Boba the Black Cat

1Early life

Boba was born on May 21, 2020, in Alabama, United States. She was discovered in a cardboard box alongside her siblings, Piglet and Tigger. Originally named Winnie at birth, she was renamed "Boba Pedroza" upon her adoption on November 1, 2020.

Over time, her full name expanded to "Boba Chiquitita Entertainment Fomo Pedroza," reflecting her growing personality and significance within her adoptive family. As a Bombay breed cat, Boba exhibits the characteristic black coat and copper-colored eyes typical of the breed.

2Personality and behavior

Boba exhibits a range of distinctive personality traits that have been well-documented by her family. Most notably, she displays a strong aversion to alarms of any kind, reacting negatively to their sounds. Her behavioral patterns demonstrate typical Bombay breed characteristics combined with her unique individual temperament, including periods of high energy referred to as "run run run" episodes, during which she sprints along a specific pathway known as the "Cooch Route."

Sleep and dreams

One of Boba's most notable behavioral patterns involves what has been termed "The Dream," a phenomenon in which she suddenly awakens from sleep and makes a direct beeline to her food bowl. Observers believe this may be triggered by nightmares about food scarcity. In response to this anxiety, Boba has been observed practicing food rationing behavior, deliberately keeping approximately three pieces of kibble in her bowl as "Emergency Kibble" for such occasions.

Interactive behaviors

Boba demonstrates complex social behaviors, including what is known as "Cuddle Cat" behavior, where she seeks warmth and comfort under bedcovers in a location dubbed the "Kitty Oven." This behavior typically concludes when she decides to "Go Be Cat," at which point she resumes independent activities. She also engages in play, with her favorite game being "Tippy Tappy," which involves chasing a long, thin strand of thread—though this activity requires close supervision due to safety concerns.

3Personal life

Family

Boba's extended family includes her cousin, Dr. Simi, who was the recipient of the notorious "Two Week Hiss Incident" (see Controversy section). Despite the rocky introduction, Dr. Simi remains a part of Boba's family circle.

Daily routine

Boba maintains a structured daily schedule that consists primarily of multiple rest periods, including Nap #1, Nap #2, and Nap #3, followed by an evening Bedtime Routine. This routine culminates in what is known as "Ask for Tuck," where she requests to be tucked in for the night.

Diet

Due to digestive sensitivities, Boba maintains a specialized diet consisting of hydrolyzed protein food, which allows her to properly digest her meals. The sound of her eating this kibble has been affectionately termed "Crunch."

Entertainment preferences

Boba has demonstrated sophisticated media consumption habits. Her favorite programming includes an eight-hour video by Paul Dinning featuring mice entering and exiting a small hole in a wall, which she watches on her personal device—a gold/white iPad Mini 4th generation (128GB). The content is colloquially referred to as "Birds (The Show)." To prevent accidental touch input, the iPad utilizes Guided Access screen lock, though technical difficulties occasionally require what has become known as "Tech Support" interventions.

Musical tastes

Boba has shown preference for specific musical selections, including:

• "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas (as performed by her parents)
• "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones
• "Right Where You Left Me" by Taylor Swift

Favorite toys

Boba has demonstrated preferences for a variety of toys and play objects:

• Tippy Tappy
• Zip tie loops
• Springs
• Fish
• Mice (referred to as "her babies")
• Tube

4Locations

Residences

Throughout her life, Boba has resided in multiple locations across the United States. Her journey began in Alabama, where she was born in May 2020. Following her adoption in November 2020, she has lived in Providence, Rhode Island; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Los Angeles, California, where she currently resides.

Sleeping locations

Boba has developed preferences for several distinct sleeping locations within her home, each with its own unique characteristics and appeal:

Upstairs

A sleeping spot located on the closet shelf in La Mirada, providing an elevated vantage point and sense of security.

Drawer

Sam's top clothing drawer in the La Mirada closet, which Boba has claimed as a cozy and enclosed sleeping space.

Hampterns

Described as Boba's vacation destination, the Hampterns is a dark hamper that provides a private, enclosed environment for rest. The name is a playful reference to the luxury vacation destination, The Hamptons.

The Box

Her most fashionable sleeping location, The Box is a cardboard box and blanket combination featuring a fashion magazine collage created by Naomy. This artistically decorated space represents Boba's most stylish rest area.

Disliked locations

Boba has demonstrated strong aversion to certain locations and environments:

• The roof
• The veterinarian's office
• Any kind of walk outside the apartment

These locations typically induce stress or discomfort, and Boba makes her displeasure evident when required to visit them.

5Vocabulary

A unique lexicon has developed around Boba's behaviors and daily life. This specialized vocabulary has been documented by her family and represents an important aspect of her cultural significance.

Terms and definitions

A Runny and a Jumpy and a Monkey

A phrase shouted at Boba when chasing her during energetic zoomies runs. This playful vocalization typically accompanies high-energy play sessions.

Birds (The Show)

Refers to Boba's favorite YouTube channel and video featuring mice entering and exiting a small hole in a wall. This video, created by Paul Dinning, runs for eight hours and is played on Boba's iPad (an iPad Mini 4th generation, 128GB, gold/white) which uses Guided Access screen lock to prevent accidental touch input. Occasionally, the iPad will flip over or lose battery, resulting in the need for "Tech Support."

Butt Cut

Also known as "Tum Potty Package" or "Sanitary Cut," this term refers to the occasional professional grooming service Boba receives to make keeping her posterior clean easier for her. This specialized grooming addresses her hygiene needs given her coat type and build.

Cooch Route

A raunchy play on the words "couch route," this term describes the specific pathway Boba sprints along when she experiences a sudden boost of energy. Such a sprint is referred to as a "run run run."

Crunch

The characteristic sound produced when Boba eats her hard kibble.

Cuddle Cat

Used to describe occasions when Boba comes to snuggle in bed under the covers. The location where this occurs is called the "Kitty Oven," in reference to her desire for body warmth.

Dusty

Occasionally after using her litter box, Boba appears as if she has snow on her coat. This requires a paper towel wipe because it shows up prominently on her rich black coat. "Dusty" is a visual and tactile sensation, not to be confused with "Stinky," which refers to her odor.

Ek Ek Ek

A distinctive vocalization made by Boba when yelling at birds from the window sill. This characteristic chattering sound is typically produced during intense bird-watching sessions.

Emergency Kibble

Boba is known to purposefully ration approximately three pieces of small kibble in her food bowl for later consumption, especially in case she experiences "The Dream."

Flumby

When Boba purposefully falls sideways with excessive force to enter a relaxed "croissant" position. On both hardwood and carpet, the effect is quite acoustic, producing a notable sound upon impact.

Go Be Cat

Refers to the moment when Boba is no longer interested in cuddling and needs to get up and move around to engage in typical feline activities.

Kitty Oven

The location under the bedcovers where "Cuddle Cat" behavior occurs. Named in reference to Boba's desire for body warmth during snuggling sessions.

Mink

The act of biting something. Her owners can also "mink" her ear, which means to lovingly bite her ear softly with lips.

Soggy

Both a visual and auditory descriptor referring to Boba's appearance and smell immediately after she licks an area of her coat.

Tech Support

Refers to situations when Boba requires assistance with technology, most commonly when she flips her iPad over during an aggressive bout of play while watching Birds (The Show).

The Dream

Describes a phenomenon in which Boba quickly awakens from slumber and makes a direct beeline for her food bowl. It is suspected this occurs because she has had a nightmare that there is no more food left. She takes precautions against this scenario through the maintenance of "Emergency Kibble."

Tippy Tappy

An accidental discovery, Tippy Tappy is the name of Boba's favorite game, in which she chases a very thin and long strand of thread. She is notably not allowed to be unsupervised during this activity, as she has been observed attempting to swallow the string, which poses a significant health hazard.

6Lore

Various apocryphal stories and legends have developed around Boba's life history. While these accounts may not be entirely factual, they represent an important part of her cultural mythology.

Educational background

According to family lore, Boba attended Wellesley College, where she reportedly experimented with her sexuality. To be clear, she is a virgin. This narrative reflects the playful anthropomorphization common in discussions of Boba's character and personality.

7Controversy

In what became known as the "Two Week Hiss Incident," Boba demonstrated her strong territorial nature when her cousin, Dr. Simi, a kitten, was introduced to her home. For approximately two weeks, she continuously hissed in protest of the new arrival, making her displeasure widely known throughout the household. The incident has been cited by behaviorists as a notable example of feline territorial behavior and adjustment periods when forced to accept a new cat into an established environment.

8Other incidents

Throughout her life, Boba has been involved in or affected by several notable incidents that have shaped her experiences and health.

The Fiberglass Incident

When residing in Natick, Massachusetts, Boba escaped to the unfinished area of the attic. Her family feared they would need to call the fire department to retrieve her. Although she eventually emerged on her own, there is suspicion that exposure to small fiberglass particles during this incident may have influenced her downstream breathing issues.

The Cooke St Rat

An incident occurred at a previous apartment on Cooke Street in which a large rat scurried through Boba's living space. This traumatic event was followed by months of Boba's anxious surveillance of the corner where the rat had disappeared, demonstrating her persistent vigilance and memory of the encounter.

The Fire Incident

In January 2025, Boba was displaced during the Los Angeles wildfires. She spent many days in a foreign land (San Francisco), where she demonstrated her hunting prowess by catching a mouse in Dan Tompkins' room. Notably, this successful hunt earned her bed privileges for the duration of her stay.

The Covid Incident

In early 2021, Naomy caught COVID-19 and was forced to quarantine alone in her Cooke Street bedroom. This meant young Boba could not sleep, cuddle, or play with her new mother during this critical early bonding period, representing a significant separation during her formative months.

9Recent discoveries

Ongoing observations of Boba continue to reveal new information about her physical characteristics and behaviors. These discoveries contribute to a more complete understanding of her unique attributes.

Forearm whiskers

In a recent anatomical observation, it was discovered that Boba possesses whiskers on her forearms in addition to the typical facial whiskers common to all cats. This finding highlights the detailed attention paid to Boba's physical characteristics and adds to the catalog of her distinctive features. Forearm whiskers, while present in many cats, had gone previously unnoticed until this recent discovery.

10Media appearances

Boba has achieved recognition in mainstream media, most notably through her appearance in the Hollywood Reporter Pet Edition. This appearance marked a significant milestone in her public profile and brought attention to her distinctive characteristics and personality.

11Accolades and awards

Boba has been recognized for her distinctive physical features, most notably receiving acclaim for having "the smallest face" among her peers. This unique characteristic has become one of her most recognizable traits and contributes to her overall appeal and media presence.

12Cultural impact

Influence on adoption trends

Boba has served as the inspiration behind multiple subsequent cat adoptions within her social circle. Her influence led Noor to adopt a cat named "Pocket," and Tate to adopt "Pintxo" (though it should be noted that Tate had owned black cats previously). This phenomenon demonstrates Boba's role in promoting cat adoption and companionship within her community.

Social media presence

Boba's distinctive characteristics and behaviors have been documented through various online platforms, contributing to her growing recognition beyond her immediate family circle. Her unique vocabulary and personality traits have resonated with cat enthusiasts and pet lovers.

Public reception

Public interest in Boba has been characterized by appreciation for her distinct personality quirks, specialized vocabulary, and the detailed documentation of her daily life. Her media appearances have further solidified her position as a notable individual cat in contemporary culture.

13Gallery

14See also

• List of individual cats
• Bombay cat
• Cat fancy
• List of cat breeds
• Cats in the United States

15References

1. Information provided by owner documentation
2. Hollywood Reporter Pet Edition archives

16External links

• Official website
• Social media profile
• Hollywood Reporter feature