The Value of a Feline Friend

10 years ago she was born. Was it really that long ago? It seems like yesterday I woke up to her mom, going into labor and then, out of a litter of 4, her being the only survivor. She was from the get go, a fighter. Her mom developed crystals in her milk, so wasn't able to nurse her baby. I spent 6 sleepless weeks bottle feeding this precious, newborn, black ball of fluff.

For the first year, Bastet bloomed into this lanky, swanky feline who took no crap from anyone. It didn't matter who they were or what they were. Truck, train, dog, didn't matter. If you got in her face, you were fair game for her temper. I have so many memories of our first few months and years together but my favorites are her learning to walk on a harness all by herself, going horseback riding on my old horse Firefly, and her becoming my Emotional Support Animal, my very lifeline when my mental health took a nosedive.

I'm sure many of you who had PTSD or any other form of mental health issues, can understand the healing power, our pets have. Whenever we're feeling at our lowest point, they somehow find a way to put that smile back on our faces. As a person who suffers from Severe PTSD and Severe Manic Depression, Bastet became more than my best friend, she became my lifeline. I clung to her whenever I felt myself slipping.

Some who read this may ask themselves "why am I reading this?" and the answer can be as simple as "you know what it's like to have a feline friend" or as complex as "you connect to my tale on a much deeper level and you know what I'm talking about, even if I can't really put what I want to say into words". You simply know. You know what it's like to need a friend who won't judge you for the issues going on inside your head, issues you simply can't express or put into words. Issues that make you reclusive, antisocial, or even angry at the very world around you. You know what it's like to want to curl up into a tight ball and hide away till the pain within you, simply goes away. You know what it's like to feel hopeless or a sense of hopelessness wash over you when people around you simply tell you to "get over it" or "it'll get better with time". They tell you to get 'help' but even with help, it seems like no one can hear your pain and or understand it.

Owning an ESA gives us that freedom. It gives us a chance to talk to someone who won't judge us for those flaws and feeling those emotions. Who will only ever judge us should their litter box need cleaning or if their meals aren't prepared on time. Let's face it, they can see the bottom of their dish even if it is, still, half full. But these are the only times, we'd ever feel like we're being judged by them. Other than that, our ESAs don't judge us for the mental crisis going on in our minds and inside our very brains. They know we need them. So, I want those who read this to know that, no matter what you have as a pet, understand they know when we're feeling at our lowest. They don't need to speak our language to know. They can sense our emotions, our feelings even. They make sure you know, you're not alone. Ever.