Finding My Way Home

This morning I was driving home from the post office, and as I pulled into my development a cat ran across the road in front of my car.  I slowed down in order to give the cat enough time to run safely onto the sidewalk.  However, as it ran, I noticed that it had a collar.  

This was not a stray cat running around outside.  This cat had a place to call "home".  And every part of my heart loves cats, so I safely pulled over and got out of my car.  I proceeded to scare the cat with my heart-felt attempt to get closer!  Yet, it did not hiss.  It ran away from me meowing loudly.  

It was, however, bitter cold outside.  So, I could not let the cat be alone, scared and cold.  Therefore, I knelt down and sat there calling gently for the cat to come to me.  It grew trust quickly and scurried over to me chatting with loud meows all the while coming closer and closer.  It finally got close enough that I could see the tags on the collar were no longer there.  Unfortunately, this meant there was no address nor phone number in order for me to contact its owner.  

I took pictures of the cat and posted them on our local social media pages in hopes that someone will see it and come claim their precious feline friend.  And after about a half hour of spending time with the cat, a truck raced loudly down the street and scared it into the woods.  I could see its little body sneak under the fence and then it was gone.  My hope is that my social media pictures will help, and this precious cat will find its way home. 

The story of this cat makes me think about times when I too feel lost.  And sometimes I feel so lost that I cannot find my way home.  Yet during those moments, I know that I am never truly by myself.  Sometimes I will call a friend for help, similar to the meows of my little cat friend.  Or I will run into the arms of someone I love knowing I can trust them, in the same way this cat found trust in me.  

But, no matter how I approach it, I know my soul will find peace and my heart will find love yet again.  And when I am ready, I know I will put on my high heels.  Because within the confines of those beautiful shoes, I will always feel home.  

Love Note: With all my heart, I genuinely request that due to the content written, please seek the guidance of professional help should you feel you need it.

Our Cat Named Ninja

This blog post is in loving memory to honor our precious cat, Ninja. 

 May you forever rest in the arms of angels.

All my life I wanted a cat as a pet.  As a child, I could not have one for many reasons including a house full of people allergic to the fur.  Therefore, when I moved out and lived on my own, I decided to adopt a cat.  Her name was Ninja.

In 2012, there was an advertisement on Craigslist and it showed a picture of a malnourished 1 year old cat.  She had beautiful black fur with white paws and a white belly.  The ad deemed her “unadoptable because people only want to adopt kittens and no one wants a cat".  And the ad continued with, "...but if she is not adopted she will have to be put to sleep” because the shelter simply could not keep her any longer.  I saw the pictures, I saw the ad and I saw our cat named Ninja Mittens Massaconi. 

Ninja earned her name because the owner of the shelter would see her doing little ninja-like back flips off the couch in the middle of the night when the kittens were sleeping.  And she clearly exemplified her name through actions such as squeezing under the dresser, hiding under the kitchen table, and sneaking onto my husbands lap for her daily dose of Daddy pets. 

Ninja was a very special cat.  Whenever I was physically or mentally ill, she would lay with me on our bed.  There were days of depression where she would not leave my side, snuggled up at my hip keeping me company.  On those days, she provided me comfort and reminded me that her love was unconditional. 

Ninja never missed a family dinner because she always sat underneath my daughter’s chair while we ate.  And although she was not much of a “lap cat”, she always sat with my husband while he worked remotely.  She slept at our feet at night and meowed for breakfast first thing every morning.  At some point, setting an alarm clock became redundant because we always had a "Ninja meowing alarm" instead. 

Ninja was a part of our family for many years.  Unfortunately, a month ago, we were devastated when she was diagnosed with bone cancer.  Yet we kept asking ourselves, "Ninja's last forever, don’t they?"  However, the world had other plans and our Ninja passed away last Friday.  There is not a day that goes by that we do not think about the profound presence she had in our lives. 

She was a special cat and today, I wear my high heels for her.  She battled cancer like a champion.  She persevered for a month through this horrible illness, and she still purred and loved on all of us as we surround her with pets and kisses on the forehead during her last weeks on earth.  Our hearts ache now that she has left this world but our family will never forget the presence she had in our lives and the little furry legacy that she left behind. 

Love Note:  With all my heart, I genuinely request that due to the content written, please seek the guidance of professional help should you feel you need it.