The Inspiration Behind the Pandora Book Series

On New Year’s Eve 2020, my daughter and I visited an animal shelter with the hope of adopting a sweet, bluish-gray boy cat we had seen online. When we met him, he was as gentle and social as he looked—but heartbreakingly unwell. Due to his fragile health, he wasn’t eligible for adoption that day. We left his hallway heavy-hearted, unsure if we’d be bringing anyone home.

As we were walking out, my daughter paused to look at the pictures of the other cats. One caught her eye—a mystery wrapped in fluff, hiding under a shelter stool. All we could see was an enormous, trembling ball of fur. No face, no tail—just fluff. The shelter volunteer tried several times to coax her out, but she kept curling into herself, hiding her face, shaking with fear. As I held her, she buried herself deeper in her fur. It was clear she had endured a great deal of neglect and fear in her previous life.

The shelter volunteer told us she had been there for a while. Because she was older and withdrawn, no one had shown much interest in her. But I couldn’t leave her behind. My heart broke for this frightened, fluffy creature, and I knew in that moment—I needed to bring her home.

At the front desk, I was asked if I wanted to rename her. I asked what her current name was. “Pandora,” the worker replied. My daughter and I chuckled. It seemed like such an odd name for such a timid cat. So we renamed her Gracie.

We soon learned that she was a Maine Coon and Manx mix, which explained her long, luxurious fur and nearly nonexistent tail. At home, it took weeks for her to adjust. She hid constantly, meowed in sad little cries, and glared at us with enormous, mistrustful eyes. We were still calling her Gracie—until one day, during a family visit, someone called out “Pandora.” Instantly, the sad ball of fur perked up.

It was clear she recognized and cherished her old name. From that moment forward, we stopped calling her Gracie. She was, and would remain, Pandora.

With time, Pandora began to show us who she truly was. She became deeply attached to me, always keeping me in sight, silently watching from carefully chosen vantage points. She didn’t like being held, didn’t like being out of sight from me, and certainly didn’t like any other cats getting closer to me than she was. Still, she surprised us with moments of tenderness—gentle forehead bumps, sunbathing near me, and even cleaning the fur of the kittens we later adopted.

Pandora was 10 years old when we brought her home. This year, she’ll be 15. Based on our bond and her spirited personality, I decided she’s a Scorpio like me, with a Halloween birthday. I often find myself wondering about her kittenhood—what she looked like, how she played, and what she may have endured. Those musings sparked something creative in me.

That spark became Pandora’s Delicious Dilemma.

In this story, I’ve imagined Pandora as a curious, clever kitten living in San Francisco. The setting is close to my heart—when my family first moved to the United States decades ago, we lived in an apartment in San Francisco. Next door lived a cat who often sunbathed on the windowsill or patrolled the fire escape like it was her kingdom. I used to imagine the secret lives of cats like her—and now, those stories have found a home in Pandora’s world.

Thanks to Pandora, those long-forgotten daydreams from my teen years have come back to life, but with a new heroine—Pandora, my beloved tuxedo cat. She’s black with soft white patches, including the most charming one right under her nose that looks like a little milk moustache.

What began as a quiet adoption turned into a journey of love, healing, and storytelling. Pandora has not only transformed our lives, she’s inspired a whole series. I’ll be featuring not only her, but also our other pets—past and present—in upcoming stories.

I hope you enjoy reading about Pandora’s adventures just as much as I love creating them. Thank you for letting me share her story—and the magic she brought into our lives.

Happy reading!

Nafisa

Available now on Amazon