Not every cat has an easy start at life. For Belle, she was labeled aggressive at the shelter. It even earned her the name “Grumpy Barbara”. For many cats, that can equal a death sentence. But fate had something special in store for this pretty cat who was simply misunderstood. She needed someone who would give her time, space, and would wait patiently to let her come to them on her times.

Human rights activist and foster cat mom Beth Stern helped Belle find her way to Sarah Borok of Brooklyn, New York. Sarah dedicates her time to helping animals in need, and North Shore Animal League America was where Belle once was. They needed a special person who was up for the challenge of taking on an aggressive cat like her.

“The shelter had deemed her as not an adoptable cat,” Sarah told The Dodo.

But Sarah was willing to take the risk and give Belle, who she renamed Grumpy Barbara, the chance she deserved. If you ask me, I think the name fits purrfectly!

There was a lot of hiding at first. The cat needed time to adjust though. But, once her wall came down in the middle of the night one evening, the rest was history.

Now, Sarah has a feline friend that never leaves her side. She sleeps on her, seeks her out in her home, and loves her—even though she looks as if she’s judging her most of the time!

Just look at this cute little face…and those little wavy hairs! Be still, my heart.

I’d love to know what’s mixed in that DNA of hers, aside from adorableness. Devon Rex, maybe??

Sarah is definitely Barb’s go-to person, and perhaps the only person she really chooses to be around. And when it comes to sleeping, she’s happiest sleeping on her human:

“…she has a routine of falling asleep spooned into my arm and will follow me every single time I change position throughout the night. I don’t think Barbara is capable of sleeping in any position that is detached from my arm,” Sarah told Bored Panda.

Since debuting on Instagram in April of 2018, Grumpy Barbara has amassed a fanbase of 57k fans and counting. And it’s easy to see why, she’s just too dang cute!

The Dodo even did a feature on her as a part of their Soulmates series. See Sarah tell more about Barb’s story below:

A special thank you to Sarah for allowing us to share her super cute cat with you all. This just goes to show you the power of adopting animals. It really does save lives and makes an actual difference in the world.

If you’d like to keep up with Grumpy Barbara on social media, you can find her here on Instagram.

All Images Courtesy of Grumpy Barbara on Instagram

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