TINKERBELLE REMEMBERS: A Few Stories

The Finding of a Therapy Cat: a series about Tinkerbelle, Registered Pet Partner Therapy Cat (retired) and our journey together.

By Mollie Hunt

Part 18: A Few Stories

Everyone has a cat story. Though Tinkerbelle and I are a team, all I have to do to get things rolling is place Tinkerbelle on bed or lap and ask, “Did you have a cat?” No matter how sick, how far gone with disease or dementia, the elderly face softens, the eyes light, and for a few moments, the patient is back with her own furry friend. Whether a barn cat or a pedigreed Siamese, that first cat of childhood will be remembered forever.

Here are a few:

“Tinkerbelle didn’t know Joy was dying. Or if she did, it made no difference to her. At 13, she has a few health problems of her own, though thankfully none have brought her to the state Joy was in. Tink and I visited the elderly lady each week for 2 months until she finally succumbed to her cancer. Even in those final days, she loved to see the cat. Tink did nothing more than lay in her little bed beside Joy, but the warmth of her fur brought visible peace up to the end.”

“Sarah grew her own tomatoes; liver cancer wasn’t going to get her down! And when she could no longer get around, she got a caregiver to hang them outside her window where they cascaded with red and yellow fruit. Sarah loved all of nature and loved her visits with Tinkerbelle.”

About Tinkerbelle:
Tink served for four years as a registered Pet Partner Therapy Cat, visiting assisted living facilities and hospice patients. Tink is now retired and living the quiet life. Check out her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/TinkerbelleTheTherapyCat/

About Mollie Hunt:
Mollie is the author of the Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery series, featuring Lynley Cannon, a sixty-something cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip. Mollie is a member of the Oregon Writers’ Colony, Sisters in Crime, and the Cat Writers’ Association. This year she won a CWA Muse Medallion for her 3-part blogpost series, “Life Stages”.

Like Lynley, Mollie is a grateful shelter volunteer. She is a longtime volunteer for the Oregon Humane Society where she socializes sad, fearful, and behavior-challenged cats. She also fosters sick and elderly cats in her home. In 2014, she had the privilege to work with cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy on a particularly thought-provoking case.

You can find Mollie on her Website: http://www.lecatts.wordpress.com/, her Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/molliehunt, and her Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MollieHuntCatWriter/.