Back in 2010, college student Sarah Juracich wasn’t looking to adopt another cat. She already had one at home, her budget was tight, and she’d only stopped by a local adoption fair in Minnesota on a whim.
But then she picked up a peculiar little kitten — and her life changed forever.
“I was holding this ridiculous-looking little kitten,” Juracich told The Dodo. “Then I felt this tiny paw on my chin. I looked down, and he reached up and licked my nose. I thought, ‘Aw, crap.’”
That was it. She was done for.
Juracich scraped together what little money she had to cover the adoption fee and brought the kitten home. She named him Nermal — though, as she quickly learned, there was nothing “normal” about him at all.
“As a kitten, he looked like a little alien — big eyes, flat face, totally weird,” she said. “Honestly, I’m not entirely convinced he’s 100% cat. I think there might be some alien DNA floating around in there.”
From the start, Nermal was a mix of strange and sweet. Though he’d been rescued from a hoarding and backyard-breeding situation, he grew into a confident, happy cat with a wavy mane and a face that never failed to stop people in their tracks.
“He’s an absolute little weirdo,” Juracich laughed. “He has zero f**** to give. I’ve literally rolled over on him in bed, and he just lays there purring. He’s the most chill cat I’ve ever met — and also my little alien.”
Over the years, Nermal’s quirky personality has led to plenty of funny moments — like the night he decided to raid the cookie drawer.
“One time, he managed to open my nightstand, pull out a box of lemon Girl Scout cookies — the ones dusted in powdered sugar — and lick the sugar off every single cookie,” Juracich said. “Not one was left untouched.”
She suspects her other cat, Marley, was his accomplice.
Now about 15 years old, Nermal hasn’t lost any of his charm — or his mysterious, otherworldly vibe.
“He’s still in great health,” Juracich said. “He goes to the vet every year, and everybody there just loves him.”
After all this time, Nermal still insists on sleeping pressed up against his human — half on her face, if he can manage it.
“He’s a very devoted cat,” Juracich said. “He has to be right next to me every night.”
From a frail little kitten with an odd face to a senior cat who still melts hearts, Nermal has been by her side through it all — proving that sometimes, the weirdest-looking pets turn out to be the most extraordinary.
“I wouldn’t trade Nermal for the world,” Juracich said. “He’s irreplaceable — even if he is part alien.”
