🐾 L is for “Loki”
✨ A special series highlighting Cotl’s namesake pets ✨
With all their love and affection, pets make it easy for us to feel connected to them. But when we feel that connection back? That’s when we know there’s something special between us.
Though he had strong bonds with pets before, Sean was in for a treat when he brought Loki home.
And after he earned Loki’s trust, the love he received was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Loki needed to know he was safe
“After I was holding him for a little bit, I set him back down on the ground, and I think he was kind of in shock because he just stood there. Then he looked at me, he meowed, and immediately after that, he was always so loving.”
After a rough breakup and settling into a place of his own, Sean found his life was lacking the thing he had grown to love: animal companionship.
The bonds he felt with Charlie, Odin, and Thor were so special, he knew he wanted to welcome a new cat.
He found an adoption event at a local pet store, and that’s where he met Loki: a shy, stark-white cat (named "Moondoggie" at the time). Their first meeting wasn't love at first sight. Loki was nervous and skeptical.
Sean had been used to more outgoing cats who professed their love and loyalty without hesitation, but Loki would make him earn it.
Still, he decided to bring Loki home, first making his way around the store, gathering up all the things to spoil him from day one.
“When I brought him home to my apartment, he immediately hid under the bed and didn't come out for three days. His foster had told me he'd open up once we became comfortable. So, I tried to give him space… But after three days, I decided it was time for some gentle but tough love.”
Seeing how scared Loki was under the bed, Sean decided he needed to prove that everything was safe.
He got Loki out from under the bed and ended up following the terrified cat around the apartment. He talked gently and walked slowly. To no avail. Eventually, he was finally able to catch Loki and pick him up.
“I just flipped him over in my arms, holding him like a baby. I kind of gently bounced him and told him, ‘It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm your friend.’ And Loki immediately started purring.”
That’s all it took for Loki to feel safe, come out of his shell, and show his true, loving nature.
Loki only knew how to love
“He would always make direct eye contact. Something about his awareness was truly special. You just don't experience that with all animals. I really felt like he was actually connected to me.”
Once Loki felt comfortable and safe in his new home, Sean discovered he had just adopted the sweetest, most loving cat he ever knew.
Loki loved to be cradled against Sean, either supported by his arms or nestled in his lap. While upside down, he’d look into Sean's eyes and gently paw at his face, waiting for a response. Sean and Loki would talk back and forth to each other, Loki seemingly eager to share all about his day.
The smallest acknowledgement from Sean (even a little, “How you doing, buddy?”) is all Loki wanted. He’d reward Sean with the cutest look, a tilted head, and curled up body (still upside down, of course).
Throughout the day, Loki would also look up at Sean and give the most gentle, soft ‘mew’ as if he was saying hello or checking in…
Or, later on, he’d come flying through the cat door after spending time outside, immediately bursting into a "meow, meow, meow!!!” to let everyone know he was there.
Eventually, Thor came to live with Sean at his new home, and Loki gained another friend to love.
The move was rough for Thor at first. He'd been able to venture outside in Sean's previous home but suddenly found himself in an apartment. He took a lot of his frustrations out on Loki.
“Thor would be so frustrated, and Loki would just walk up, mew, and gently put his head out to have cuddles with Thor. Thor would only want to bite him and have his space, but Loki was sweet and patient.”
Ultimately, that love is what Thor needed. They ended up developing a close bond and became inseparable. And fortunately, both of them were able to adventure outside again when Sean bought a home a few years later.
When Domino came into the picture (you’ll learn about her soon!), Loki had even more love to give.
“Domino would come home from doggie daycare, and Loki would run up, trying to talk to her and rubbing against her. He was so comfortable with her from the beginning.”
Loki’s love was truly unconditional
“Feeling such a strong connection to a another living being like that, and knowing he could be there for me in my truly dark moments, I honestly feel a little guilt that I, in a way, almost abandoned him.”
During the darkest moments of Sean's life, Loki was there.
Feeling very much lost, broken, and longing for clear direction, Sean sometimes had thoughts that maybe he didn’t want to be here anymore.
But through those moments, Loki was often the grounding presence that pulled him back.
“He was there through all that. He would be curled up next to me while I was spiraling… a steady reminder that, even if everything seemed completely hopeless and out of control, we were okay right now... even for just that moment."
Loki remained a constant, reliable source of affection and love for Sean when he needed it most.
And over time, Loki, along with Thor, helped Sean transition into one of the most beautiful periods of his life.
Together, these cats changed his life
“One day, I expectedly surfaced some memories that freed me from the limiting beliefs behind my internal dialogue. I finally realized how much I care about myself and about living life the way I want to live it… That period of life is where I have so many memories with them. I feel like Loki was a foundational part of the formative years of me becoming my own person.”
As Sean felt himself "come alive," one thing that became especially clear was how grateful he was for his animals. Sean made an intentional decision to be an active, engaging pet parent, giving Loki and Thor moments of stimulation even when they couldn’t be outside.
From releasing crickets in the house for them to hunt, to hiding treats in hard-to-reach places (Loki always found them), they lived a truly enriched life.
They also enjoyed plenty of quiet moments too. With each moment cuddled on the couch with his cats curled beside him, Sean learned to embrace peace and to remember that life isn't a race.
Reflecting on these moments led Sean to some important realizations.
“I feel like the relationship I had with Loki is the one that made me think: I would do anything for my pets.”
From basics like good food and toys and consistent vet care, to ‘luxuries’ like pet insurance (and eventually building Cotl), it became clear that the pets who gave him so much deserved the same in return.
Saying goodbye was the hardest thing Sean's ever had to do
“As I was grieving, one thing I remember thinking was how everything felt right with him and our time together. I had no regrets... My time with him was exactly what I wanted it to be.”
When Loki was only five years old, he experienced a rare, complex autoimmune issue called called Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA).
That fall, Loki experienced repeated infections from mosquito bites.
Sean would get it treated, it would heal, and everything would be okay. But it kept happening.
Eventually, Loki's body began attacking its white and red blood cells, and he became anemic.
Sean didn’t realize the severity of what was happening until he returned from a vacation to find Loki hiding in the closet.
“I tried to talk to him, but he just laid there. When I picked him up to put him in a carrier and head to the ER, he made this really sad ‘mew,’ like he was having a lot of pain. When he realized it was me, he started talking to me, always loving and talkative. I was being very sweet and gentle with him and told him I'd get him help.”
The ER vet expressed that Loki's red blood cell count was so low, she didn’t understand how he was still alive. Loki needed an immediate blood transfusion.
Sean was somewhat in denial at first. Loki had bounced back before. But another vet reiterated that Loki was very, very sick. And Sean saw clearly: My best friend might die.
After a week of emergency care and blood transfusions, Loki’s health improved a little. Loki could finally (cautiously) go back home.
“The last night was so special. He was clearly not feeling well, but he was eating and drinking and talking to us. I just laid on the floor with him on a cozy blanket. I curled around him, like he'd curled around me so many times before, and he rested his head on my arm. He purred, and I just got to be at peace with him one more time.”
The next morning, it was clear he was very ill again. So, they went back to the vet.
“At some point, the journey shifted from trying to help him heal, to feeling more like I was resisting letting him pass. I never, ever wanted him or myself or anyone to have that experience of just fighting to live when living could only be a battle. So, I made the decision to say goodbye.”
Before his final moments, even though Loki was too sick to come back home, he heard Sean’s voice and gave a happy "mew." Loving as he always was. He knew Sean was there with him.
Cotl was created out of love for Loki
“This experience helped me understand how important having pet insurance or having plans in place for disaster scenarios is. Having pet insurance for Loki allowed me to do everything that I could in the end. I didn't have to worry that I couldn't help him just because of finances.”
Sean spent a lot of time grieving, reflecting, and remembering the times he spent with his best friend.
One of the main takeaways for Sean is that he would do anything for his pets. That he would always fight to make sure they receive the unconditional love, support, and care they always give us.