Ready for a story? And feel free to call me crazy at the end! I accept!
One of my longtime girlfriends got adopted by a calico cat when we were in junior high school together. It literally followed her home from school one day. That cat truly loved her, and she loved that cat back. I remember my friend getting her “silly shot” of her high school graduation photos with that cat. That same friend and I went on to college and grad school together as well, so naturally we rented a house together to save money. And Of course the cat (Daisy) came too. Daisy even got a tiny spoonful of graduation cake from me when we finally did graduate. As an elderly cat, Daisy was there when my friend nearly died from a kidney infection- I found my friend semi-unconscious on her bathroom floor with Daisy licking her face and desperately trying to keep my friend warm. My friend attributed Daisy as the reason why she didn’t fade into the hereafter.
When Daisy was diagnosed with incurable end stage cancer, my friend made the heart wrenching decision to euthanize that same day because she didn’t want Daisy in any more pain. That cat was amazing, and will always be remembered as being such. We were there for the sprinkling of Daisy’s ashes near her favorite koi pond.
Two months after Daisy’s death, I stopped by my friend’s house. I swear I saw Daisy (and her shadow) in the stairwell. I didn’t say anything, because I questioned my very own sanity. Grief does crazy things, right? A year later, at my friend’s daughter’s first birthday party, darned if I didn’t see Daisy’s and her shadow again! This time Daisy was heading to the bathroom where her litter box was always kept. Still, I said nothing. But I wondered if I was secretly going nuts, because that was twice me seeing a dead kitty.
Three years after that, a sorority Christmas party at my friends house, Daisy’s faint outline walked into the corner shadow of the basement when I was there getting more Tom Collins mix. I was either seriously drunk or seriously crazy! I went upstairs and loudly announced to the rest of our friend group that Daisy the cat was haunting me or that I was officially cut off from booze the rest of the night.
My bombshell announcement got everyone talking. Each person- our entire Sorority-who had a great cat leave them, all had glimpses of their cats every so often. They’d see them or feel their presence in the room. One friend said she would find her late cats hair in a place it never could have been (brand new couch) if the dear departed cat didn’t visit in spirit. Each and every single person had a story- glimpses or feels, whispers of their cherished kitties. Some just had moments where they said they felt the love from their departed kitties fill the room. My friend gently let me know that Daisy’s shadow showed up regularly, often when she and I hung out like we were young college kids again.
This all makes me believe that cherished kitties somehow can cross that rainbow bridge back into our world sometimes. If they were well and truly loved in this world, they must get a key that allows them to get back here occasionally in spirit. They always looked out for us, and a change to the other side doesn’t stop that. So I think you’re either overdue for a sweet spirit visit from Christine, or she’s visited you already. And if she has, you’re not crazy. I truly believe, it’s a cat thing.