Man Credits ‘Savior’ Cat for Helping Him Through Two Deaths and Chronic Depression

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I truly believe that I met and adopted Riley through the hand of God. My beloved cat Sam succumbed to feline leukemia in 2010. I was emotionally shattered. But soon I knew I needed another cat in my life, so I began scouring the internet. I saw one shelter cat that looked promising, but when I went to see her, she kept running away and hiding from the staff.

After a few minutes of this, I thought she may not have been the best choice, so I started to leave the shelter, which had probably half a dozen different aisles to the door. I was walking down one aisle when something caught my eye. Right there, to my left at eye level, was a very handsome cat on a perch. I reached out to pet him, and he gladly accepted my hand, even purring a bit. I asked if I could take him, and soon we were driving to his new forever home. He was three years old.

When we got home, he “disappeared” for a few days but gradually began to realize, I guess, that he was being fed and no one was going to harm him. Four years later, we moved to a different state. Once again, it took Riley a while to get adjusted, but in no time, he was settled in. My wife passed away just nine months later. Now it was just me and Riley.

Two years later, I fell into a chronic depression. I was told it was likely caused by grief and anxiety. It was a very strange ordeal that lasted eight months. As is common with depression, I totally lost my appetite, as well as interest in just about everything. I eventually lost 36 pounds. But I didn’t lose interest in Riley. We would play ball with golf-ball-sized nerf balls every night, which he loved. It wasn’t long before I realized that Riley was making me laugh and smile inside. I called him my little savior because I knew he had helped me greatly to recover.

Later, I couldn’t help but think that Riley was a divine gift, that God knew I was grieving terribly after Sam’s death and He decided to help. He led me down that aisle to my little miracle. I just knew it. Three years later, Riley fell ill and was diagnosed with cancer. Soon he was just skin and bones. I kept him at home as long as I could. We never played ball again, but at least I was able to hold him or lie by his side.

Soon the vet told me it would be best to let him go because his quality of life was zero. I brought him to the vet and stayed with him and petted him in his last moments of life. The grief was unbearable. I was getting on in years and felt Riley would be my last cat. I soon realized, though, that I would get another cat. Within a month, I found three-year-old Enzo and welcomed him into his new home.

He’s a beautiful and loving companion. Yet I can still feel Riley’s presence deep in my heart. When I think of him, I try mostly to remember the good times, like the fun we had playing ball and just being together. I thank God every day for sending me my little miracle. And I often think that maybe – just maybe – we may someday meet again at Rainbow Bridge.

Story submitted by Richard LaChapelle.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!