I had only been here two weeks when she came up to me as I picked up large fallen branches outside our rental home. We were new to Oak Ridge, and the many tress in our back yard stretched higher than any trees I’d ever experienced in homes past. 

This new forest behind our home intrigued me and kept me outside more than usual. I loved it here. (I still do.)

That’s probably why the auburn tabby cat felt she could trust me. She must have watched me outside over the previous days and realized I was an ok human. 

Our first encounter lasted about 10 minutes. She let me pet her as she purred and rubbed against my knee. After a couple of minutes, she rolled to her back, exposing her belly. At that moment I figured she must live in a loving home nearby. She was obviously very trusting. 

Before long, she’d had enough and went on her way. I was merely a short stop before continuing on to her outdoor escapades. 

It’s been four months since our first encounter, and Sweet Kitty and I have become fast friends. 

She hangs out around our home often and has gotten to know the sound of our car. I see her sometimes as I’m driving up our street, almost home. She eagerly walks the old crocked path from the porch to the place the car goes after I get home. Then she patiently waits for me to get out and love on her. 

I’ve learned from a neighbor that she doesn’t have a home. “She has been a stray for at least four years,” she told my husband.

My heart broke at this news. It broke for many reasons, two of them being that my husband is allergic to cats, and secondly, our landlord won’t allow pets. 

In the hopes that my husband could tolerate her dander, I started feeding her special cat food that is supposed to reduce allergens. I also composed a letter to our landlord, in the hopes he would reconsider his policy. 

I haven’t given the letter to the landlord yet. My husband asked me not to since the landlord adamantly expressed his disdain for allowing any pets. 

Ugh.

Sometimes I cry when I hold her on the front porch. Literal tears roll down my cheeks as she purrs and wriggles around to find the most comfortable spot on my lap. She is honestly the sweetest cat I’ve ever known. 

I pray for her daily. Goodness gracious! Yes, I even pray for a cat.

I daydream too. I fantasize that my spouse’s allergies miraculously vanish at the very same moment the landlord drives by and sees the special relationship between Sweet Kitty and me. So, he gets out of the car and says, “I’ve seen that cat around here for years. She needs a home. You should keep her.”

Ugh.

I have my doubts that such things will happen. 

So I bought her a cat house that I’ll fill with straw when the cold weather comes. I put it on our covered front porch. She isn’t interested in getting in it, though. She just lays on top. 

Philippians 4:6 states, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything…” (NLT, bold mine).

That’s one of the reasons I continue to pray for Sweet Kitty, as well as my family and friends and all the other things, big and small, that come to mind. God loves when we come to him with all of it. I’ve come to relish and rely on this fact over the years.

In the meantime, besides praying, I’ll continue loving on Sweet Kitty. As I comfort her, God is comforting me. He has a good plan about all the things in our life. It doesn’t mean that everything will turn out the way we want it to, but He knows what’s ultimately best. He always does. 

Purrrrr…..