The Miracle of Maggie
How a cat and her owner found each other
By Donna Koleszar
I have always been a cat lover. My feline friends were always foremost in my life. My two favourite movies of all time are still Thomasina and The Incredible Journey. My all-time favourites are Siamese.
My husband is not a cat person. He tolerates them because he knows I cannot live without them. On my 40th birthday my husband purchased a Siamese cat for me. He made all the arrangements and we travelled to the Island so I could pick out my little fur ball. I think this was the most impressive gift he has ever given me, since he really does not care for these little creatures.
On the big day, we went to the cattery and there were cats flying everywhere. I picked up the sweetest little ball of fluff and she snuggled right into me. I was content. I had made my choice. But Jim was not so sure. "I dont think you want that one. It is too placid," he said. He pointed to a little cat hanging from the ceiling. "There," he said, "That looks like a healthy one." We tore her off the ceiling and stuffed her into the cat carrier. This is how my Maggie came about. She was feisty, furry and definitely feline. She hissed at us all the way home.
When we got Maggie home, she quickly ran under the china cabinet and stayed there for two days. When Maggie finally came out, she chose me as her life-long partner. She would wrap her little arms around my neck and purr there for hours. We were inseparable.
In September of last year I took Maggie to my daughters house and went to Mexico on vacation. Maggie frequently stayed at Emilys house when we were away. While we were walking along the sandy beach in Mexico, my husband Jim received a message on his Blackberry. I was looking over his shoulder as he received the text. "Dont tell Mom but Maggie ran away last night." Maggie had slipped out the cat door sometime in the night.
I was devastated but hopeful that Maggie would return as she was used to my daughter and her pets. Days passed, but Maggie didnt return. The SPCA was notified. We searched the neighbourhood. Missing cat posters were attached to poles. I checked the vet offices. Nothing. Maggie was gone.
A couple of weeks later the SPCA phoned to say a stray Siamese cat had been hanging around Harvie Avenue. My spirits soared; I was sure this was Maggie. I was devastated to find out it was not my Maggie.
I kept up my search for Maggie. I walked through the woods around my daughters house calling her name. Nothing. It was as if she had just disappeared off the face of the earth.
A few weeks later another stray cat showed up down by the police station. It was gray and perhaps a Siamese. I rushed to the scene and walked up and down calling to Maggie. Nothing. I contacted the informant later and she said she had looked at my poster and this cat was not my Maggie. Struck out again. My hopes were pretty grim by this point.
By now several weeks had passed. The weather had turned cold. Seven weeks after she had gone missing I had a phone call from the SPCA. One of their volunteers was feeding stray cats at an abandoned house on Manson Avenue. A pale Siamese had shown up the day before. She had tried to catch it but it was shy and ran away. I was pretty sure this was not my Maggie. She was old and would not have survived this long. I went to the abandoned house. To the backyard, calling Maggie. "Mag, Mag, Mag," I called. Something gray streaked out from the bushes and into my arms. No heavier than a feather, here was my Maggie. Immediately she snuggled into me and started purring. I could not believe it. She curled up in my lap in the car and I took her home. Maggie had gone from over eight pounds down to two. She was in stage three kidney failure. With the help of Dr. John, I have nursed her back up to five pounds but tests reveal that her kidneys are still failing. While I have her with me I enjoy every inch of her. I am thankful to the SPCA and to Dr. John for not giving up on Maggie. But mostly I am thankful for the true miracle that Maggie is.
Back together: Donna Koleszar is thankful she found her beloved Maggie before it was too late.
