There’s a new cat at Casa Kringle: Cassie. She's from the RAPS Cat Sanctuary in Richmond, B.C., where I said I was interested in adopting an older cat with special needs. "Male or female?" asked the manager. "It doesn't matter." "Any preference for appearance or colour?" "Cat. Feline. Someone sweet." She led me to Cassie. Her long soft grey fur and white bib reminded me of B.J., who we’d deduced to be a Ragamuffin. Cassie had the same big white paws, but a tiny face peering from an enormous fluffy body. She’d need to drop a few pounds, something I could handle easily with quality food and exercise. She’d been adopted as a kitten from the main RAPS animal shelter. After a few years, she was surrendered when her medical needs overwhelmed her adopter. Because of a possible slipped disc in her back, she’d been on cage rest for a month. They believed she’d recovered from that problem, and was ready to go to a home, but would have to be closely monitored. I went into the large cage to sit with her. Purring, she curled against me, and stood to put her paws on my chest. Cassie offered all the affection that I craved. I asked her if she wanted to go home with me. The answer was obvious. The manager began explaining the adoption process. While I mindlessly stroked Cassie during this conversation, she made a sudden move that showed annoyance. I remembered that mindless petting could set B.J. off, and began to doubt my decision. I said, “Maybe I need to look at other cats first.” When I left the cage, Cassie stood at the door, looking at me with sad eyes that seemed to say, “But you told me I could go home with you!” I felt conflicted when meeting a nearby cat with silky black hair that reminded me of Ebony. She pressed against me warmly, but I felt I’d let Cassie down. I decided to honour my original promise. While other visitors admired the many other residents of the cat sanctuary, I sat in Cassie’s enclosure for some time. “I’m an exhibit,” I joked when volunteers walked by. They crowded around, sharing how much they all loved Cassie and how happy they were that she was going home. A volunteer named Andy actually knew the family from which she was surrendered. He said they loved her, but wanted only the best for her. They’d be pleased that she’d be cared for in a loving home. Cassie was originally called Suki, but answered to Cassie, the name the adopters gave her. She’ll continue to have that name. I had to wait two days before bringing Cassie home. That time allowed me to prepare a spare room and adapt it for her needs. I laid out a foam mattress for bedding, and removed temptations to jump. When I saw her again, Cassie seemed to know. I met the sanctuary manager and a medical volunteer to learn more about her long medical history. We sat in the trailer dedicated to senior cats with special needs, one of my favourite spots in the sanctuary that’s usually off-limits to visitors. Bluebell, a fluffy Persian who has posed for photos on my lap in the past, respectively enjoyed both of their laps, while mine was occupied with a clipboard. We were serenaded by a young black cat in the adjoining section. He shared the space with his father, who also had the unusual condition of having only two functioning legs. Their curled little back legs dangled uselessly, but the cats didn’t care. The young black cat called loudly several times during our meeting, but we were informal enough for breaks to give him the attention he needed. Back with Cassie, I pointed to the carrier and told her it would take her home. After a final weigh-in, the volunteer lifted her to the carrier’s open door, and she went in readily. I covered the carrier with a blanket, which she pawed at during the drive. I lifted the blanket. She meowed for the last half of our journey. “It won’t be long now,” I said. Cassie was excited to explore her new room. She mauled the catnip toys and sniffed every corner, already getting great exercise. She was a purr machine! I noticed her hind legs moved oddly when she walked, er, waddled. Both pivoted to the outside, especially the left one. On her forelegs she walked on her toes the way cats do, but her back feet sank partway down, sometimes all the way down, like a bunny. Perhaps her heaviness and lack of exercise, although it was what she needed for her back, had weakened her legs. I’ll consult the vet for advice, but am hopeful that this condition will resolve in time. I began small feedings of warmed canned food about every three hours during the day. Cassie wasn’t crazy about the chicken with herring that Kringle had loved, but ate it. I plan to try a variety of food. The first night, early in the morning, I heard her meowing loudly. I moved to the bed in her room and slept there for the balance of the night. Cassie first came up to my head and nipped my hair. She seems to like grooming me there. After I smoothed my hair, she curled up between my head and the wall. In the morning when I found her at my feet, she moved back to my head. After two nights of broken sleep, we had an epiphany. Cassie’s room began to grow very warm. It tends to heat up in the summer. Ultraviolet window film helps, but not enough. I tried opening the window, but warm air entered and it didn’t improve. I moved Cassie to my bedroom. There were more hazards there for those who are supposed to be cautious about jumping! How could I keep her safe? I offered a six inch step to get up to the footstool that she could use to jump on the bed. Kringle had used the footstool in his later years. Cassie ignored the step and the footstool, jumping right onto the chair, about 18 inches (45 cm) high! I picked her up to sit in the window when she seemed keen. She was mesmerized with the sky, trees, birds, garden. I pointed to the chair where she could jump down if she wanted, and stepped back a bit. When she was ready to leave the window, instead of jumping down to the chair, she jumped all the way to the floor, a distance of four feet (1.3 meters)! I was afraid that she might have hurt herself, but she continuing exploring with no sign of any pain. After she spent the night in my room, curled up behind my head, showing no ill effects, I opened the door to the house. So much to see! She soon descended the stairs, hopping down one by one. At one point she raced back up! I wrote the RAPS sanctuary manager that Cassie was no longer a cat with a back problem. Her care became enormously easier. I’m so glad she’s in my life. I haven’t forgotten Kringle, whose departure made space for Cassie. I finally framed his portrait, a photo that I had enlarged a couple of years ago. I also published a new video, Kringle the Book Lover. He posed for photos with many of the cat books that I enjoyed. This morning’s devotional reading was right on point. It talked about memorials, how people often buy something in someone’s memory, but another approach may be more meaningful: caring for others, paying it forward. When I care for this new angel, I can remember my departed angel, and thank him for bringing this new gift into my life. Irene Plett Topics: RAPS cat sanctuary, Regional Animal Protection Society, cat adoption, pet loss Kringle shares some favourite authors
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