The French Connection: Cat Crosses Atlantic To Reunite With Ailing Mom

Gisele had seen a world of sorrow. Her husband’s passing was followed by her own battle with cancer.

There was one constant comfort. Gisele had Julien, le chat orange, the cat her husband had loved. Gentle Julien was a senior, too, and they could take care of one another.

But heartache loomed for the pair as Gisele prepared to move home to France from the United States. Her veterinarian diagnosed Julien with heart disease. If Gisele put him on a plane, Julien could die.

Unable to live without Julien, but unwilling to risk his life, Gisele chose the selfless way of l’amour. Julien would remain in New Jersey, longing for his maman, but alive.

As Gisele bore her broken heart back to France, Julien settled into a chateau for cats from hopeless situations: Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary. Given his age, Julien would face a storm of “non, non, non” elsewhere.

But Tabby’s Place is a City of Light for cats in their darkest hour.

The staff and volunteers were smitten with Julien. Sweeter than a macaron, the marmalade cuddler also turned out to be quite strong. The sanctuary’s vet team found that Julien’s heart was perfectly healthy after all. But the good news could not heal the sadness in the old cat’s eyes.

Or could it?

Known worldwide as champions of each individual cat, Tabby’s Place dreamed a daring dream for Julien. If someone could chaperone him back to Paris, le chat orange could safely make the journey.

Things were about to turn magnifique.

In matters of l’amour, there are no coincidences. Tabby’s Place “just happened” to have a pilot named Beth among their volunteers. The seasoned traveler, enchantée with Julien, offered to accompany him all the way to Gisele’s doorstep.

Tabby’s Place rang out with joy louder than the bells of Notre Dame. The team persevered through logistics and paperwork, undeterred by setbacks including a historic three-country power outage that delayed the odyssey.

At last, the day arrived. The soulmates were reunited. Gisele’s happy tears could have filled the Seine as she held her Julien again. Beth was weeping, too, as she had forged a deep bond with her traveling companion.

But once you are a Tabby’s Place cat, you are a Tabby’s Place cat toujours. Julien and Gisele will always be part of a family whose love knows no limits. From New Jersey to France, la vie est belle.

Tabby’s Place can only help cats like Julien through the generosity of individual donors. To help save the next cat from a hopeless situation, please donate at www.tabbysplace.org, or by mailing a check to 1100 US Highway 202, Ringoes, NJ, 08551.

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About Tabby’s Place

Since 2003, Tabby’s Place, www.tabbysplace.org, has been a world class, cage-free sanctuary for cats from hopeless situations.

Tabby’s Place embraces the neediest cats regardless of age, medical issues, or temperament, making it a harbor of hope for the most desperate, with a particular focus on Advanced Needs cats. At any given time, 30-40% of Tabby’s Place’s residents have chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and paraplegia. Most of the sanctuary’s cats are simply “normal,” healthy cats who ran out of time in desperate circumstances, and nearly all 110+ residents are available for adoption.

The sanctuary is a uniquely nurturing environment, providing the tenderness, patience and personalized care cats need to trust people, whatever their past. The physical facility supports this level of care, having been designed from the ground up to meet cats’ needs and delight their senses with bright, open suites; continuous fresh air; and safe access to outdoor solaria.

Love and grace characterize Tabby’s Place’s interactions with everyone it encounters, feline or otherwise. The Tabby’s Place team strives to treat each person and cat with respect, compassion, and generosity of spirit.

Tabby’s Place can be reached at 908-237-5300 or info@tabbysplace.org, or by mail at 1100 US Highway 202, Ringoes, NJ 08551.