Willoughby

I adopted Willoughby (formerly Wakeman) to keep my 12-year-old cat Tamika company now that I have a full-time job. He seemed the perfect fit for her: quiet, lazy, non-confrontational. And he had been in the sick room for an illness he developed while missing his brother, who got adopted first, so I knew he must like other cats.

Willoughby remained sniffly for a few weeks after I got him, until I finally introduced him to Tamika. Being the only cat for so long, Tamika was less than friendly at first. But it was as if Willoughby had found a new purpose in life: to make Tamika his friend. As he determinedly followed her around the house day in and day out, patiently putting up with her hissing, I noticed his health improving...as well as his energy level. Suddenly, what I thought was a quiet and lazy cat became a playful ball of energy! What was the lazy, grumpy old queen of the castle supposed to do with a new kitten?

They got to the point where they would tolerate each other. Shortly after that, Tamika became seriously ill. She stopped eating completely and lost three pounds in just weeks. Numerous vet visits later, with no diagnosis, the situation didn't seem very hopeful.

But that's where Willoughby came in: he sat near Tamika constantly, as if silently encouraging her. He would "play" with her - running up and stopping just before he got to her, then running away, like he was trying to entertain her. And it worked. After five days, she slowly started eating again, and Willoughby perservered until something miraculous happened: she finally chased him back.

A month later, Tamika is healthier than she has been in years - she gained back her weight, has impressive energy for a "senior" cat, and shows a renewed interest in her toys. She and Willoughby happily chase each other and wrestle, and contentedly sit near each other while they nap. Willoughby's endless patience and friendship has brought Tamika back an energy that I never thought I would see in her again.

I would have been happy just to be able to give a sweet, playful, cuddly cat a new home, but in return I got a blessing in disguise to my older cat in a time she really needed one. That's certainly what I would call a "happy tail!"

Thank you so much for making miracles like this possible! Janine

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