous family, and most of the kittens were adopted into new forever homes.
But, like many people who decide to raise a litter of kittens, she fell in love with one.
Meet Cashew
According to Maria, Cashew the kitten was always special. From the start, he enjoyed following his human family around, which helped him win over their hearts. He’s clingy and cuddly, but also a trouble-maker.
After bringing him into her home, Maria just couldn’t give him up. She describes him as “cheeky but incredibly loving,” and says he’s a hilarious cat.
He’s clingy and loves to cuddle in her lap, even while she’s working from home. He joins in on her work calls, too.
Cashew loves batting at running tap water. He digs in Maria’s houseplants and will even use the dirt like a litterbox, though they’re working on overcoming this bad habit.
His other antics include jumping from the top of the door onto Maria’s head, stealing cheese off of her sandwiches if she turns her back for a single moment, and getting stuck under the bed once while wearing a cone.
Some people might see his shenanigans and opt for a calmer kitten from the group, but Maria says that his affectionate nature more than makes up for any mishaps. Besides, getting into a bit of trouble can be fun!
Bunny Love
Cashew isn’t Maria’s only pet. She also has two bunnies, Maple and Pecan, who have over 24,000 followers on Instagram. Maple is a Harlequin, while Pecan is a Mini Lop. Now, their bio reads, “guest appearances from Cashew the cat.”
According to Maria, Cashew is getting used to the rabbits and they sometimes have supervised playdates on the couch.
(While it’s good that these three get along, it’s not advised to let your cat interact with prey animals. Cats are fast predators, and even while supervised, things can go wrong in a second.)
Cashew is a great addition to the family, and Maria says that he’s the best cat they could have asked for. She adores him, and we’re sure he loves her back just as fiercely.
