Lily is my little girl—a 3 year old Lynx (Siamese/Tabby mix). She was a gift from my Aunt after my Mom passed away and brought so much joy and love to my life at such a difficult time. I couldn’t imagine life without her, and I just assumed I would only have one forever furriend. I was not looking for another cat, but oftentimes the best things in life come to you when you are not searching for them!
On June 20, 2015 I was driving to a birthday party for my 6 year old niece. I was only a block away when a saw a black cat in the middle of the road. I immediately stopped my car and approached the cat, and to my surprise, he didn’t run away from me. When I picked him up and placed him on the sidewalk, he actually started purring and rubbing against me! A neighbor came outside and told me the cat had been roaming around the neighborhood for weeks but that she and the other neighbors were not “cat people.” My heart hurt all of a sudden, and I just knew I had to save him. I wanted to pick him up but a car drove by and scared him into the bushes. I waited for a long time but the cat did not reappear. I was very disappointed and finally drove down the road to the birthday party.
We celebrated my niece’s birthday outside that day. I told all my friends and relatives about the special black cat that I had met earlier in the day. At the end of the party, when family was lounging in the backyard, I heard a voice say, “Kim, your black cat is here!” I jumped up and sure enough the cat was wandering around the yard! I ran and got a piece of chicken from the party buffet and the cat devoured it! I looked him over—he was so thin and the fur on his back right leg was completely gone! I felt sick to my stomach, and I wondered if he was going to be alright. I wrapped him in a blanket and borrowed a pet carrier from my family. While driving home, I looked up at the sky—the moon was black with just a small slice of gold. I looked at the cat and immediately called him Luna! Over the next few weeks, I nicknamed him Lunz.
I took Lunz to the vet the next day—they did blood work and checked for FIV and feline leukemia. Luckily, all the initial blood work was negative. They estimated that Lunz was a 3 year old cat. They also said that the fur was missing on his back leg from an animal bite! The veterinarian said that to ensure the safety of my cat Lily, he wanted me to keep the cats separated for several months. After that time, they would repeat the blood work and only then could I try to integrate the cats together. They told me it would obviously be a lot of work to keep 2 cats completely separated in one home. They gave me the names and numbers of local shelters if I changed my mind. I got home and was discouraged, but I stared into those bright golden eyes and I knew Lunz was already in his forever home.
I worked really hard for the next several months! Everyday I came home after a long day at work and I would “timeshare” the cats as I called it! First off—love, treats, and playtime for Lily. Then, I would place a harness on Lunz and take him for a walk since he would cry to go outside. My neighbors thought I was crazy and couldn’t believe I was walking a cat! This daily routine went on for 3 months. Slowly but surely, Lunz stopped crying to go outside. The cats could hear each other meow and occasionally see glimpses of each other but they had no contact. Finally, the vet checkup day approached on my calendar—I was so nervous! Dr. Bret drew blood and after what seemed like an eternity, he came back and said that my Lunz would be just fine! Tears started rolling down my face–I was so relieved and happy!!! On the drive home, I reflected back on our journey together. Just when was it that I fell in love with this beautiful black cat?!
Now Lily and Lunz are finally getting to know each other! Lunz still enjoys going outside on his harness for walks when the weather is nice. His favorite food is chicken although Lily is turning him on to a variety of fruits and veggies! He loves to snuggle on my neck and purrs nonstop until I go to sleep every single night! He is so friendly and kind towards every person and animal he meets. He has added so much love to our lives.