I’m a home care nurse, and had to make a once a month supervisory visit to the client/patients residence. My first day to visit their home, I sat down on their sofa and begin my routine questions... about 5 min later a beautiful tonkinese appeared, running down from the upstairs bedrooms.... jumped on the sofa and sat next to me, rubbing my side and meowing. I laughed and said, "what a nice friendly cat". Instantly the mother of the home said, "no that’s not a nice cat".
A month goes by, I call and make arrangements to come out for my supervisory visit. Again, a few minutes after I arrive, this beautiful cat runs down the stairs, sits next to me, meowing and rubbing my side. I looked at him and said, "oh, here’s my friend.... he’s so friendly". Again, the mother stated, "He’s not a friendly cat". So, I dropped that conversation, and went about my business, all the while the cat is leaning up against me and rubbing his body into mine.
Another visit is due, I call.... and again, after I arrived, he comes the cat! I ask them "what is your cats name?" I'm told its Cicero. The looks on their face, PRICELESS. They were amazed that the cat was again sitting with me and rubbing his body into my side and meowing. I again said, "wow, this cat is really nice". Again, I was told in a not so happy tone...."that cat isn't nice, we only see him once a month, that’s when you come". Another visit I was told, "we only know we have a cat since we have to change the litter box and leave out food". "He never comes downstairs and visits us".... and so on.
Finally, after 6 months of this, I arrive for another supervisory visit. This time the whole family is there! When I arrive, the mother yelled out "the nurse is here” and they all stood around the room. I sat in my usual position on their sofa, and sure enough, here comes in beautiful Cicero. He jumps on the sofa, sits next to me and starts his rubbing and meowing. The whole family were stunned. Then the comments came rolling about how unfriendly he was with them. It then dawned on me; they are going to get rid of this cat! They accepted or should I say resigned to his unfriendly attitude with them.... but after they seen him with me, they were disgusted.
So, just before I got up to leave, I reached over and petted Cicero, and said very calmly (inside my body was screaming) "If you ever decide to give away this cat, PLEASE call me, I would love to have him". About 2 weeks later, I got the call and was given this beautiful cat. I guess I should end my story there, but I won't...
When I would watch TV, he would sit on my lap with his body leaning upwards till his face was just below my chin and just stare into my face while I watched TV.
Planting flowers, the sky started getting dark, he is sitting at my side, waiting.... the rain starts, he meows at me...."hold on, just one more plant".... when done (pouring by now) he finally runs into the house, only after he sees me heading in also....
Oh, my brussel sprouts! I told my husband, while I'm out doing nursing visits, pick some (the plants were full of them) and I will make some when I return. When I returned home, only 6 on the counter. I asked my husband "why?" He told me, "you try to pick them, the birds were attacking me". There was a birdhouse close to the garden, I guess the eggs hatched and they didn't want us humans around. So, I grabbed the bucket and went out, Cicero and Princess (another beautiful cat, Himalayan from another patient) followed me to the garden. I got low to the ground and picked hundreds of brussel sprouts, while my cats were jumping in the air defending me from the birds! I went back to the house with my bucket of sprouts; my husband looks and asked "how?" Then he stops and laughs... as you see my cats just arrived through the cat door, "you had your defenders with you!"
