An angel with a tail..Licorice aka Truman

Rating Details

Service being reviewed:

Humane Society of Barron County
Reviews: 134 | Posted: 8 months ago | Avg Rating: 4.9

Supporting Shelter: Humane Society of Barron County

Supporting Rescue: Second Chance Animal Rescue

Pros: the right cat at the right time for the right person

Cons: none

Licorice the Angel with the Tail My parents walked, worked, and lived side by side for 61 years. When my dad died at 94, my shy mother was living alone for the first time in her 83 years. I was desperate to bring her comfort and companionship. With her blessing, I went to our Barron County Humane Society to find her a cat. I chose carefully and looking back, I chose well. Licorice and my Mom bonded and fell in love within a few days. It became clear that the big black cat was trying to take care of her in his own way. He would nag her to get dressed in the morning. His basic care got her moving about her home. He gave me visual cues on how she was feeling. I had developed the habit of stopping by every evening to check on her. If Mom was feeling well, Licorice watched for me from the bedroom window. If she had a bad day, Licorice would be lying on the back of her chair with paws resting on her hair. A reaction to medication made her sleep too much and I stopped by early one morning to check on her welfare. Every twenty minutes, Licorice would leave my lap, go into the bedroom, and loudly demand that she wake up. Licorice has an extrovert “it is all about me” personality. His just being in the room made it easier for my quite mother to make conversation with caregivers who came most days.

In four short months, my mother was in the hospital for the last time. The Hospice workers wanted Licorice brought to say goodbye to my mother. He knew instinctively what to do. He crept up close to her ear, purred his little heart out, and was so careful not to touch anything but her hair. This professional lap setter seemed to know that other touching would cause her pain. After a time, Licorice left my mother’s side and came slowly over to the side of the bed. He carefully studied the bubbling oxygen and the shifted his gaze to mine. We locked eyes for a long time. At that moment, we were not a human and an animal, we were just two of God’s creatures who both knew without a doubt, that we were about to lose someone we loved.

My father in law and my mother passed away with 24 hours of each other. The next 2 weeks were a painful blur of the disposition of earthly remains and earthly possessions. I kept the recliner my mother had rested for the last months of her life. I was with Licorice when he saw the recliner for the first time since Mom had died. I was curious to see his reaction. He wailed in distress and then he did something that brought comfort to me. Still wailing, he leaped to the back of the recliner, but he did not look down to where his beloved master had always sat. Licorice looked heavenward, scanning back and forth. This angel with a tail must have some inside information and who am I to argue. Bless your heart Licorice……may you have a long and happy life.

{Licorice lives with us now and his name has been changed to Truman. Ruth would still know him know him….no matter what the name}

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