From the moment Aloe joined her family as a tiny kitten, she showed that she was no ordinary cat.
While most felines chase feathers, jingle balls, or laser dots, Aloe found joy in something far simpler — hair ties.
To her, they weren’t just toys; they were treasures.
A Cat With Unusual Taste
She would bat them across the floor, carry them in her mouth, and guard them like a dragon protecting gold.
Her mom, Anne Tam, quickly learned that the fastest way to make Aloe’s day was to leave a hair tie where she could find it.
Over time, Aloe’s love for these stretchy circles became one of her most charming quirks.
Guests often laughed when they noticed a single hair tie placed carefully beside the food bowl or on the couch armrest.
Anne couldn’t help but adore this peculiar habit, even if it meant losing half her hair ties to a very determined cat thief.
The Hidden Treasure Beneath the Washer
One afternoon, Anne noticed Aloe lying on the kitchen floor, staring intently under the washing machine. Her little paw kept reaching into the narrow gap, brushing at something unseen.
At first, Anne thought it was just another playful moment, but Aloe’s persistence caught her attention.
She crouched beside her curious cat and saw the faint outline of something dark under the appliance.
Thinking it was a single lost hair tie, Anne grabbed a hanger and began fishing it out. But as soon as she hooked one, another appeared — and another.
Within minutes, she had pulled out a mountain of hair ties, nearly thirty in total. The discovery stopped her cold. Aloe, it turned out, had been hiding her beloved toys in a secret stash right under everyone’s nose.
Anne burst out laughing as she realized that her cat had been quietly building her own collection for months.
When Aloe saw the growing pile, her eyes widened in wonder.
She tilted her head, gave a tiny chirp, and pounced into the middle of her recovered hoard. The scene was pure joy — a cat surrounded by the colorful symbols of her happiness.
Happiness in the Smallest Things
Anne watched as Aloe pawed at the recovered hair ties, making some of them fly right back under the washing machine.
It didn’t matter; Aloe seemed perfectly content.
For her, this wasn’t just play — it was bliss.
Her mom couldn’t help but laugh and grab her phone to record the moment, knowing it was one of those rare, heartwarming glimpses into the mind of a truly unique pet.
Even after her secret was exposed, Aloe hasn’t stopped collecting.
Every few days, Anne still finds a hair tie missing from her bathroom or dresser, only to later see Aloe trotting proudly through the house with it in her mouth.
To her family, these small thefts have become a sign of affection, a reminder that happiness doesn’t have to come from fancy toys or new things.
Aloe’s story is a gentle lesson in finding joy in the ordinary.
In a world that moves so fast, she reminds everyone who meets her that sometimes, all you need to feel content is a simple little hair tie — and someone who understands why it matters so much.