TINKERBELLE REMEMBERS: Hero Cat

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

By Mollie Hunt

Part 27: Hero Cat

We already know Tinkerbelle is a hero. She brings furry love to those who might otherwise be deprived of it. She snuggles with seniors and purrs to hospice patients. She delights and soothes and comforts— what could be more heroic than that?

But one time Tinkerbelle was an actual hero, defending me from an attacking cat. This is what happened:

In 2014, I was fostering a very difficult cat who was prone to violent outbursts. The cat, Lux, was very sweet and loving most of the time, but when he had an outburst, he transformed from a gentle housecat to a rampaging tiger in about 30 seconds.

One time I was in the kitchen with Lux. My cats, including Tinkerbelle, were closed in the living room so as not to worry our guest. Suddenly Lux began the horrendous growling, hissing, yowling that I’d come to know preceded an outburst. The sound made my blood run cold because I knew in the next few seconds, he would brutally attack me. Instinctively I leapt for the door to get away, but as I opened it, in ran Tinkerbelle to my rescue!

I was scared to death for her, because Lux outweighed her by half, but turns out I had no worries. Tink planted herself between Lux and me, then began her own cute little yowling. Lux stopped in his tracks, staring at the elderly matriarch. Then he turned tail and ran into his kennel. Tink wanted to chase him, but I caught her, holding her to me. My heart still racing, I thanked her for saving me.

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, Willamette Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the Northwest Independent Writers Association. Two of her short cat stories have been published in anthologies, one of which, The Dream Spinner, won the prestigious CWA Muse Medallion this year.

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/.