The Finding of a Therapy Cat: a series about Tinkerbelle, Registered Pet Partner Therapy Cat (retired) and our journey together.
By Mollie Hunt
Part 14: Two Years of Visits
I couldn’t believe Tinkerbelle and I had been Registered Pet Partners for two years! The time had flown by. We had met so many people, gone so many places, done so many things. Here are a few highpoints:
Tinkerbelle was given a party for her 13th birthday at the assisted living facility we visited. We had cake and cat treats (respectively). The elderly residents never ceased to be impressed by her age, something they could relate to themselves.
For a few months, we visited a hundred-year-old woman. She had just got her first tattoo, the “bluebird of happiness”, in celebration. Though she tired easily, her mind was quick and she loved all animals.
Tinkerbelle and I had the privilege to be at the bedside of a patient as he passed. We had been visiting the military veteran for a few months as he told stories of his fascinating life and made me promise to go to Crater Lake, where I had never been. He asked that Tinkerbelle be with him at the last. In his transitional coma, did he sense her presence? I believe he did.
We had many experiences with wonderful people who loved Tinkerbelle, but two years of service meant it was time to renew our Pet Partners certification. We would have to re-take the test.
About Tinkerbelle:
Tink served for four years as a registered Pet Partner Therapy Cat, visiting assisted living facilities and hospice patients. Tink is now retired and living the quiet life. Check out her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/TinkerbelleTheTherapyCat/
About Mollie Hunt:
Mollie is the author of the Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery series, featuring Lynley Cannon, a sixty-something cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip. Mollie is a member of the Oregon Writers’ Colony, Sisters in Crime, and the Cat Writers’ Association. This year she won a CWA Muse Medallion for her 3-part blogpost series, “Life Stages”.
Like Lynley, Mollie is a grateful shelter volunteer. She is a longtime volunteer for the Oregon Humane Society where she socializes sad, fearful, and behavior-challenged cats. She also fosters sick and elderly cats in her home. In 2014, she had the privilege to work with cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy on a particularly thought-provoking case.
You can find Mollie on her Website: http://www.lecatts.wordpress.com/, her Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/molliehunt, and her Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MollieHuntCatWriter/.
Sign up for her Extremely Informal Newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/c0fOTn.
This is so lovely to see.
Thank you.
Really enjoying Tinkerbelles Two Years Of Visits.
I’m so glad. Now that she’s retired, it’s fun to remember.
I love the Tinkerbelle Remembers articles. What a sweetie! My Chelsea will be 20 this year so I am really relating to older cats.
Thanks. I love older cats. They have such personality.
My uncle in Memphis does this w/his hospice patients & his doggo. It never ceases to amaze me how… https://t.co/MqgtWFM9MJ
Wonderful!
Lovely idea to have a therapy cat, there should be more x
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We think so too.