# Cats comforting



## cghold111 (Jan 29, 2008)

Just wondering if any of you had stories about cats offering you comfort when you were upset. I know dogs have a good sense of when you are upset, but just hoping to hear some cat stories.

I recently broke up with my significant other of 2.5 years (we lived together for 2 years so she is the other parent to the cats in a way!) and it's been really rough. I have realized that I could never get through it without my lil babies. Gambit is always sitting on my lap and Desiree has been especially needy.

Tell me about your stories, make me smile!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I'm so sorry about the breakup. I know that's hard. 

My two babies lie down with me any time I lie down, and when I'm not feeling well, that's a huge comfort. I'm glad you have such sweet company! I think cats sense a lot of things, including sadness.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

The Friday before Christmas I had to have a heart cath. That went ok, but by the next Friday I had developed some complications and wound up in the ER. 

They sent me home, but I was very sick. In fact, I barely remember the next couple of days. What I do know was that Miss Baby never left me. She would lay on top of me , and even just hang on if I had to roll over. She would wait until I had settled to get comfortable herself.

She was so dedicated in her care of me that she actually lost weight. She has always been lovey but never has she acted like this before.

It was such a comfort to always have her there. I would wake up and she would talk to me. 

We definitely have a special bond now. She know when I am having chest pain, and always jumps up on my lap and looks into my eyes, and I swear she asks me if I am ok. She does a special head bob, and has a special meow. It always makes me smile.

I am glad that your babies are helping you through this very difficult time.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm sorry about your breakup, too. Our kitties can be such a blessing when we're down. 

Cleo will stay with me and talk to me and knead me when I get my stomach pains in the middle of the night. I lie back and pretend that while Cleo is kneading me, she's pulling the pain out of me. 

My diva leaves the bed because I'm disturbing her beauty sleep. :roll: Strangely, that seems to make me smile. 

My twins never fail to make me laugh every day.


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## Siamese Louise (Jan 28, 2008)

Definitely--my OK was right with me when I was having cancer treatment. He spent a lot of time purring softly and somehow knew he couldn't jump on me and knead me (he's a big-time kneader). Six years later, when I became deathly ill as a result of the cancer treatment, both he and his little "sister,'" Clementine, both acted the same way. They'd always sit with me when I felt my worst and would follow me on every trip to the bathroom (sorry, lots of nausea). They absolutely sensed that I needed some TLC--even family and friends commented on their behavior. Great little feline nurses! A home-health nurse who took care of me said that she's seen the same behavior in patients' cats over her 19 year career. Purrs,


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Two stories to tell...

My first kitty, Onyx, was never a lap cat, she would sit next to me on the couch but never in my lap. I was having trouble, waking in the middle of the night with severe stomach pains and the only way I could get remotely comfortable was to sit in the recliner in the living room. Onyx sat on my lap and purred until I fell asleep every time it happened. Turns out I was pretty sick, I had a gall stone lodged in the opening of my gall bladder, it was infected and becoming gangrenous, the doctor said I was lucky it didn't explode. 

The second story was when Onyx went over the bridge. I took her to the vet because she had been coughing and had a crusty nose, I thought she had a URI. Instead the vet felt what he thought was a tumor in her stomach and suspected it spread to her lungs. They scheduled her for surgery to see what was going on, but suspected that it was pretty bad. So we agreed that they would call with a report while she was still under on the operating table and if the prognosis was really poor, they were not going to wake her from the anesthesia, they would euthanize while she was under. So I went to see her in the morning and came home. I was so devastated, I wasn't able to do anything but sit on the couch and cry, it didn't help that it was a cold, miserable, pouring rain March day. Onyx was my baby, my first real furry pet, she was an only cat for 9 years before I brought in stray little Callie just the summer before. That entire day, Callie never left my lap, if I moved, she followed me...no matter what I did, she was there...purring, giving me head butts and kisses the whole time. Onyx's tumor was really bad, it was inoperable and said she would only last 2-3 weeks. So they never woke her up. Callie got me through it, I don't know what I would have done without her. 

I'm sorry about your break up, but I'm sure your kitties will help you through it, as mine have help me through tough times.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I have health problems that cause chronic pain, and when it gets pretty bad Arianwen will snuggle with me and purr me to sleep.  Or she'll invite me to play; playing with her always makes me smile and lessens the pain. Arianwen is my kitty angel. 








She also walks with me in the forest behind the house and shows me the gentler slopes where it's easier for me to walk. So she's a kitty physical therapist, too.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

Toby stays with me all day when I have to stay off work when I am ill :heart


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

These are really touching stories. There really does seem to be something to it. I haven't experienced it yet. The one time Rookie saw me cry (over the terrible stress of an introduction from **** with a second cat), she just got scared and ran away. I wonder if the cat's likelihood of comforting you has anything to do with how affectionate they are to begin with?


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## cghold111 (Jan 29, 2008)

I agree, there must be some predisposition to being loving. I guess my cats have not been *that* much more attention, but then again I am keeping it together at home as much as possible. In the past Gambit would definitely be near me more if I was crying.

Desiree has been acting a little depressed. My gf came back to pick up more of her stuff last night and even commented that she looked kind of sad. She has been sleeping a lot more and rather than getting into trouble in the bedroom she has been sleeping on the bed for hours.

All I know is that I would not be able to get through it without them.

I am loving all these other stories, it's amazing what animals can sense. How can we even imagine our lives without them?


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## RobertB (Jan 10, 2008)

I had kind of the opposite breakup problem. My wife and I had split, and the cats were with her. I'd go back to the house sometimes to visit them, but losing them made it all the worse, knowing that one day I'd never see them again.

On a less depressing note, however, prior to that we were all always very good about trying to keep each other's spirits up when someone wasn't feeling good. They do sense emotions, no doubt.


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## cghold111 (Jan 29, 2008)

RobertB said:


> I had kind of the opposite breakup problem. My wife and I had split, and the cats were with her. I'd go back to the house sometimes to visit them, but losing them made it all the worse, knowing that one day I'd never see them again.


Yes, I know that my girlfriend is having a hard time not seeing them, but because she has no apartment right now and has to stay at the homes of friends and family, I am keeping them. When she stopped by to get more of her stuff she made a point not to pet them because it would have been too hard. I know I would be heartbroken were I in her shoes. They have been my main source of comfort in this emotional time.


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