João is a sweet cat who loves his mom Thamar de Araújo and his family so much. He has lived with them since he was just a tiny kitten. Thanks to them, he has a cozy life of love and leisure that every cat wants.
Ever since João was a kitten, he has always been a cuddly and sweet cat who is willing to provide his mom with snuggles and hugs whenever she needs. And when Araújo had a rough patch in life, João found the most adorable way to comfort her and lift her spirits.
One morning a few years back, he brought a leaf in from their backyard and placed it at Araújo’s feet as a gift. He looked on eagerly and hoped that his mom would like it. In order to show João that she liked the gift, she found a use for it. She placed the leaf on her head like a hat. And of course, João was happy to see that his gift was a hit.
“When he saw me with the leaf, I think he realized that he found a way to make me smile,” Araújo told The Dodo. “That way was to bring me leaves.”
From that moment forward, João begins his day by collecting a leaf outside, bringing it to his mom. He will wait until his mom wears it on her head. He even seeks out different types of leaves to make Araújo’s little hats looking fancy and fresh.
“Every time, I pin the leaves to my hair in front of João, and I thank him for the gift,” Araújo said.
Araújo always has a hairpin to secure the gifts from João. She wears them proudly to let her cat know she loves it. “He is happy when he sees new leaves in my hair,” Araújo said. “I’m absolutely sure that he knows that he makes me happy with that gesture.”
João found a way to show his gratefulness to his beloved mom. “It’s such a simple thing, but so full of meaning. And it continues to this day,” Araújo said. “It’s very beautiful, an incredible connection of love and affection.”