Hi, my name is Mrs. Garrison: "Mrs. G" or "Garrison" for short. (Yes, my people love "South Park".) I began my life in early 2005 in the Woodland Terrace community as a feral kitten with my siblings and mama in the old garage rafter storage space.
My people discovered us because of their sweet chihuahua who insisted she heard us hiding in the garage rafters. I know they meant well by bringing us down one by one into a soft, covered bed. But mama wasn't so sure and quickly moved us back. She did compromise and allowed them to feed us as long as it was in the place she selected.
All of us are jet black (classic Halloween) cats and we grew up safe and secure in our garage home. Sometime after all of us had grown enough to be independent, mama said goodbye and moved away, because she knew our people would feed and care for us. But before that we (mama too) were kidnapped while sleeping and taken somewhere where masked people performed unspeakable medical experiments on us! After a time, however, we all healed and continued our lives as young cats.
My brother and sisters liked to roam and explore a bit, initially never too far from home. I, however, was very content with staying very close to the patio and back yard. I've always felt safe here, and it is rare for mean cats to bother or hurt me so close to my people's back door.
One by one my siblings disappeared and never returned. And I can only assume they found places to stay that they liked better. I, however, decided I would stay indefinitely. Hey the meals are great and well-timed, my bed is soft and clean, in the summer they run the ceiling fan, and in the winter they set up my electric heater (and sometimes light the fireplace). It isn't unusual on real cold winter nights that some of my neighbor friends spend the night with me: a cat slumber party. When a nice large electric blanket is often set down as a pallet.
Throughout the year I even get occasional evening visits from my friends, the opossums and raccoons who like to eat my dinner leftovers.
My people refer to me as a peaceful mellow soul and say I am even tempered. Don't like to hunt (why would I?) and I'm very content to just observe the comings and goings in my world. I don't let things bother me, as I truly live and let live. I am afraid of floods though, as a storm they called "Harvey" forced me to scurry up a tall plant trellis in the rain when my patio was covered with water. Lucky for me the nice lady I live with climbed a ladder and freed me from the dense vines in the trellis, after the water receded. I wasn't very gentle with her, but she understood, and she healed quickly.
As I mentioned some of my neighbors like to come and visit me on occasion. And this led to my career and vocation in life. Over the years as my neighbors (fellow cats) aged, I found that they spent more time at my home. Their people didn't abandon them; they just seemed to gravitate toward me and my place. So, I took care of them. Looking after them, walking with them when they became frail, hard of hearing, and had lost their vision. I always made sure I was inbetween them and the edge of the pool. As no cat likes to get wet; we are very poor swimmers! I had my people put extra bedding down plus food and water, so my guests/patients felt safe and comfortable as they aged.
Word must have gotten out because over the years I have cared for 4 or 5 older cats in this way. I never got upset or cross with them; I was just happy I could help.
I'm the old timer now, although my people seem to be a step slower as well if truth be told. I don't have the services of a "nurse cat" myself but my people do a decent job of caring for me. I'm fully retired from work; hey I'm 21 years old (100+ in cat years)! My hearing is extremely weak, and my vision now is very limited. But I get around just fine, as I know my territory like the back of my paw. I sleep a lot but what's wrong with that?
Live and let live has always been my motto. Let it be yours, too.