A simple gesture to some

... a special bond to me

I was awakened this morning with heaviness on my chest. I was being
swatted across the face with a big paw. It was my Maine Coon cat Noelle.
She was going crazy! She head-butted my face -- which included a
face mask. (I have sleep apnea and wear a full face mask during the night
to help me breath). She was meowing. This was unusual behavior for her. I
pushed my mask up to my forehead, looked at the clock (4:30ish) sat up
and said, "What the hell are you doing? It's too early for breakfast"!!

It was then that I noticed that the end of the hose for the sleep
machine was totally separated from the machine and was on the floor. No
air was getting into the mask from the machine. I gave her a pat, said
sorry, hooked the hose back up to the machine and went back to sleep. A
few hours later when I woke up I had remembered what had happened and
was just stunned. Noelle had detected there was something wrong and had
alerted me. How smart is that? Although she didn't save my life she knew
something was wrong.

This wasn't the first time that Noelle had detected that something
was not quite right with me. She has been by my side for six years
through sicknesses, an operation or two, and chronic depression. She
comforts me when I am sad. She licks away my tears and is my constant
companion.

In the news we hear a lot about pets alerting their families to
fires in their homes and alerting them to the beginning signs of a
seizure or other medical emergencies. Some animals do have special bonds
with their owners. Meanwhile others think pets can be indifferent
creatures. Some are but they are a lot like people. They all have their
own unique personalities.

I believe you can "mold" a pet from the early stages of life to be
as loving and nurturing, as you want it to be. It's all in the way you
treat your furry friend. Noelle was set in her ways when I adopted her.
She was almost two years old when she was found, dirty, abandoned, and
starving in a dumpster. She had been abused and was abrasive and
standoffish. She was a tough one to "win over".

It has taken her YEARS to let me into her world and to soften her to
be loving. I treat her with lots of love, respect and nurturance. I set
aside time everyday to play with her and spend time with her. There are
times now I wonder if she doesn't consider ME her mother! She often
grooms herself while laying on me and then will start to groom me. (I
say "Thanks for the wash, baby, but Momma's had her shower already").
There isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't lie on me and contently
knead on my body with total love in her eyes. I guess I raised her well.

So just when you think you are the caretaker of this fur-person just
remember -- they are taking care of you too, whether you know it or
not. They may surprise you one day. Mine did.

Previously Published

October 3, 2008