An elderly couple devastated after the loss of their cat of 20 years thought they'd never get another pet, until they found one that needed them as much as they needed her.
Monique Marconnet, 82, and Jean-Jacques Marconnet, 88, had taken in Bibi in 2004 after he was left behind as a "gift" by a stray cat who had kittens in their granddaughter Margaux Contant's shed.
The couple were devastated when Bibi died last year but were eventually convinced to take in another cat—and rescued a shy and scared tabby called Lili.
Contant has shared the story of the pet's transformation to her TikTok account @margauxfrance. Words over the video explain: "After loosing [sic] their 20 year old cat, my grandparents were left heartbroken. They thought they would never have a cat again, because they were 'too old'. But then, they met Lili at the rescue center.
"She was visibly depressed and scared, hidden away in a cage. At only 3, she seemed to have given up on life. So they decided to offer her a new one."
Recalling the bond the couple developed with their first cat, Contant told Newsweek that she was just six years old when they took in Bibi. He was two weeks old and the size of a mouse, and her grandparents bottle-fed him until he was old enough "and gave him the best life imaginable."
"He was spoiled with fresh shrimp every other day and slept with my grandparents every night," she said. Bibi got a new lease of life in his later years when another stray cat, Marcel, arrived at the Marconnets'—who live near Bordeaux, France—"and, at 18 years old, Bibi started playing again."
Bibi and his owners adored each other so much that they didn't leave their home in the last five years of his life, "to ensure they'd be there when the inevitable happened." In August 2024, "Bibi passed away in the loving arms of my grandparents," Contant said.
Then Marcel then disappeared without a trace. Seeing their devastation, a friend urged them to bring another cat into their home, but the Marconnets were worried they were "too old to adopt a new cat."
"But my mom encouraged them, telling them to focus on enjoying life now," Contant said, and assured them that the family would be on hand to take care of the cat if anything happened.
Eventually the Marconnets went to get a kitten, "to recreate the bond they had with Bibi," but at the shelter "they noticed another cat tucked away in a cage, looking visibly depressed."
This was Lili, who had belonged to an elderly woman who "had suddenly left her home and never returned," Contant said. "Lili had waited in the garden for four months, hoping her owner would come back."
When the Marconnets brought her home, they noticed she had some injuries and a severe fear of men. "It took her some time to tolerate my granddad," Contant said, explaining that Lili would hide and cry at first—but her grandparents waited patiently, giving the cat space while letting her know she was not in any danger, talking to her softly and leaving her treats.
"Over time, she adjusted and grew close to my grandparents," Contant said.
Her TikTok video, shared on December 28, shows Jean-Jacques and Monique gently approaching Lili, who has pride of place on a bed. Monique offers Lili a cuddly toy, and Jean-Jacques goes to the radiator to make sure their new pet is warm enough, as Lili's eyes slowly close in relaxation.
The clip has been viewed over 764,000 times, with hundreds of viewers demanding updates on Lili's new life. One wrote: "I need to know every little detail about her life now unfortunately."
"I only want Grandparents and Lili content now," another said, calling it "so wholesome."
A third posted: "Oh that sweet baby is never gna have a single worry again in her life."
Contant told Newsweek that while Lili "still fears strangers," she "absolutely adores my grandparents."
"She's slowly settling into her new home, surrounded by love."
In the United States alone, around 3.2 million cats enter shelters each year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. But thanks to people like the Marconnets, around 2.1 million cats are adopted from shelters every year.
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