The gift of a pet can be life changing. Michael discovered this after rescuing his best bud, Buddy

Michael lives in a NO PET building.  So why does he have one?

Michael and his 13-year-old kitty, Tara, spent 2 1/2 years care-taking Michael’s mother. Shortly before his mother passed so did Tara. Michael’s devastation and grief led him to not focus on his business. He sank into depression and eventually lost the house, so he loaded up his car and moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon.

His grief counselor told him that she would know when he had turned the "emotional corner" when he was able to take on another pet.  “With my disability,” said Michael, “a companion animal was paws-ible.  I told the counselor about our NO PET building.  But, my awesome  building manager gave me the paper work to legally qualify me for a companion pet.

“Thrilled at the purr-spective of being a pet parent, I went to the humane society’s shelter  looking for a fur baby that would melt my heart.

They had a neutered 12-week-old kitty relaxing in a top cage. I wiggled my finger at him and he nonchalantly looked at me, stretched, rather bored, sniffed my finger and immediately began purring.  My heart melted!

When I held him he climbed up onto my shoulder and comfortably sat there. I asked him, ‘Am I your human?’ It is always a good union when the pet chooses you because they bond faster as family.

I originally named him after the Sanskrit word ‘Vajra’ because he is the ‘light of my life’. But I had to change his name to Buddy - because we are best buds.

My life is more fun now and my FUR-niture is different.  Buddy redecorated my apartment with a prominent 72" cat tower!  I rearranged ‘our’ apartment in compliance with Animal Planet’s ‘My Cat From Hell’ star, Jackson Galaxy’s expertise allowing for Buddy’s high-speed kitty-highway.

Buddy runs at full tilt; the length of ‘our’ apartment, like a race track, tears over the top of his kitty tower, over the bed’s head board and out of the room...all the while he appears to be smiling!

Buddy has learned that when he brings me his squeaky toy, I will toss it. He responds by fetching it, over and over, until my arm feels like it is falling off.  His other favorite toy is a crumpled piece of paper over anything I spent money on.

I can’t explain how wonderful and beautiful it is to have a furry companion sitting in your lap who purrs. Occasionally, when a friend asks me for a walk, I decline because I have a sleeping kitty on my lap, and at that moment, he is my joy and priority.

It is scientifically purr-uven that the vibration and frequency of a cat’s purr has healing properties...and it is true for me.

It is the oddest experience to be alone in your home, only you and your pet, and you burst out laughing!  It happened the other day when Buddy came running out of the kitchen, jumped onto the bed, and body slammed me with joy and gusto. He was so happy to join me that he made me burst out laughing at his exuberance. Yes, animals are wonderful companions, and their ability to heal depression should be legendary.  They are vulnerable, so it is up to us to appreciate and care for them as the gift they are to us.”

“Buddy’s sweet story illustrates the power of a pet to heal,” emailed Erin in Austin, Texas, “and provide joy.  My friends and I call it 'the power of the puppy', but it obviously works for kitties, too!”

Sonja in Cottage Grove, emailed, “Photographing pets is not easy, so when my dog, Ben received a present from his Marine K9 Trainer, Joe Gallagher, I placed a tidbit of a weenie between my lips to hold Ben’s attention. It worked!”

“We stopped giving/applying flea/tick/heartworm meds to our Pomeranian, Sophie, years ago,” emailed Suzka in Portland.  “She had seizures from all kinds of products. 

In my opinion, that stuff smells and acts like poison!  Our Vet said it wasn't worth the risk, so I keep Sophie well groomed, wash her blankets and bedding often, and vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.”

“Our indoor cat doesn't often go outside,” emailed Kathleen of San Mateo, California. “When she began scratching, I did not think about fleas, but when I looked, they were crawling all over her! 

I immediately started doing what I had done for years, in such emergencies, and within one week, all the fleas and eggs were eliminated. A daily combing ends the flea cycle without any kind of external powder or other remedy. She loves being ‘gently’ combed and I dip the flea comb into hot water killing the fleas.”

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. And their furry faces appeared on a line of shirts.