Juju Arcuri, 36 years old, from Minas Gerais, lived in the city of São Miguel do Gostoso, Rio Grande do Norte, in 2016, when she found the love of her life: the kitten Sativa.
At the time, Juju had a brand of Minas Gerais empanadas, well known in the fishing village.
It was on a day at work that Sativa ‘adopted me’, as Juju Arcuri told Amo Meu Pet.
Because of this meeting of souls, Juju abandoned her career in gastronomy to dedicate herself to the feline universe.
Creating cat toys using recycled materials became his new passion.
Inspired by her connection with Sativa, she began developing sustainable toys for felines, promoting pet well-being and environmental preservation.
Sativa Adoption
Sativa appeared in Juju’s life on a rainy day. The young woman was walking down the street when the kitten, meowing, came toward her, asking for help.
“It fit in my hand. My friend tried to take it, but she refused, wanting me to take it,” Juju recalled.
Juju couldn’t afford to adopt her because she wasn’t financially stable, but leaving the kitten on the street wasn’t an option.
So she took her in temporarily. “Of course, that was the first lie I told myself,” she joked.
“Sativa captivated me and cultivated her unconditional love in me, hence this name, which in Latin means ‘Sativa = cultivate’. Since she was little, she communicates very well with me and teaches me everything she wants, likes and how to do it.”
Sativa is a very sweet and friendly cat. During the production of Juju’s empanadas, she was nearby, watching the process.
When she wasn’t at work, the feline was always ready for an adventure, whether at the beach, at the waterfall or in any corner of nature.
Adapting to the new life
Some time later, the two moved to another city in the state, Pipa, and it wasn’t difficult for the feline to adapt to her new life.
Just as Sativa adapted to her new life, Juju became even more attached to her four-legged companion.
“I didn’t know anything about cats, but I adapted to what she asked of me. She wanted to accompany me, I bought a pinscher harness (hahaha), I wanted to eat, she ate, she wanted to go to the beach, and I took her.”
According to Juju:
“She filled a huge void in my life. I’ve always been very lonely, and her friendship changed the way I saw all animals. I had the opportunity to rescue a humpback whale calf with fishermen, I swam with dolphins without the tourist traps, I met and got to know all kinds of animals, I saw turtles being born, opossums become friends with Sativa, and much more. She opened my eyes to the greatest beauty in life: the animal world!”
The couple went through a second move, this time to Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and again the feline adapted easily to the new life.
It was during this period that Juju began to study more about the feline universe and realized that “cats should have toys made for them, that were more than decoration, but rather fun and stimulating to play with.”
Pet toys
Juju started making toys for Sativa, since the kitten didn’t like anything her owner bought.
Taking advantage of her concern about trash and waste in the big city, Juju began reusing these materials in toys.
And so Sativa’s Play was born – Recycled toys for pets!
“I quickly gave up gastronomy to dedicate myself to cats. For six years, I’ve been recycling and reusing cardboard to make the most fun and special toys for kitties all over Brazil!” declared Juju.
Juju says that every kitten is unique and that their toys are personalized and full of love!
Thanks to Sativa, Juju’s life has changed for the better in every area.
“To this day, I communicate very well with Sativa. She is my best friend, partner, and companion. We are always together, whether traveling or out and about, and since I learned to listen to her, my life has changed. I never felt alone again and I never stopped smiling.”
Empanada? Now Juju only makes it for herself and Sativa, because the feline is a fan.
