The day I was approved to bring a service animal to campus
was one I’ll never forget. I was so happy; I was going to start looking for my
new little love.
The first cat I thought of was Cruz. Cruz is still healthy
and alive, but I adopted him when I was a senior in high school. He was such a
cute little kitten, snuggled with me all the time and was so great at giving
his love. As I went away to college, he started to forget me and I think that’s
normal, because he was with my family everyday and didn’t see me anymore.
So I asked my mom if I could take my Cruz with me to college
as my emotional support animal. Of course, she said no, but I didn’t see this
as a negative thing! It just meant that I was going to have to search form my
new new little love.
When I found Mama Sophie’s kittens on the Animal Lifeline of
Iowa website, I knew one of those kittens was mine. I went to visit and the
first time I saw her was like love at first sight. She was the littlest kitten
in the litter of three boys and two girls. She was about 7-8 weeks old when we
met. Baby Sophie came over to me and climbed in my lap and just sat there while
I petted her. I would put her against my chest and she would love the beat of
my heart. I felt hers too and it was magical.
She was this tiny kitten, who could only give her love. She
had a lot of visitors though, so she gave out a lot of love.
As she got older, she was no longer the littlest sibling;
her sister became the littlest. Baby Sophie loved to eat. She would fight her
brothers for food and would actually move them out of the way!
She started to get feisty! She loved to fight her brothers
and run around the room. I remember one time I was playing with her and she
climbed on top of the counter and all she wanted to do was climb on the
windowsill. Lol she was the funniest little thing ever. Because she was so
small, she had to stay at the orphanage for a few weeks before I could bring
her home. I would always bring my family and friends over to meet her and they
all fell in love.
Now, she is getting bigger and healthier and she is the
sweetest thing ever. She is up in Cedar Falls with me, living in my little dorm
room and she rules the room. She is definitely the queen of the room. For a
long time, she just loved running around and playing, she never liked to
cuddle, but being up here she has truly been a lifesaver. Whenever I get down,
or start to cry or feel suicidal or triggered she is right there, jumping into
my lap. I think she has this sixth sense of when she needs to love me a little
harder.
She teaches me how to be a better mother every day; she
loves me when I don’t think anyone else does. She’s a constant in my life. I
get to come home to her peaceful presence every day and being with her just
makes me smile. She does the silliest stuff sometimes. It’s great.
She’s definitely one of the best things that have ever
happened to me.
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