By Sue Ellen Armstrong, Connecticut
What would your dream job be?
For me, it’s been opening my home and heart to healing rescued kittens and preparing them for adoption.
I’m a semiretired senior who started volunteering to socialize cats at a local animal shelter. It changed my life. My daughter and I had been dealing with her diagnosis of breast cancer, and I soon realized that playing with kittens helped relieve my stress. While petting the kitties and interacting with the lovely people who worked at the shelter, I felt the flow of Divine Spirit. Giving service kept my heart open so I could be supportive of my daughter.
Volunteering with Detachment
A few years later, after my daughter recovered, I found another way to volunteer. I became involved with a rescue group that specializes in cats. The leader of this group asked me to assist with a woman I’ll call Jane, who had more kittens than she could care for responsibly. The group wanted the mother cats spayed and their litters placed in good homes. But Jane had refused to give up any of her cats. The rescue group needed to have a volunteer (me) contact Jane. They hoped I might ease her anxiety and encourage her to release the cats into the group’s care.
When I first visited Jane, she was suspicious and feared I’d take away her cats. In the past I might have been judgmental about this woman’s lifestyle. Neglected cats roamed throughout her home. But I decided, instead of being critical, to keep my focus on the goal: I was there to give service to the cats and Jane. Not to have opinions.
After a while, Jane relaxed and accepted my help. She eventually confided that her human children had been taken from her. She collected cats in an effort to never again endure the pain of losing someone she loved. I was glad I’d only given service and not judgment.
With Jane’s consent, the rescue group placed her cats in good homes. Since the mother cats wouldn’t have any more litters after being spayed, Jane was able to keep them.
Volunteering was teaching me the value of being nonjudgmental when giving service. Soon, I moved on to my next adventures in cat care.
—Photos by Sue Ellen Armstrong
Sue Ellen, The Eck knew you were up for the job, and mission accomplished because you did it with divine love. We have many people in my area who don’t have shelter, & I try to see them as SOUL, & as individuals, when I have the chance, rather than judging. Love is the main ingredient that all are seeking, whether animal or person. And being able to give in the name of the Mahanta is the ultimate gift in life. Congrats on a job well done!
Good news , Divine Spirit always offers the best solutions ❤️
Divine Love in expression Sue!
Thanks for your story. Service is about making a place more conducive for all. Being judgemental does not fit into the equation.
My wife and I take care of around 30 cats in Northwest Montana, where it gets down to 40 below zero Fahrenheit in Winter. We have 4 heated food dishes that I place outside, as well as 5 heated, lighted and insulated areas where they can survive.
They all have indoor bathroom facilities (many litter boxes) and we call our facility the Stray Cat Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast.
However, it’s a real dilemma, adult wild cats don’t easily become tame, but contrary to popular opinion, you can domesticate them, at least partially.
We have an animal trap, but once one sees a cat get caught, they themselves are reluctant to walk into the same trap. When we catch them, we get them spayed or neutered. But since they are hard to catch, the numbers grow constantly.
Many people don’t realize that Animals ARE soul as much as we are, so they discard their pets by simply moving and leaving them behind.
Cat food is also expensive (we pay about $400 to $500 per month for canned food, and maybe $100 for dry. It’s worth it, every penny spent, as each of these dear people has as much value to our Creator as any of us.
Claude, Thank you & your wife for your loving, incredibly generous service to the cats & to the Eck!
The cats are able survive the cold Montana winters thanks to you both. And your efforts & love are appreciated, by all those kitties you help, who indeed are precious souls. You are amazing!
Thanks for sharing, especially how your non-judgmental attitude eventually allowed the cat hoarder to come to terms with her previous loss of her children, so she could let go of her excess cats.
You do an awesome job serving with love! Love is your key that opens the door!❤️