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| Name: |
Jet
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Age: |
Seventeen years old
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| Gender: |
Male
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Kind: |
Domestic Short Hair
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| Home: |
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Jet
has been a special cat his whole life. It started the day I met
him. I was looking into adopting another cat (Jasper) from a local cat
rescue organization and was at the foster parent's home to have a look
at him. I was sitting on a sofa and all of a sudden I got tapped on my
shoulder. I turned my head and saw a young black cat sitting there,
looking at me. He was so friendly and outgoing that I knew right away
he would make a good therapy cat, something that I had started to do a
few years earlier with another cat. I asked if he was up for adoption;
he was, so I went home with two cats that day. I had no idea what to
name this kitten, but when I saw him flying through the house it became
quite clear- he was black and he was fast. So his name became Jet.
Since Jet was only six months old we had to wait another six months
before I could have him tested as a pet therapy cat with PALS (Pet
Access League Society), our local pet therapy group. He passed the test
with flying colors, and soon started coming with me to the Children's
Hospital. He became an instant hit as cats are not usually seen doing
pet therapy work. But Jet took it all in stride, and actually loved
going to see the kids. He would go and sit on their laps, nuzzle them
and sit very still while they stroked his soft fur. One touching story
involves Jet and a young boy who had just come out of a coma. The boy
had not spoken at all, but when he saw Jet at a PALS visit, he spoke his
first word, "kitty". His parents were in tears, as was I when they told
me that this was the first word their son had spoken since he had come
out of his coma. This is just one of many touching moments that pet
therapy pets are involved in.
After ten years Jet received his special PALS scarf for his ten years of
service. He was one of the first pets to receive it, and when he retired
was the longest serving pet volunteer with PALS.
Forward to thirteen years of pet therapy work, and I receive an email
from a person involved with the MEOW Foundation, the rescue group from
which I adopted Jet, that she wanted to nominate Jet for an award for
all his years of pet therapy service. So Jet was nominated for, and won,
the 2009 Volunteer Calgary Animal Volunteer of the Year award for his
thirteen years as a pet therapy cat. He was the only animal present at a
huge banquet dinner where all the other (human) award recipients
received their awards. Of course he wore his red bow tie to this fancy banquet!
Sadly, Jet fell ill soon after the awards and was retired as a pet
therapy cat. Jet just turned seventeen, and his health is continually
declining. His spirit is still willing and he is still just as friendly
as he has always been, but his body is getting frail. When he does pass
to the Rainbow Bridge, Jet will be remembered by many people for his pet
therapy contributions.
There will never be another cat like Jet, he is one in a million.
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