Over the last five years, you might have moved, started a new job, quit, got into a new relationship, got out of one… or started a family perhaps.
But Marriott, a shelter cat… Well, he spent the last five years—more than 2,000 days—waiting to be adopted.
The former stray was found near a Marriott Hotel in Maryland five-and-a-half years ago before being taken to the Chesapeake Feline Association (CFA).
There’s no doubt that Marriott deserves a forever home, but Jaclene Commers, treasurer of the CFA, tells Newsweek that she’s very shy and “will hide around new people,” so they usually just walk straight past her.
While the team at the CFA can’t be sure of her age, it estimates that Marriott is likely somewhere between 6 and 8 years old.

“Marriott came in as a stray from the hotel about five and a half years ago,” Commers said. “She is more of an independent cat and very shy around people she doesn’t know, so she hides around almost everyone.
“I would estimate that she was a stray for around three to six months before joining us.”
Forming connections can be difficult for Marriott as she’s so timid, but fortunately she has managed to make one lasting friendship during her time at the shelter. Commers says that she’s found “a lot of comfort” from her friend Boots, a deaf senior cat.

Commers continued: “Boots does not like people, but [she] and Marriott are often found looking out of the windows together. Boots has the most distinct meow and will just start meowing out of nowhere. Whenever she does that, Marriott will run to her side to comfort her.”