Endearing animals1
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Her eyes were open and blue so she was
at least two weeks old. Every bone showed
through her paper-thin skin. She was in the
last stage of starvation and not responding.
She had been abandoned with her littermates
and was the sole survivor.
I gently touched her and put her in my hand.
There was no response from her at all. The collie
I had brought in, Brandy, began to whine and whimper, and I lowered my hand with the kitten in it.
Brandy began to lick the babe and the kitten whimpered ever so softly. Brandy was a huge
black-coated collie, a male. A retired show dog and number one defender of the house and all
who lived there, Brandy was almost totally blind as well!
I took the starving infant home with me, knowing she would die, but at least not be alone.
And so it began. I often carried her, wrapped in a diaper, inside my pocket. There she would be
easy to stroke and stimulate, and would be warm and feel movement at the same time.
Brandy followed me everywhere often nuzzling the pocket in which she slept. When she was
in my lap for a feed, Brandy would stand there watching and then wash her from tiny head to toe.
A week went by and she lived... and she began to gain and grow.
One day, to my surprise, after a feed, Brandy picked her up in his huge jaws, took her to the
rug and curled up with “Sammy” under his chin, tucked into his coat for warmth.
2. ________________________________________________ a blind one at that. Her need
to nurse was great and she often sucked on any part of him that she could reach, raising painful
blisters on his skin. He adored her and allowed her anything.
She was able to nurse from a bottle later as she became stronger. Hard to say what Sammy
thought he was, but he was her world and she did whatever babies do!
She developed some colour on her head and tail and was a calico cat, although mostly pure
white. At full growth she only weighed three pounds, a tiny but full grown cat!
Sammy responded to her name as any dog would! 3. ________________________________
She sat and begged for food as they did, when I was preparing meals in the kitchen. Her chosen
“Person” was my son, her God was Brandy!
Inside or outside this big black dog and tiny white cat were always together. She got along well
with all the dogs, and played with the newest puppies. She was the one and only animal EVER to be
allowed on my husband’s bed, his chair or HIS LAP! 4. _______________________ She was highspirited, playful and very loving. She did all and saw all and lived life to the fullest. She loved the
children and never had to be declawed, although her nails were kept trimmed. She was wonderful!
She and Brandy lived long and well. Was she different because of him? Perhaps. I don’t
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