The Pawsitive Crew

My family and I live in the beautiful foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. My magnetism to cats or cats to me has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was raised on a farm and my parents were mostly involved in cattle. After much persistence, I was allowed to have a cat at a young age…as long as “the cat”  remained outside or in the barn. As a teen, I became a pro at sneaking “the cat” inside for the night and sneaking her or him out of my window in the morning. I was never caught!

I can’t imagine life without my felines or canines, most of which have found me. When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 31, my furbabies became the main source of emotional therapy for me. My heart still aches from the loss of my babies that were there for me when I was diagnosed. However, I believe God has sent, and will continue to send me what I need to help me deal with whatever is coming. And in turn, I can give them the love they deserve. 

The depth of my relationship with cats didn’t come full circle until I met my first mom in 2003. My first mom realized before I was born that adoption was the best way she could care for me. I will always be grateful for her sacrifice. After my first mom and I got to know each other, we couldn’t believe how much we were alike, especially when it came to our love for cats. The bond we shared was more of a very deep sister connection. I’m so happy that she knew my husband and I successfully raised three avid animal lovers.

In 2019, I lost my first mom after a very long battle with cancer. In the hospital, all she could think about was wanting to come home and be with her family…which included her feline babies. I was fortunate to be able to move in with her the last few weeks of her life and to be able to help her husband take care of her in her last days. She spent those days loving on us and her feline babies, having conversations that will forever remain priceless, and trying to make sure that we would all have what we needed to continue on without her. She was so selfless and full of love. She was there for my first breath…and I was there for her last.

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. She advocated for cats all of her life, spreading the message to have them spayed or neutered to help with the uncared for population. She kept food and heated beds on her porch for any animal that needed a place. I remember stories of feral cats, racoons, and more. Many of which were moms, they would bring their babies to the porch for warmth and nourishment. She would trap the feral kitties, have them spayed or neutered, and release them back into the wild once they were healed enough. My mission is to continue her legacy. Susan, this is for you! I’ll see you on the other side.

My sweet Moms & I  above.