Fur Babies

We all know the benefits of having a pet in the house.  They can lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  They have positive results on patients with depression and the grieving.  If you have an active pet they can help promote a healthy exercise routine.  You see clinics using Mastiffs with Autistic children.  They promote happiness.  One of the natures greatest joys are pets.  When you are having trouble finding happiness what better way to find healing than through adopting an animal?  Most of us have a cat or dog.  They are our family members.

I almost didn’t get a pet.  Now I have two and it was just by chance that they found me.

After my twins died I was a complete wreck.  It was as if I'd died.  It had been seven months and I couldn't bring myself out of it.  I wanted someone to take care of.  I lost babies and my husband felt he had to take care of me but who do I take care of?

I talked several times with my husband about getting an orange tabby because they are the color of our twins birth stone but he saw that as a bad financial move.  We were still paying for the headstone and obituary and I wasn’t working so why add a mouth to feed if we don't have to?

It was two days before my husband was deploying.  I was facing a reality where I would be alone.  My family lives thousands of miles away.  I had pushed most of my friends out of my life and the rest were "giving me room to grieve" meaning they were waiting for me to come to them when I was ready.  And NOW my husband was going to leave.  I didn't even have a job where I would be around people I could have small talk with.

We were smoking on the back porch when this orange tabby peeked around the corner.  My husband slowly crept inside to get milk, leaving the door open and this cat followed him into the kitchen.  He was a Daddy's boy right from the start.

We looked for the owners, alerted different organizations that we had him if anyone came looking and we babysat.  It never dawned on me until later how many people let their house cats outside to wander.  I was completely smitten by this cat.  The way my husband played with him I knew he was in love too.

Then he deployed and I had this beautiful orange cat to come home to.  He played with me and made me laugh when I hadn't laughed in months.  He makes me laugh every day.

The day after my husband left was my first Mother's Day.   That is the worst day of the year and was alone.  But I wasn't alone because that orange cat was there to comfort me as well as be rowdy by attacking the faucet water and pouncing my bunny slippers.

I was taking care of him and that felt so good.  As a Mother that is all I wanted; to be able to take care of someone that needs me.

The day after Mother's Day the owners found me.  I handed over a few things I had bought him like food, cat litter and some small toys and I handed over the little orange kitty.  They seemed disinterested in how I was telling them what a good cat he'd been but I kept talking all the way to their car.

I went back to being dead inside.  I tried getting out just for the sake of getting out but it did little good.

Then I got a call from the owners about a week later.  It seems that Oliver (my cat’s name) had gone "crazy" since he'd been home.  All day he was going to great lengths to get out again to come back to my house.  When he couldn't get out he would go "mad" running around breaking things and tearing the house apart.

They decided he was now too much to handle but they didn't want to take him to a shelter and wanted to know if I wanted him back.  I almost cried on the phone I was so happy. I see now that they were being nice.  I recognized the woman who came to pick up Oliver as a friend of a friend.  My guess is she heard what had just happened with the twins and let me believe this cat needed me.  I’ll always be thankful for that.

I realized that my babies couldn't be here so they sent me just what I needed.  I've always looked at Oliver as my Mother's Day gift from my babies.  He makes me laugh every day.  I play with him every day.  Now I'm a cat lady.

Oliver was so full of life and I couldn't keep up so I started looking for another cat while my husband was gone so he couldn't say no.  After a few days I found Pirate.  He had been at the no kill shelter longer than any of the other cats because he only had one eye.  People there had rescued him from the pound because he was slotted to be put to sleep.  He needed to be rescued.  Just like any good rescue you find that you are the one who is really being saved.  The shelter said he was shy but I got him home and he was in my lap the first day.  He's been there ever since.

He is so sweet.   He likes to make friends.  His little fangs hang down past his mouth and he has the most beautiful mixture of white, tan and black fur that even the vets I've taken him to have commented on.  No matter if he is sick, hurt or playful he’s always being sweet.

I know they aren't child substitutes but they are the best healers I've met so far.  Every day I shower my cats with love because having lost so much I appreciate them much more.  They helped me learn to smile and laugh again.  I make up stories for them (Ollie becomes Sir Oliver who battles the Evil Water Monster and his bubble minions to save the innocent villagers while Pirate becomes an anime ninja cat who is the familiar of the most powerful wizard in all the land.  Pirate can save your life with just his meow and I have been saved many times because he makes a lot of noise.).  I read to them and nap with them.

Any time I find that I want to give up and jump headlong into sadness those cats are there.  If I cry they are there to make sure I get some cheering up.  Honestly, if I tear up one or the other nudges their head under my hand for me to pet them and they give me kisses.  If I leave a room they follow.  If I sleep they curl up with me.

That is the job of a pet.  They are there for you.  We love them for that.  The benefits to having pets make it worth any cost.  It’s worth it for your health and your happiness.  I think we can all expand our families to include a little more joy.