Hello, and welcome to another blessing Sunday. Traveling with me on this path are
Lynda Lambert who shared the idea with me and
Today is Sunny Kitty’s 10th birthday, and we are celebrating this very special day w/him. Sunny and Snickers came home w/us from the All About Animals shelter on Mar 31, 2017. Sunny is the black cat in the picture and is a neutered male. Snickers is the tan-and-grey female. Sunny was 9 months at the time. Snickers was 4 months. He was blind. He also was sneezing and had a runny nose, which has proven to be a constant throughout our time together.
We kept them both in their crates for a bit, but Sunny was soon pawing at his and meowing, so, reluctantly, we let them out. He began walking around the house, emitting frequent little meows. I wondered aloud to husband Karl if he might’ve been echo locating, which is something that bats, dolphins, and blind humans do to navigate their world by listening to sound waves bouncing off objects. An hour later he was running around the place like he’d not only lived here forever but owned it as well.
3 days later I was trying to capture him for some reason, I dove toward him, and ended up breaking my wrist. Not exactly an auspicious start to his new arrival. Jesus and I have always had a bit of a tiff regarding his views on the blind leading the blind. I think it can have remarkable outcomes–He says we both fall in the manhole. Having said that, whether or not the blind leading the blind is a bad idea, I don’t know. I can tell you, however, that the blind chasing the blind definitively is not.
Because of his chronic sinusitis, his nose gets clogged up w/dried mucous, making it hard for him to smell his food. Obviously we keep his dish in the same place so he can find it, but even sighted cats who can’t smell their food don’t eat, and we basically daily have to give him saline nose spray as well as Flonase & an antihistamine pill in order to interest him in his meals. Sometimes he fights that, but mostly he seems to realize we’re trying to help and accepts the treatments gracefully.
We often call him “the Reverend Mr. Black” after the old 60’s folk song because he is such a gentle little spirit–except, of course, at the vet’s. He greets most everyone who comes in, and some folks, if he particularly likes them, he’ll stand in front of them meowing, demanding to be petted. In return, he rewards those who show him attention w/a rumbling pur that belies his small size.
Snickers takes advantage of his sight loss, smaller stature, & gentle nature at times–stealing his food and batting him w/her paws. Normally he’s incredibly chill about it, but if he gets tired of it all, he’ll hiss and growl once, and she skitters off to hide. She knows very well whose boss,–& it’s not her. The little black blind cat reigns silent and supreme.
We also call him our “shepherd” cat, because he’ll hang around us when we’re sick, often jumping into bed to lay down beside us, whereas normally, if he stays on our bed at all, it’s toward the foot.
All of his physical problems never seem to get him down, and he appears to enjoy his life here. I hope he does. We love him dearly, and I believe he feels secure and cared for here, and for a kitty, that’s probably as good as love gets.
We’ve had just a little over 9 years w/these 2 little treasures, and all I can say is, I think sometimes angels are equipped w/4 paws instead of wings. They have been wonderful sources of joy and laughter and love.
Happy birthday, Sunny. Your name fits you so well because you bring abundant sunshine into our lives, whether or not you can see it. We hope the Dear Lord will permit you to stay here many more years and that He’ll bless you w/the abundant joy you’ve given us.