Pet helps senior get through Christmas’ lonely days
For Judy James of Sydney her highlight on Christmas Day will be opening the stocking hung in her living room for her beloved cat, Jenny.
“She pulled down that sock so many times trying to root into it,” James said smiling.
However, the smile fades and she lowers her head slightly while talking about the holidays. Once again James will be alone Christmas Day.
“Yes, it would be nice to have company,” she admits but quickly adds there won’t be anyone at her door.
Last year she said the Salvation Army in Sydney dropped off some Christmas presents and a dinner, which she appreciated but ate alone.
“That did mean a lot,” she said. James is a kind, quiet woman living in a small-but-tidy apartment.
She has a deep devotion to her cat, Jenny, evident with cat drawings hanging on the walls and her cat’s Christmas toys displayed on the couch.
While Christmas Day often brings back happy childhood memories for many, James is not one of them.
Given up for adoption as a baby, James spent her childhood shuffled from foster home to foster home, always taking a deep trail of sad memories with her, including of strict households where she wasn’t permitted to talk unless told.
“I was in eight different foster homes,” she said.
“Sometimes I didn’t even unpack my suitcase.”
James said she never got any Christmas gifts as a child.
“We’d get an orange but that would be it.”
A widow, James does have two daughters, grandchildren and even a great grandchild, however they all live on the mainland.
“My daughter was down to see me for a few days and she was good to me,” James said.
However, she said many family work and can’t get down often. Most days company consists of visits from home care or the VON.
James said her eyes aren’t very good so she can’t do the things she used to love to do like read, knit and crochet.
She rarely gets out unless to the grocery store or services at the Salvation Army in Sydney.
Days are spent cuddling with Jenny watching her favourite game shows or playing gospel music on her cassette player.
She enjoys a good hot cup of tea, chocolate chip cookies, flowers and plants.
Jenny is a little more particular. “The only cat food she likes is salmon.”
James said God is good to her, took care of her through heart surgery and two hip replacements. She is also thankful for her cat.
“That’s all the company I really need,” she said, pointing to Jenny asleep on the front door mat, adding she looks forward to giving her cat a comforter and bird toy for Christmas.
“She knows when I go to bed, knows the time is between 8:30 and 9 p.m.,” she said.
“I sing to her and say my prayers to her every night and she looks for it. Yes, it gets lonely but Jenny is always there for me.”