Rescue Stories - Dickens: He Never Forgot Who Rescued Him

Hello, and Happy Wednesday! Welcome to our first rescue story for 2022. Today's story is shared with us by Katherine Finley, who tells us the tale of her beautiful cat, Dickens, who came into her life by accident. So without further ado, let's meet Dickens.

Dickens came into my life about 18 months after I adopted my cat Clio. Because of my heavy travel schedule, I believed that Clio was lonely and needed a companion. On the day I decided to visit the local shelter to adopt another cat, one of my employees walked into the office with a cat carrier. Before I could even ask her about it, she blurted out, “Don’t worry. I’m taking this kitten I found to the shelter at lunch. He’s been hanging around our house, and we can’t take in any more cats.” Far from being angry with her about bringing a cat into the office, I was delighted and asked: “Can you let me see the kitten you found?” As she opened the carrier, a sweet, black kitten bounded out, sat on my shoe, looked up at me, and started purring so loudly another employee in a cubicle outside her door came running in to see what was going on. There was no way my employee was taking this cat to the shelter. I told her that I wanted a companion for Clio, and this little fellow seemed purr-fect!

Clio (L) and Dickens (R)

After work, I took my new kitten to the veterinarian. While driving there, I worried that he might have a disease and I wouldn’t be able to keep him but, fortunately, he had no health issues. I named my new friend Dickens after one of my favorite authors, Charles Dickens, who had a black cat who walked all over his desk and scattered his papers everywhere. When I arrived home with Dickens, Clio was not as pleased with him as I was. It took two months before she accepted him. However, Dickens and I developed a special relationship.

Dickens grew into a handsome black cat with gorgeous yellow eyes. As he grew older, I noticed how muscular he had become. After consulting with my vet, I realized that he was a Bombay. Despite his pedigree, Dickens never forgot that I rescued him, and his loyalty was undying. When I came home each night from work, he would be waiting inside the door. Every day since he was a kitten, he would lay in the kitchen chair next to me and purr while I ate my breakfast and read the newspaper. Dickens would run to me when I was getting ready to leave for work, and I would always have to give him a hug before I left. He didn’t want much from life except love.

Dickens had simple tastes in both food and toys. While his adopted sister Clio wanted real tuna, chicken, and turkey to eat, Dickens was content to eat his dry food, munch on cat grass, and drink water. He didn’t beg from the table and ate the cat food he was given. When it came to toys, he could play for hours with string and tended to shun the fancier, more expensive toys. Unfortunately, Dickens was gullible, and Clio never missed the opportunity to get him in trouble. He would follow her into large vases of flowers or into the Christmas tree, and then she’d abandon him there.

Shortly after Dickens turned thirteen, we noticed he had a slight limp. At first, we thought that Clio had bitten him while playing. But the limp worsened, and Dickens became lethargic. We took him to an emergency clinic where they initially thought he might have diabetes. However, blood tests revealed his kidneys were failing. An x-ray revealed that he had only one kidney (the other had shriveled up) with an infarction on the renal vein making that kidney nonfunctional. There was no hope for his survival.

I remember vividly the day when I had to make the horrible decision to have him euthanized. I went to the clinic and held him in my arms. His beautiful black coat had turned a dull brown. He looked into my eyes as I said goodbye and the vet euthanized him. I hated being there but was glad I could be with him in his last moments. I was devastated but realized that even though Dickens was no longer with me, I was so fortunate to have had him in my life. He taught me so much about unconditional love, loyalty, and enjoying the simple things in life.

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Kathy Finley lives in Indianapolis, IN with her three cats. Kathy is writing a book about Clio and their life together. You can get more information about Kathy and read her blog at KathyFinley.com. Kathy enjoys sharing the message of how animals can provide unconditional love, acceptance, and insight into oneself and is available for public speaking engagements.

Don't forget to check out the rest of our Rescue Stories in case you've missed any. If you'd like to submit your story, please email us at LolaTheRescuedCat@gmail.com.

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