Kitten Therapy

This ^ is Rory.

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Rory is the newest addition to our home menagerie.  We said we were done taking in new animals, we've been rescuing for years and have more than our fair share of both dogs and cats.  Kris had been taking in rescues long before I moved in even.

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When I first got here, I would never have imagined myself as a cat person at all.  But over the years, they've grown on me.  Two of our current brood are technically my babies, and they were among the last that we adopted.  They're almost 4 years old now I think and in all honesty, they're a bit like the rest of the menagerie... more "ours" than mine.

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The other night when she got home from work, Kris came in and told me to go see the new stray babies on the porch.  (We live in a high stray neighborhood... strays, and stray babies especially... are not that rare).  I almost didn't go to look, but decided to give it a whirl.

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There were 3 babies.  A pure white, a pure gray... and then... this guy.
The pure white one did let Kris hold it, although not super willingly.  The gray one ran off on approach.  But Rory.  Well, Rory just stared up at me as I got closer.  He let me pick him up without argument, and just... snuggled into my chest.

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I was hooked.  He's super adorable first of all, but he has this amazing personality.  He sleeps with me at night... and in the morning... and pretty much anytime he zonks out.  For the first day, he wouldn't sleep unless he was touching me.  He is very obviously just as enamored of me as I am of him.  And I am so much calmer... and happier with him.

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It's been so great to have something (especially something so adorable) for me to focus on outside of my pain- which this cycle... has been pretty bad.  I needed this little ball of fluff.  He's been good medicine for me.

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Kris says he's the best therapy money didn't buy.  And she's right.  Who knew, all I really needed was a tiny, orange, mewing ball of fluff.

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Sometimes, you just need something else to love to re-energize you.

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Now, I just have to figure out how to smuggle him into Chemo with me next Thursday so he can keep me equally calm then... when I really need it.