What do you do when you can no longer afford a pet or you live in a “no pet” residence?  Ninety-year-old, Norma solved the problem with her ever present sense of humor.

“My solution for the emptiness one experiences when living alone,” said Norma, “was simple.”

“I have a wonderful pet I dearly love - she has deep black eyes and a soulful expression.  She gives me the impression that she understands my every word with her empathetic heart.

She never walks out of the room when I’m talking to her and she never refuses a hug.  As a matter of fact, she is very huggy.  She never complains, but then again she is treated with the utmost love and respect.  She is an extremely cooperative pet, who is easy to get along with and she does not get into any trouble.  She is a low maintenance pet, surprisingly with no fleas.

People are amazed that Sheba is 22 years old.  Even as a senior pet she still snuggles. She recently underwent minor surgery for a cut on her arm.  I would not let anyone else touch her, so I stitched her up myself!

As a widow, I have not felt alone since Sheba came into my life. Shortly after my sister passed, my daughter, Ann, gave me Sheba for my birthday.  Sheba was conceived in the Gulf Islands and her ‘birth’ mother, an artist, was obviously a kind and loving woman to have created such a beauty.  Yes, Sheba’s definitely one of a kind.  

Eighty-seven years ago, when I was three I asked Santa for the set of Goldilocks’ three bears.  I received them and have loved Teddies ever since.

I love music and because Sheba is a She-bear, evident from her pinafore, the minute my hands touched her I heard refrains from George Friedrich Händel’s, the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon).

Sheba represents the white Kermode Grizzly bears from Northern British Columbia.  Kermodes are a subspecies of the grizzly bear, so they have a lump on their backs. The aboriginals call them ‘spirit bears’ because of their blond fur.   A fun fact: white bears are more effective at catching fish than black bears because it is harder for the fishes purr-spective to see the white bears.

Thankfully, Sheba, is always full, she does not consume fish or food adding to her ‘purr-fect pet’ status.  Extra plumpness is not welcomed in people, but in bears they look good chubby in their winter coat. She has no vet bills, and when she needed a ‘nose job,’ on her faded little round black nose, I did it for her.

Since I lost my husband Sheba sits on my bed and I feel less alone.  If I have a bad night I talk to her and her understanding eyes assuage my soul.  In the morning, we get up together, and she sits with me while I read the newspaper.  She does not sit at the table, after all, she is a pet!

I adore her company and have a strong attachment to her, because she makes me smile.  At my age, my social life has dwindled with the deaths of friends and family, and Sheba is comforting and healthier than taking up drinking!

She has a loyal friend in me, along with her three stuffed penguins, lamb and two baby Teddies.  I never worry about her when I am at music groups, away for holidays or out shopping because she has them to sit with and socialize.

Sheba is aging well.  Her once white fur is changing colors, but then again, so does our hair color with age.

Many single people leave the radio on while gone, but I have Sheba to say ‘Hello’ to when I walk in the door.  She takes the ‘empty’ out of my home.  She’s also saved a lot of radio electricity over 22 years!  I talk to her all the time and told her about meeting Mary Ellen and that now she gets to be ‘famous’.  Sheba responded with her ever present knowing look.  I felt comfortable telling her and you about my rather ‘unusual pet’ because I know you understand about loving furry things.  I hope you enjoyed my fun ‘tale’, too!

In case of emergency, you grab what is important to you as you run outside.  When our building’s fire alarm went off, I grabbed my wallet – and Sheba.  She is very real to me. I don’t go as far as checking her heart beat because I know she is a Teddy, but the amount of comfort and companionship she brings me is priceless.”

Mary Ellen's Silver Persians swam their way into readers and viewer's hearts! They have appeared in International magazines and newspapers around the world. (France, England, Canada, China, Germany, USA, etc.)

Also, several National and International TV shows featured the swimming felines teaching pet-water-safety.