Claire Parham
2015
In summer of 2004 I met her in a trashy, filthy, hideous environment. I was sickened by it I was so mad. She was covered with flees, had either ear mites or a terrible ear infection and it was obvious that she had something else wrong with her by her body language/eyes. I got her home gave her a bath before I even introduced her to my other cat. The soul purpose was to have a friend for Evie to play with because I was always working and never home and she was beginning to become depressed/lonely. I was going through a divorce and was holding down two jobs.
It took me all of six months to get Claire in good health and comfortable with me. The first three was spent trying to get rid of the severe upper respiratory infection she had A LONG with the ear infection etc.. I had to get a care credit card to pay for her vet bills. I spent well over $1,000.00 by the time her health had improved.
Within the third month Claire still wasn't very fond of me. It was obvious that she had been treated horribly before I brought her home. She would position herself on my couch, against the wall, in the corner so nothing would surprise attack her. I allowed her to do that for a reason. I never forced her to cuddle, play or do anything out of her comfort zone. Since she would not sleep in the bed with Evie and I, I decided that we should go to Claire. So that's what we did. I slept on the couch in hopes that I could gain her trust. After three months it finally worked. Each morning I would open my eyes to find her in her corner but I knew she had laid with me during my sleep. Each morning she would quickly get up and run away from me to her corner. Every morning she did this. One day when I woke I of course expected her to try to make it look as if she hadn't cuddled with me but she didn't move an inch. She was still asleep and sleeping well at that. I slowly touched her head and she still didn't move. She finally opened her eyes, yawned, stretched and even let me continue to rub her. She looked at me watching her and I knew then that she trusted me. Evie was still sleeping, she missed all of it haha.
Claire was supposed to have gone to another home because I was broke and couldn't afford to properly take care of her. I was to keep her as a foster pet until she was placed. After three months, a care credit card, and over a grand spent I elected to keep her. I'm glad I did. She was a Godsend in an unexpected way. In the fall of 2011, I found out she had began early stages of kidney disease. From that time until this previous Sunday, she had been receiving fluids and the best care I have been able to provide her to meet her comfort. This cat wanted for nothing.. Actually none of my cats do. They're my kids. I take better care of them than I do myself. They deserve nothing but the best. I just couldn't stand to watch her suffer. All day Sunday and all that night I was up with her she was so sick. Monday morning I took her to see Dr Buckner and in tears I knew it was her time.