Miss Sally Roo and I met on the stairs to my second-floor apartment on August 19, 1995. She was alone and meowing pitifully; I was alone and had a baggy full of baked chicken. She had dinner and spent the first night at the foot of the bed, and next day I posted a notice for a lost kitten. Several days later no one had called and the notice was gone, so we became roommates. I took her to the vet, who said the kitten was about six weeks old and female…and had worms and a few fleas. A dewormer and a flea collar took care of that, and we settled on the name Sally.
We've had a few scares over the years. The first was after an invasion of fleas and I applied a treatment to Sally’s fur, which she licked off and became deathly ill from. Fluids from the vet, and a sleepless night watching her limp form. The second was when she disappeared from the balcony and her collar turned up on the ground below. I was in a panic, thinking she had fallen off or been abducted. An hour after this discovery I opened the front door to find Sally looking up, quite puzzled. I said 'Thank you' to God for the second time. Later I discovered her hiding place behind the bed. About this time the 'Roo' part was added: it just sounded right.
Sally has seen me through a few girlfriends (some who liked her, one who saw her as a threat), a couple minor illnesses, and recently the devastating loss of both my parents. Always patient, always forgiving. Always watching/sniffing me if she thought I might be ill (they know, don't they?). Last year Sally Roo faced her greatest challenge: two thyroid tumors that required radiation (I read so much info on the options, this was the safest). It left a huge dent in our savings, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I had to. One year later she got a clean bill of health from her vet: a wonderful birthday gift to me.
July 1 was Sally’s 14th birthday. She is still the green-eyed kitten I found on the stairs, and I pray she lives the maximum amount of time cats are allowed. Miss Sally and I make a good team, and I love her with all of my heart and soul. She is my little guardian angel here on Earth. I pray you and your little person have a long life as well.