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Hours after I posted the story on Faith, the 2-Legged Dog, I realized I should share the back story on my own limb-challenged friend, Tripod, my 3-legged cat.
One thing about 'Pod, as his friends call him, he always inspires a lot of questions.
The #1 question I always get is, "How did he lose his right front leg?"
Actually, he's never told me.
Think about just how odd that is. He came into my life back in 1992! He has shared my life, my home, my bed, and my heart for more than 15 years. That's longer than any other any other living creature in my adult life, animal, human, or otherwise. Yet, he's never shared the details of his most significant life-changing event—losing his leg.
See, he showed up this way when he adopted me.
So, let's go back to 1992. I was a TV reporter in Phoenix, doing a story at the local Humane Society. I think it was on dogs or something. Just as an aside, the PR person said to me, "Oh, I have to take you in the back and show you this 3-legged stray cat that came in today. He's not on the main floor because we don't put the special needs animals out here."
We went in the back, she opened the cage and took out this oh-so-handsome steel gray cat with a white mask, three white paws, green eyes and a pink nose. She handed him to me and he immediately gave me a huge hug using that one front leg.
I was a goner.
At that point, I was this career-focused, all-about-the-job young reporter. I didn't even have a plant that needed watering. Yet, I knew I had to have this cat. The idea of adopting this wonderful animal swirled through my head through the entire afternoon.
I picked up the phone, called the PR contact and told her, I wanted to adopt the 3-legged cat.
"You can't have him," she replied.
"What?" I was so disappointed. "Did his original owners show up?" I asked.
"No," she replied. "I'm keeping him for myself."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"I've wanted a cat for a long time," she explained, "but I live with my boyfriend and his bird. I figure a cat with 3-legs is the perfect answer!"
I hung up the phone so disappointed. That disappointment brewed into anger as the evening went on. "This is insider trading!" I decided as I got really worked up. "Why should this lady get first dibs on my cat just because she works at the pound? I know! I'll do an investigative story on this!"
I had actually calmed down by the morning, only to come to the TV station to find a voicemail waiting for me. It was the PR rep, "I was thinking about it overnight," she said, "and I decided if you really want this cat, you should have him. So, if you do, just give me a call."
I did and the rest is feline history.
That lady made a great decision, by the way. Not just for me, but for her boyfriend's bird. 'Pod has caught more than his share over the years. A few chipmunks, too.
So, I can tell you stories all day of what Tripod has done without his missing leg. I just can't tell you HOW he lost it.
The significance of that kind of hit me over the weekend. This is where I think you fellow animal lovers will follow along, while those of you who think of us pet lovers as "wacko," might want to get off the bus.
Does the fact that Tripod has never told me his big secret make me enjoy him less? Trust him less? Doubt his love and devotion to me? Absolutley not. It's enough that he wakes up with me every day. Hugs me. Gazes at me those big green eyes. Snuggles. Makes me laugh simply the way he yawns.
Just about anyone who has an animal in their life will gush about the unconditional love they receive, about the wonderful relationship, about the joy they bring us. Did you ever stop to think that comes without a single word ever being spoken? We just accept the love that trust it.
I guess the title of today's blog, "Confessions of My 3-Legged Cat," is rather misleading, as there are none. I realize that's just fine by me.
Yet, with our human relationships we fret over what's the right thing to say, what's this person's motivation, why did he say that? Why didn't she that? What's the real story here?
Maybe we can take a page from our animal relationships and leave it at, "Actually, he's never told me." Maybe we don't need to know the whole story. Maybe words are over rated. Maybe the best thing you could do or receive would be a love-filled one-armed hug.
I confess, that's what I will be thinking about today.
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