Meet Cristal — a rescued cat in Medellín, Colombia, who got more than she bargained for six years ago. When she arrived at a shelter outside of the city with her babies in 2018, Cristal simply hoped to land a loving home. She kissed her kittens goodbye when they were each adopted before her and waited for her dreams to come true.
She had no idea that she’d soon live somewhere bigger and better than what any house could offer.
As soon as the owners of a pet supplies store called Patas Parriba saw Cristal, they adopted her and took her to the mall where the store was located.
Patas Parriba welcomed Cristal with open arms, setting up a litter box and food bowls in the store for her, and gave her free rein of the expansive mall. They were delighted to see the adventurous girl take to her surroundings right away.
“Cristal adapted quickly to the mall,” Luciana of Patas Parriba told The Dodo. “We learned that she liked being petted by shoppers, and she was calm she whenever she walked away from the store to explore.”
You can watch Cristal explore the mall here:
Cristal soon became a staple at Santafé Mall, located in the bustling El Poblado neighborhood of Medellín. When she wasn’t greeting customers entering her beloved pet store, the sweet girl could usually be found trotting around one of the mall’s five floors.
Her living situation was unconventional, but it worked for the independent girl. She eventually developed a reliable routine that included frequent naps and check-ins with neighboring stores.
“I love visiting my neighbor friends, checking out everything that’s at my fingertips, and one of the things I love the most is playing in the plants,” Patas Parriba wrote on Instagram from Cristal’s point of view. “I love climbing up and discovering new things. Every day, I make a new plan. But one of my favorite things to do is run up the stairs and relax on the furniture. I also love being visited.”
For the next six years, Cristal solidified her role as the mall’s unofficial mascot and pet. Shoppers and workers alike were delighted to see her roaming the halls, offering a loving pat or two to the sweet girl as she passed them by.
Six years after adopting Cristal, Patas Parriba had to make a difficult decision when they chose to relocate the store to an outdoor mall in a different part of town. They wanted to take Cristal with them, but the new location, lined with busy roads, wasn’t safe for the roaming girl. And they knew that keeping her locked inside the small store would make her even more uncomfortable.
So, they talked to the staff at Santafé Mall to see if Cristal could stay in her stomping grounds. The mall staff, who’d instantly fallen in love with Cristal, agreed emphatically to adopt her. With their new arrangement, Cristal could stay at the mall and still receive all the care and love she needed to thrive.
“We decided to let the mall adopt her because it was best for her due to the space,” Luciana said. “She’s doing really well. There are mall personnel who are in charge of taking care of her and keeping her safe. We receive pictures and updated reports about her every day.”
The Patas Parriba team visits Cristal at the mall at least once a week, and they stay in constant communication with Cristal’s new caregivers, who keep a close eye on the girl at all times. As much as they miss the adorable cat, they’re ecstatic to see that she’s still living her best life at the mall.
“She walks through the halls and greets everyone,” Santafé Mall wrote on Instagram. “We adopt her into our world with love!”
