One winter, an elderly cat showed up at a cat lover’s house, covered with pink insulation, shivering and hungry. The lady took the cat in, fed it and advertised for its owners, but no one responded. The next stop was at the Crooked Leg Ranch.
The cat’s condition was horrible. Its fur was matted badly and tangled with whatever it had been laying on. The girls could tell that this was a very old cat but they could not figure out why it was out wandering in the cold of winter. Perhaps hunger pushed her to leave the warmth.
They named her Grandmother Cat because she was so old and in need of palliative care. They had to shave her to get rid of the mats and found that she was just skin and bones underneath. Looking so ragged and with creaking bones she seemed to be a demon cat. She actually scared a few of the visitors with the way she looked.
The girls gave her love and attention and her own sweater that said ‘Dream Big’. Quickly they saw that her personality did not match her appearance because she was a very sweet cat that loved to be cuddled.
Grandmother Cat did not last much longer but the girls are heartened to know that her last months were spent in a warm and safe home. This critter made an impact on those who knew her. Just because she was old did not mean that she was finished. She found her way to safety and she showed appreciation for their care.
Article by Liz-Anne Eyford and was first published in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer.