6 weeks ago (Wednesday, March 19, 2014) I lost my beloved cat Felix, a handsome, strong-willed, fighter of a boy, at just 6 years and 10 months old to congestive heart failure. I was devastated; a piece of my heart left this earth that day. A dear friend of mine and I cleared out some of his remaining food, toys and things from my apartment that same day, as I knew it would be too hard for me to go home to an empty apartment with signs of him everywhere and I couldn't have done it alone. We drove straight to the regional humane society and donated them. I found great comfort in visiting the shelter cats and dogs that day, something I'd done countless times before, but I couldn't even think of bringing home another cat so soon after Felix's passing. The next day I went back. I held and played with the cats for over two hours. Those cats were so comforting and healing to me those first days, I don't know how I would have coped without those visits. I knew then that someday, when I was ready, this would be where my next kitty-love would find me. For the time being, I resigned myself to visiting and volunteering at the shelter as an outlet for my love of cats.
Here's where my story gets interesting! The very next day, a friend who lives in a rural town not far from my home, called me. She began telling me about a noisy, scraggly, sad little kitten who had been living on her porch for a few weeks. She had been leaving food out for him and he had been spending most of his time there; she was afraid to bring him inside for fear of his safety around her 3 large hunting dogs. She suspected he had been kicked out by her neighbors (they had at least one kitten his size that she knew of), but they denied knowing him. She canvassed her neighborhood, friends, and kids' friends and nobody would claim him. Upon hearing this, I just couldn't let him spend another night out in the cold when I had a perfectly warm and painfully cat-less apartment. I agreed to foster him and take on the responsibility of contacting the local cat rescue. At this point, my broken heart prevented me from committing to be his forever home.
I picked up this tiny stray kitten on a Friday morning, just 3 days after Felix passed. My friend had kept him in a kennel in her garage overnight. By the time I got to him, he was soaked in his own urine and sitting in a pile of his feces. I picked up the kennel and put him in my car; he immediately filled my car with an unholy stench! I couldn't believe this tiny thing could smell so awful! His precious, high-pitched little "mew" melted my heart right away, but that smell brought me back to reality. He went straight from the kennel to the bath when we got to my apartment. It was painfully obvious during his bath that he was extremely malnourished and underweight. I could feel every rib, vertebrae, and especially the area at the base of his spine and hips...he was in tough shape. I wrapped him up in a towel after his bath and his purr motor started up in full gear! I'd never heard such a purr before! We spent most of that day cuddling...he wanted to be right next to my face all the time and he purred and purred and purred some more!
I took him to the vet the next morning, Saturday. He got his first distemper and rabies vaccinations and the vet examined him. He weighed just 3 pounds but the vet assessed him to be about 4 months old. I told the vet about Felix and how heart-broken I was (am) and that I didn't think I could commit to another kitty so soon. Dr. Mike told me about a similar loss he'd had and how his kitty-angel had sent him another companion just days after his loss. His opinion was that little Friedrich (as I now call him) was my gift from Felix, that he found his way to me for a reason. He believed (as did most of my friends and family) that Friedrich was always meant to be with me.
That was about 6 weeks ago. I never called the cat rescue and stopped calling him my "foster kitty" about a month ago. Friedrich is now nearly 7 pounds and the happiest, most kind and sweet young man. He snuggles my face, nibbles my nose and kisses me (on the lips sometimes!) every morning! We go on car rides and "outings" to Petsmart and to visit friends and family at least a few times a week. I tell Friedrich all about his big brother Felix and how I wish he'd gotten to know him, even though I never would have known Friedrich if Felix was still here (I can only have one animal in my apartment and my friend probably would never have told me about the stray on her porch). He is just a dear heart and I'm completely in love with him! Friedrich and I saved each other and one day he and I and Felix will all be together!
Here's where my story gets interesting! The very next day, a friend who lives in a rural town not far from my home, called me. She began telling me about a noisy, scraggly, sad little kitten who had been living on her porch for a few weeks. She had been leaving food out for him and he had been spending most of his time there; she was afraid to bring him inside for fear of his safety around her 3 large hunting dogs. She suspected he had been kicked out by her neighbors (they had at least one kitten his size that she knew of), but they denied knowing him. She canvassed her neighborhood, friends, and kids' friends and nobody would claim him. Upon hearing this, I just couldn't let him spend another night out in the cold when I had a perfectly warm and painfully cat-less apartment. I agreed to foster him and take on the responsibility of contacting the local cat rescue. At this point, my broken heart prevented me from committing to be his forever home.
I picked up this tiny stray kitten on a Friday morning, just 3 days after Felix passed. My friend had kept him in a kennel in her garage overnight. By the time I got to him, he was soaked in his own urine and sitting in a pile of his feces. I picked up the kennel and put him in my car; he immediately filled my car with an unholy stench! I couldn't believe this tiny thing could smell so awful! His precious, high-pitched little "mew" melted my heart right away, but that smell brought me back to reality. He went straight from the kennel to the bath when we got to my apartment. It was painfully obvious during his bath that he was extremely malnourished and underweight. I could feel every rib, vertebrae, and especially the area at the base of his spine and hips...he was in tough shape. I wrapped him up in a towel after his bath and his purr motor started up in full gear! I'd never heard such a purr before! We spent most of that day cuddling...he wanted to be right next to my face all the time and he purred and purred and purred some more!
I took him to the vet the next morning, Saturday. He got his first distemper and rabies vaccinations and the vet examined him. He weighed just 3 pounds but the vet assessed him to be about 4 months old. I told the vet about Felix and how heart-broken I was (am) and that I didn't think I could commit to another kitty so soon. Dr. Mike told me about a similar loss he'd had and how his kitty-angel had sent him another companion just days after his loss. His opinion was that little Friedrich (as I now call him) was my gift from Felix, that he found his way to me for a reason. He believed (as did most of my friends and family) that Friedrich was always meant to be with me.
That was about 6 weeks ago. I never called the cat rescue and stopped calling him my "foster kitty" about a month ago. Friedrich is now nearly 7 pounds and the happiest, most kind and sweet young man. He snuggles my face, nibbles my nose and kisses me (on the lips sometimes!) every morning! We go on car rides and "outings" to Petsmart and to visit friends and family at least a few times a week. I tell Friedrich all about his big brother Felix and how I wish he'd gotten to know him, even though I never would have known Friedrich if Felix was still here (I can only have one animal in my apartment and my friend probably would never have told me about the stray on her porch). He is just a dear heart and I'm completely in love with him! Friedrich and I saved each other and one day he and I and Felix will all be together!
