Before-bed read

No one at the animal shelter could figure out why the cat was so standoffish—until a little girl helped them understand what he was waiting for

Overhearing a soft-spoken mom, I turned to see a gorgeous little girl of about 6. She wore her long, auburn hair in a braid down her back, and the turquoise ribbon that secured it matched her jumper.

“My daughter’s name is Emma.

She rarely speaks and will often jump up quickly and hug herself if she feels afraid. She’s autistic, you see. We need to find a cat that isn’t put off by her mannerisms, but she truly wants a pet. We’re not allowed to have dogs in our complex.”

“Hi, I’m Kathleen, and I think I can help you,” I stated as I reached out my hand.

“And I’m Michelle,” she added as she shook mine.

“I’ve been a volunteer here for many years, and I know the cats quite well. I’m wondering if Emma would do well with an outgoing personality or one that is gentle but well socialized. Let’s walk around and I’ll introduce you to our residents. May I hold your hand, Emma?” I asked as I knelt down to her level.

“She’s really not comfortable with strangers,” Michelle explained. Little Emma suddenly jumped behind her mother’s back, and I felt her fear.

“I’m sorry that I startled you, Emma,” I whispered. “Let’s go meet Marty.”

Marty was an orange tabby, about 4 years old, and quite a character. He loved attention, but he hadn’t been adopted because he had only three legs. “Marty was dropped off in a cardboard box outside our back door,” I told Michelle and Emma. “He was terribly ill with an infection from a wound on his leg. Unfortunately, that leg was amputated.”

“Emma, look,” Michelle said as she pointed to Marty. Marty was rubbing against the cage door, hoping to get a lovely scratching session. Emma stood still with her eyes on her pink shoes. “I don’t know if this is going to work out,” Michelle told me.

“We currently have 32 cats,” I explained. “Perhaps one will get Emma’s attention.”

Emma’s eyes remained on the ground as we moved from cage to cage and I pointed out various candidates.

“Goodness, I’d love to take them all,” laughed Michelle. “Do you think it would matter if we picked a female over a male?”

“The males tend to be more social, but that is not a hard-and-fast rule. Here’s Shadow. He was shy on arrival but has turned into a fine boy.”

Again, Emma showed no interest, but then her chin lifted as she stared across the room. “She appears to like one on the other side of the room.

May we?” asked Michelle.

Emma was staring at Thomas, and my heart fell. “Thomas has been here for two years,” I explained. “He has remained aloof even though we work with him each day. As you can see, he’s flattened himself against the back wall, and he’s quivering a bit. I don’t think Thomas will work out for Emma.”

Emma continued staring at Thomas. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Emma, Thomas is a very frightened cat,” I warned. “He doesn’t play, and he doesn’t like to be cuddled.”

“Yes,” stated Emma once again as she reached her small hand toward the solid gray cat in his cage.

I believe in miracles, and I witnessed one then. For the first time in his stay at the shelter, Thomas came forward to the front of his cage. “Pretty, pretty,” cooed Emma as she gently slid her hand through the bars. “Yes,” she said for the third time.

Several other volunteers and the shelter manager came forward.

“My, my…will you look at that?” the amazed manager noted.

As I turned back to Michelle, I saw that she had tears in her eyes. “Could we possibly adopt Thomas?”

Emma looked into my eyes as she took my hand.

Two months later, I received an envelope at the shelter. Inside were two photographs of Emma and Thomas. The first showed Emma

“Little Emma suddenly jumped behind her mother’s back, and I felt her fear. ‘I’m sorry that I startled you, Emma,’

I whispered.”

asleep in her bed with Thomas curled up under her chin. The next showed Emma placing Thomas’s food bowl on the kitchen floor as a confident, shiny, gray cat approached.

Dear Kathleen,

I can’t thank you enough for the precious gift of Thomas. Emma and he are inseparable. Thomas is as sweet as can be and has come out of his shell.

When Emma is frightened, Thomas does not run away. He tends to stand quietly by her side. Emma is talking a bit more, saying words that relate to her pet such as kitty, treat, play, and fun. She attends school each morning and her teachers say she is progressing nicely. Of course, Thomas perches on the back of the couch, awaiting her arrival home.

Please share the photos and note with your kind colleagues. We couldn’t be happier!

With fond regards, Michelle

—Kathleen Gemmell