We asked readers to share their cat stories with us – to show that cats can be man’s (or woman’s) best friend as well as dogs can! Here is one of the great responses we received. Keep following the blog for more great kitty stories!

There are cat people and then there are people who don’t understand. People who say “it’s just a cat.”

Seven months ago my cat of 17 years old passed away. Tori was my best friend, I watched her grow and she watched me grow. My heart was broken and felt like it would never be whole again without her, a pain I have never experienced.

Three weeks later my boyfriend and I saw a black cat on the side of the road, skinny and scared she ran under my car. A hockey stick later we got her out (gently). I will never forget the look she gave me, it brought tears to my eyes.

Our immediate reaction was to take her to the vet, she weighed in at 4 pounds. She was lethargic and there was clearly something wrong with her left eye. She did not want to be touched and hissed when the vet came near her. The vet warned us that she could possibly have countless diseases, rabies being the most alarming. My heart sank as we were told to wait a week or so to see what became of her.

At the time I wasn’t sure I was ready to take on this sadness, after just losing Tori I couldn’t bare to think of seeing another animal hurting. But I owed it to this cat to give her something that someone else couldn’t or sadly just wouldn’t. We would nurse her back to health and then find a good home for her.

Naturally we had to give her a name if she was going to stay with us for the time being. She became Maggie. Her road to recovery was long. After rabies was ruled out there was still so many other things. So much medicine to be given, waking up in the middle of the night to see if she was ok, vet visits and bills.

Over time Maggie began to trust my boyfriend and I, and would let us pet her, but only on her terms. Before I could even realize it I had fallen in love with her. My heart was slowly but surely coming back together. The hole would never be filled after Tori passed, but Maggie was a reminder that animals without even knowing it, can fulfill you.

After just a few weeks with Maggie I knew I couldn’t let her go. I knew I needed her just as much as she needed me. Tori brought us together, to save each other.

Now Maggie is my shadow, she follows me wherever I go, she lets us stroke her silky fur, and gives endless licks and love bites. I miss her whenever I am not with her, she is my happiness when I have a rough day at work, and best of all she is healthy as can be. She has brought my boyfriend and I closer, he cares for her and loves her just as much as I do. We couldn’t imagine life without her. Maggie is not just a cat, she is a gift from an angel. -GG