Friday, June 19, 2009

Animals Can Help Heal Broken Hearts

Meet Wilbur. He's my fluffy precious kitty who loves to help me write, read, and blog. When I'm at my computer, he's there with me.
Recently we moved my mother into our home. She had two furry cat babies, Maggie and Blacky. Both were elderly and Mom felt they wouldn't survive the long trip to Ohio, so she chose to leave them behind. It's hard to adopt out elderly cats, but we found a no-kill shelter and have hope that someone will open their hearts and adopt them. I know how sad she was to leave her beloved family home and her babies, but there there was no choice. She couldn't afford to keep up her home any longer. When she called with her decision, we immediately made plans to remodel and rearrange our home to accomodate her.
I'm so blessed to have her with me, and she's so much happier now with having people around her to talk to. But, I could tell how much she missed her babies. We have three cats, Charlotte, Wilbur, and Templeton (yeah, can you tell I'm a writer!). Charlotte, like most Divas, chooses the time she wants to spend with us mere humans. However, the boys are a different story. Inquisitive, and very loving, they are people cats. They sensed Mom's need for feline companionship. Wilbur sleeps with her, and when she's in her recliner watching television, he's either on the arm of the chair, in her lap, or laying on the back of the chair, swinging his big furry tail in front of her face. Templeton has been in her lap, too, but he's so much more inquisitive.
Yesterday something really cute happened. If I'd been home I would have taken a picture. He's been investigating her walker. It has a little area where you can sit things, or yourself, and a basket which she uses to keep things handy. Mom has taken over making our bed and hers. It's one thing she can do which makes her feel helpful. Anyway, yesterday Templeton jumped on the walker and was sitting on the little "chair" part. Mom got out of her chair and said, "Do you want to go for a ride? Come on, I have to make the beds." She proceeded to walk down the hall to our bedroom and Templeton just stayed on for the ride. He waited while she made that bed, then she took him into her room and, again, he just sat there watching. Finished, they both came back down the hall! Templeton now believes her walker is his domain, and quite fun, and Mom is so happy to have these furry buddies to help relieve the pain of moving.
We made a lot of changes to try and make her comfortable, but it took our cats to really lift her depression.
I love animals. Guess that's why I always include them in my books!

7 comments:

Kara Lynn Russell said...

Carol,
What a wonderful story. I'm so glad your Mom is doing well. We moved my grandmother into a nursing home when she was in her 80's. I know nursing homes have a bad image, but she is very happy there, with friends and activities to keep her busy. Isn't it wonderful that even at that age, it's possible to have a whole new life!

I love cats. Mine thinks she is very helpful when it comes to writing, too.

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Lovely story, Carol.

Thanks for sharing.

Animals are a human's best friend!

Donna B said...

This is so sweet. There are actually studies out there that show that widowed people survive longer if they have a pet.

Makes perfect sense to me.

Blessings on you and yours. I love when families take care of their own like this instead of putting them in a home.

Carol Ann said...

Thanks Kara, Pam, and Donna. Mom is really doing well since she moved in, and she's giving us a lot in return. We are truly blessed. Before we moved her, I worried, but I did a lot of praying, and knew that God would take care of everything. And He has. God is good.

Martha Eskuchen said...

Carol - lovely story! I think pets definitely help lift spirits! And I agree - God is good, all the time!

Carol Ann said...

Thanks for stopping by, Martha. Yes, He is!! All the time!

Sandy Wickersham-McWhorter said...

Hi, I loved the story of how your cats are helping your mom, Carol Ann! Animals are such a vital part of our lives, if only more people would recognize the contribution they can make to our well being and treat them with respect like you and so many other writers do!