Today is Love Your Pet Day. I can't pass up the opportunity to tell the story of how we rescued our cat, Mr. Chance, in 2007.
My daughter Allison was 12. For years, she'd been begging for a pet, a kitten in particular, preferably a ginger-colored female tabby. She must have caught us at a weak moment because my husband and I finally caved in to her pleas and said yes, you may have a cat, and started hunting for one.
We visited all the local pet stores, the shelter, and responded to a few classified ads but couldn't fiind exactly what she wanted. The cats were either too old, male, the wrong color, or just didn't connect with her.
After a couple of weeks of this routine she grew discouraged, and one Saturday night tearfully said, "I'm never going to find my cat." I promised her a trip to the Humane Society in the morning and we put the whole thing to rest for the night.
Allie and her dad were out in the pool when the miracle happened. Two teenage girls, unknown to us, wandered into our yard, one of them holding a tiny, gray-striped, male kitten.
"We're looking for a home for this kitten," the girl explained. "I brought him home from a friend's, but my parents won't let me keep him. They said not to come home with him again. Will you keep him?"
That little gray furball was irresistible. My husband took him in his hands and held him up to eye level. "Meow!" The kitten squealed. "Here's your cat, Allie," her father said and handed him over.
"Really?" she squeaked, eyes wide with wonder as she claimed her pet.
"He's yours if you want him."
And she did. We did. Even though he wasn't exactly what we were looking for. His unplanned arrival was a sign he was meant for us. We rescued him, but in the end he rescued us because he brings so much joy, love and happiness into our home. We don't know how we ever lived without him.
His name? He came to us by chance and that's what we call him, Chance, although he prefers to be known by Mr. Chance just to keep everyone in their proper places.
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