A family of three has welcomed a once-stray cat into their home after falling in love with the feline during their recent vacation.
Last month, Jolie Lennon, her partner Andy, and their three-year-old son Alfie visited the island of Brač in Croatia. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by a woman called Claudija Bevan, feeding a small black cat. Little did they know, Bevan cares for the local strays and was delighted to hear Lennon would be happy to help while there.
"Within half an hour, we were in love," Lennon, who is in her 30s, told Newsweek. "Usually, when you feed a stray, they eat and then wander off, but this guy didn't leave. He wanted to be with us."
The next day, they decided to adopt him—a process that took a few weeks—but he finally arrived on English soil on October 18.
Speaking about their September getaway, she explained that Alfie and the cat quickly bonded, and they were cuddling straight away.
"Alfie surprised us by saying he had named the cat Amore, which means love in Italian," she said, adding that she has no idea how her toddler knows that word."
They have since renamed him Jackson-Amore, but Alfie prefers to call him his brother.
"While at the villa, they would do everything together—sit at the table to eat, chill on the sofa, and lie in bed," Lennon added.
Jackson embarked on a lengthy journey from Brač, Croatia, to reunite with Lennon in Calais, France, covering around 1,200 miles. After reaching Calais, the pair continued their trip by traveling another 170 miles to London, bringing the total distance traveled to approximately 1,370 miles. The entire journey took around well-over 24 hours for Jackson, who remained calm and collected.
"As soon as I picked him up, I let him out of the carrier in my car, and it's like he just knew—it was incredible. He was purring, kissing my nose, and cuddling me," she said.
Newsweek also spoke to Bevan, who runs a non-profit, volunteer-based cat welfare group called Nelly's Trust—where they feed and neuter the local stray cats. She was ecstatic to hear that Jackson had found a forever home and even offered to cover the costs of his passport, vaccinations, and pet transportation costing around $600.
"It's heartwarming when someone wants to adopt a street cat but it requires careful vetting to ensure the family can provide a good home," she said. "Jackson became the first cat adopted into the U.K., there were various costs to get him ready for his big trip but if anyone is worth it, Jackson is."
Lennon, an actress who recently played the lead role in the short film drama Sylvia on Disney+, explained that a pet wasn't initially on their agenda.
She told Newsweek: "Before meeting Jackson, we weren't looking for a pet, as we spend many weekends away in our campervan. But it wasn't long before we realized he is so unusual and special. We wanted to give him a place to call home.
"It's a lot of effort to adopt a cat from another country, but that's how we know we made the right choice—because we wanted to put in the effort.
"We had a special opportunity to get to know him first. A cat becomes a family member, so you've got to like the cat."
Lennon is keen to harness-train Jackson so he can join them on camping trips, and so far, it's been a success. He has already strolled in a local park and been carried in a cat-friendly bag on Lennon's shoulder.
"It's only been a few days, but adopting him has been so rewarding," she said, encouraging others to adopt rather than shop.
"There are enough cats in the world that need a loving home," she added.
"Rescue cats often have to work to earn their place, rather than falling into a lap of luxury. I think they appreciate your company more because they understand how important it is to get a human on their side, especially when they've lived on the streets."
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