When recent high school graduate Christine was 11-years-old, her father committed suicide, rocking her world. It is hard to lose someone you love/adore, but in such a fashion - it magnified the difficulties of grief.
Luckily, loving cats and kind hearts run in Christine’s
genes! Her mother, Kathy, and she have two cats and her Grandma Rose has three cats plus the extra outside strays she feeds.
“I am a cat person,” said Christine, “all the way! I have had dogs, but for me canines require too much work. I enjoy cats’ independent personalities and they don't require constant attention, need to be hand washed, or walked. To me they are perfect creatures who move and look like beautiful art. Watching them sleep or take a bath is
relaxing. And while cats are independent, they offer the companionship and love their owners need, making them healing to our spirits.
This year, I am off to college to study to become a psychologist. In the future, when I open my practice I'll have an office cat. There is something mysteriously calming about cats. An office cat’s job is to help patients’ smile, to relax, and teach them about love. Petting an animal lowers your heart rate, so, in my ‘soon to be
professional opinion’, cats are good for peoples’ health!
When my father passed, we had a big fluffy tabby named Sassy. Sassy stayed beside me always purring and wanting to be loved. Her “purr”essence was comforting.
Then mum and I adopted two kittens, Iris Rose and Bree Rose. Iris thinks she’s my baby. She’s always with me whether I am sad or happy. She gets upset when she can’t get in my room and sleep with me. Iris is
jealous when friends come over and she doesn’t get all the attention. She’s my little fluff ball and I seriously don‘t know what I would do without her.
For a week, when I was in grade eight, Iris did not come home! The worry was so overwhelming that I could not sleep thinking I would never see her again.
Some neighbor must have locked Iris in their garage and gone on vacation, because one night, I looked over at the
sliding glass doors and it felt like a miracle seeing her banging on it to be let in. She has never wandered away since.”
“When I was pregnant with Christine,” said Kathy, “I bought a piano. When she was five years old, she learned to play, but after her father’s passing she quit.”
But to the family’s joy, in the last few months, Christine is once again playing and singing. Kathy and the cats love the sound of Christine’s voice and when she sings, like the
Pied Piper, the cats come running to hear her.
“Hearing Christine’s singing,” said Kathy, “is very special because she is leaving for college and our moments are precious.”
Apparently, Christine is not the only musical one in their family!
“Bree is a prancer-dancer,” said Kathy. “She’s a doll kitty who stands up on her hind feet and dances. When she’s happy, if you snap your fingers, up, and off she
goes. Bree is so full of love. When your hand is by your side, she stands up on her hind legs, and rubs her face on it showing how thrilled she is to be with you.”
“Cats get a bad rap,” explains Christine, “because they are independent and not as friendly as dogs, but I don’t agree. And where did the expression, “Crazy Cat Lady” comes from because it is never crazy to gift your love to others?!”
Christine’s cats have taught her that
if you want love and affection, then you have to ‘purr-sent’ it to them “...by honoring and respecting their unique nature. And just like people, each pet has a different personality. Cats honor you with the privilege of their affection as they bestow their precious time with you.”
Bree is their tattle-TAIL. When Sage, the golden retriever, came for a visit with her person, she found the cats’ food.
“Bree marched up to me loudly
meowing,” said Kathy, “insisting that I follow her. She marched us over to the dog and ‘told’ on her bad behavior. Bree is usually a quiet cat, but she was over the edge with the dog’s rude behavior! As much as the Sage was thrilled to ‘find’ the cat food, Bree was equally disturbed to find the dog with her face in it!”
“I am excited for college and some dorms take pets,” said Christine, “so I thought about taking Iris. But I decided on leaving
her at home because it’s in her best interest. I don’t want her lonely while I am in class or studying.”
“After Christine’s father’s passing,” adds Kathy, “It took a village to raise my daughter. Living in a small town is a blessing filled with caring friends, neighbors and mentors who helped guide her into such an amazing young woman. Thank you!”
