I have been away from home for 3 months. I have seen a fair amount of my family as I am only 3 hours south of my home. Why am I away from home, you ask? One of my daughters has acute myeloid leukemia and has had to have a bone marrow transplant (also known as stem cell transplant). The centre that this is done in, is a city 3 hours south of my home. Our family members have been very faithful to come and visit as often as they can. But...
I miss my cat. She is 16 years old now, but still in great health and full of bounce. Currently, my family tells me, she is driving them nuts because she howls alot. She is looking for me. We are buddies. We have been together through some rough times in my life and her companionship has been a God-send. Plus, she's as crazy as I am.
Growing up, we had a cat, Scamper. She was a year older than I was and a very typical, cranky cat. The fact is though, that she was always there. The best thing about Scamper was that she had a great purr - when she felt like purring. I remember going to find her after bad days at school. She was either on my mom's side of the bed, curled up in a ball or down in the basement, snuggled up on some foam mattresses that were on a shelf, ready for the next camping trip. I would find her, pet her and as she started to purr, I would lay my face on her flank and listen (until she got annoyed and bit me). The resonance of that continual sound was comfort. I figured that the world must not be coming to an end if she was still relaxed and purring with contentment. It brings tears to me even now, to remember the hurt in my heart and the sweetness of her purring.
Since Scamper was such a crank and very much my mom's cat, I wanted one of my own. Major drawback was that I am wickedly allergic to all animals and cats have a lot of fur. Not to be dissuaded, I waited until the time was right. We had small children and I felt ready to take on a kitten. I have since decided that 6 years of sleep deprivation were fueling my reasoning. I had been describing to my husband the exact kitten I wanted. A little gray tabby with a white bib and 4 white paws and it needed to be a female. One evening when we needed to get out of the house and go for a car ride - children strapped in car seats and listening to Jungle Jam could be a bit of heaven back then - we decided to go to the spca. It was on the other end of town which was a major bonus! I had taken all the necessary allergy meds and we headed off!
I remember looking into a crate and seeing her. She was sitting in the back in the litterbox, but she had a white bib and teeny little white paws. My hubby reached in to get her and she hissed at him, so he drew back. I laughed and said, "Look at the size of it! Just pick it up!", so he did. He handed her to me and I pointed out all the ways she looked like what I wanted. Someday. I was honestly convinced we were just window shopping for another time. I remember the kids were just entranced at how teeny she was and so sweet. My husband walked up to a worker and asked, "What do we have to do to take this kitten home?". I don't think there have been many times that I was so surprised and genuinely excited like that. With that, Cleo became my buddy.
Thankfully, Cleo is very sweet natured (for a cat - she can still hold her own) and I think she believes she is part dog. She will come when called and stays wherever I am in the house. It used to creep me out when I was in the basement doing laundry and felt like I was being watched, only to look up and see the cat hanging out on a pile of clothes. I have a favourite chair at home that is where I sit in the mornings to read and have that all important first cup of coffee. Cleo's chair is right beside mine and often she will rest her paw on my leg as we are sitting, just so I know she's there. Comfort.
The very best thing about my Cleo is her purr. God knew I would be helped by a purring cat and man, can she rumble. Her purr is constant and loud and it doesn't take much to get the motor going. During some of the very worst storms in my life, that cat will jump up, snuggle in and get the motor going. It can be God's very own love message to me, that all is well and He is on the throne. I know that my time with her is limited. She is after all, 16! Until the day we have to say goodbye, my Cleo will be a comfort and the memory of her will always be a reminder that my loving Heavenly Father is still in full control and one day, all the wrongs will be righted. Until then, we carry on. Thank you Lord, for my cat.
Just thinking!
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