How did you meet your cat?

Question

I'm watching my cat sleep and thinking of how we met.
It was a little before Thanksgiving time last year and the fall was being kind to me. I was, unknowingly, beginning my battle with generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks. Constantly in a state of fear and sleep-deprivation, I tried to occupy my mind with things like tv, alcohol, the internet--but to no avail.
After a sleet-filled drive home from the thanksgiving weekend, I trudged up the shadowy and unlit stairs to my apartment. Approaching the door, I noticed an odd lump on my doorstep. Mistaking it for a neighbor's litter or a dropped shirt, I was about to kick it away when something went "Mee...
...The vet said she was one of the smallest weaned kittens she's ever seen and would have surely died that icy night. After taking her home, I noticed that for the first time in a long time, the anxiety wasn't there.
The fear still comes and goes, but I'm convinced that I needed to find her more than she needed me to find her.

Wow! Great stories everyone! Thanks for answering!

Answer 1

What a sweet story. :)

I have a cat named Bailey. He used to be my sister's cat. She got him from friends whose cat had a litter. Anyway, she became very sick so I kept him at my place to take care of him for a while. My other cat, Sonny, didn't get along with him well because I was clearly "his person". :) When she got better I gave him back to her. It wasn't long, though, before she became very sick again. She was eventually in the hospital longer and was in a long term care home for a while so I sent her pictures of him when I could. I also was finally able to get approval and bring him for a visit. It really made her day and I have some great pictures of their visit where she looks very happy. Eventually her illness got the best of her and we lost her. I kept Bailey after that. I've since also lost Sonny and was so glad to have Bailey there to comfort me in both losses. He's a great cat and we have a lot of fun together. :)

Take care! :)

Answer 2

I was broken hearted for a long time after my first and only cat had to be euthanized. I would go to Petfinder.com and look at all the cats/kittens up for adoption, but could never bring myself to go the extra step.

Finally my husband and son intervened and made me make a decision. I decided to contact some of the adoption agencies who had gray kittens- only because I wanted a gray kitten my whole life. I finally found one that needed me. Turns out he had a little brother who needed me too. Their mommy died while at the high-kill animal shelter and the lady from the adoption agency rescued the whole litter of kittens.

I went to the adoption agency to pick them up when they were only 8 weeks old. They were both in one little cat carrier. One was gray, the other was black. They both had the same light green eyes though. I loved them from the first minute I saw them.

Answer 3

We were taking a peek at the shelter, with interest in getting a kitty. The only kitty they had there that sparked my interest was a gorgeous black and white long haired kitty, but I was so disappointed to see that he was 10 years old.

My son was very young at the time, and I was nervous about bringing in an older kitty with an unknown background.

So we went back the next week, he was still there and again nothing sparked my interest except for him, with the doubts in the back of mind.

We again, went back the next week. The shelter lady noticed me hovering over the senior kitty's cage, and told me that tomorrow was his put to sleep date, and she was only telling me this because she had noticed me looking at him the past several weeks. I instantly broke out into tears, and my husband said to me, 'Please, let's just adopt him. I'm sure he will be fine.'

And that he was, he is now 13 years old- and is honestly the best cat I have ever owned. He is not fond of my son, but he tolerates him. I'm thankful I was able to adopt him. :)

Answer 4

I worked with a guy who had a litter of kittens. He didn't take good care of his animals so I decided to take one. When I went to pick one out he had 4 left. I wanted the long haired kitty, but he said it was his daughters. I chose the short haired kitty. They were half Siamese and something else. I am so glad I chose her. She is one of the best cats I have ever had. She is part of our family and I cant imagine life without her. Sometimes I swear she is smarter than most humans. I wish dogs and cats had the same life span as humans. No one else can comfort me like she can.

Answer 5

I saved my Spunky. He was a 10 day old kitten that the mother abandoned. Since it was winter, he was frozen to the ground. I brought him in, warmed him and bottle feed him. That was 7 yrs ago. Spaz was a feral kitten (6 months old) and we took him in. That has 5 yrs ago. Orange Kitty was a feral cat that used to come up everyday for about 3 yrs. Last Aug, he went missing for 3 days. When he finally came back up, half his face was torn off! We brought him to the vets to be put down, but...the vet wanted to try to save him. 30 stitches and 28 days of the poor thing locked in a cage (so his face could heal)....and a lot of love and patience...not to mention some scratches too...a yr later he is a loving, happy and fat kitty!

Answer 6

I got 2 of my cats out of car engines, when they were kittens. They were babies, sick, hungry and desperate because they had lost their mummy. The third cat was a stray, begging for food in a tavern I was eating. I noticed her eye ball was hanging out of her eye, full of pus and blood. I took her to the vet, she had surgery, and the idea is that she would go back where we found her, because 3 cats are too many for us. But now we love her too much! I don't know what to do, because I need to have room to rescue more kittens in the future, and that won't happen if I have 3 of my own.

Answer 7

What a wonderful story! I met my cat when he was born and I helped to raise him. Now that my husband travels for his work and is gone most of the time, I have long conversations with Mr. Kitty and he listens intently. Cats can be a lot of company. He's also very attentive when I don't feel well. I think if he had opposable thumbs he'd bring me chicken soup!

Answer 8

Which cat?
Well the latest one to move in here, we found sitting in the middle of a busy road waiting to get hit. A scrawny little worm infested kitten, probably barely 3 months old at the most. We brought him home, i really didnt expect this nasty looking little thing to live, but he did and is doing much better now. He runs around now tackling cats and dogs twice his size, and bringing them down!

Answer 9

That's a lovely story! :-)

I met my cat at a neighbour's house. Me and my sister had been on at my mum for a kitten for days, when suddenly there was a knock at my door. I answered it and it was the neighbour from across the road asking to speak to my mum. She said she'd heard I wanted a kitten and she had one that wasn't getting on with her older cat and did we want him? We went over and got him straight away! He's like a member of family, and he's been here 8 years since :-) He's actually laying on the floor right next to me now lol

I did get another cat while having the first one. I first met him on a neighbour's windowsill! As kids, everytime we walked over to the window to stroke the cat, the owners used to shout at us to go away. So we only stroked him and played with him when they were out. A few months later, the cat's owner's moved away, leaving him behind :-( He met my cat, and they really liked each other, so we adopted him! Unfortunately he died a couple of years ago :-(

Answer 10

What a wonderful story. I applaud your giving kitty a home, not many people like you in this world. I have rescued most all my cats from the Animal Rescue League. I got my Golden Retriever there too. God Bless you. I believe it is proven medical fact that animals do relieve stress in our lives, and may help in many other ways.