Waiting for valentines

Jennifer Vanderau
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter

(2/2021) I’m waiting. The right person just hasn’t come through the door yet.

I know it, somehow. Deep in my heart.

People walk by my cage and I reach out a paw and purr and hope that maybe they’re the ones.

But so far, they haven’t been.

A few days ago, a small family took me into the bonding room and I played and had a lot of fun and purred and sat on the husband’s lap and everything.

But they took Allison, the cat who lived across from me. I’m okay with it because Allison was super nice and she deserved a good home and I have a feeling she’ll be really good for that family.

I’m waiting.

I listen to the cats who have been here a while and I try not to get discouraged. One of the real old-timers, Speckles, doesn’t believe we’re waiting for anyone. She’s been here since May 2020 and I think she’s just about given up.

I don’t call her an "old-timer" to her face or anything. She just seems kind of resigned to her life at an animal shelter.

I still have to have hope. Sometimes at night I think I’m probably an idiot for holding onto the dream of having a home, but I can’t help it.

I know the right person is out there for me. It’s happened before. I’ve witnessed it.

Why should I believe it won’t happen for me?

It’s a random Tuesday. I know because I heard one of the staff members talking about what TV shows were on tonight and someone else said, "Oh, it’s Tuesday. ‘This is Us’ is good."

No idea what they meant by any of that, but I know it’s Tuesday.

I can’t tell you the time, but something happens later in the day when the door opens and a lady walks in. She has the nicest voice and most beautiful green eyes.

She goes from cage to cage, talking to each one of us.

I hear Addy a few cages over meowing up a storm. I know Scarlet beside me has already started purring. Mr. Creek looks like he’s just about dancing on his blanket.

We’re all excited to see someone and each one of us hopes this might be it.

I’ve got butterflies in my stomach. That’s what I’ve heard the humans call it when they’re jittery or eager about something.

When she gets to my cage, she smells so nice and I can feel my heart contract in my chest.

She could be my mom. I just know it.

She says, "Oh, you look just like a kitty I had when I was a little girl."

I reach a paw out through the cage and touch her arm, very lightly.

She inhales deeply and whispers, "I’ll be right back."

She gets a staff member and we go into the bonding room together.

I feel that hope swell and I sit with her for a long while. I lose track of time. All I know is she has the softest touch and she kind of hums under her breath. I don’t even think she knows she’s doing it, but I know I could listen to it all my life.

I take a chance and crawl a little ways up her chest to her face. She smiles and kisses my nose.

That’s when she says, "I think you and I will be the best of friends."

I’m adopted that day.

When I get home with my new mom, she’s got red decorations up all over the house. Hearts and cupids and arrows. Something called Valentine’s Day.

I know that was a couple days ago because people at the shelter were talking about it. The holiday to find true love. I remember Speckles scoffed at them when they were gone, but I had to wonder.

Did Valentine’s Day have something the do with us finding each other? I suppose it’s possible.

All I know is mom was ready. There are toys everywhere for me and a new bowl and litterbox and comfy blankets all around the house. There’s a cat tree by the window that I know I’m going to LOVE when I watch the birds in the front yard.

Mom seems pretty happy when I explore my new home. She follows me around at first and when she tells me she’s got emails to check and dinner to prepare, I follow her.

It’s funny, but I don’t really want to be without her.

That night, she even lets me in bed with her. I kind of have my own pillow. As we both start to fall asleep, she kisses my nose and says good night, and I can’t help but purr a little. She smiles at the sound.

In that moment, I know why I was waiting so long at the animal shelter.

I was waiting to find her.

*****

Jennifer Vanderau is the Director of Communications for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter in Chambersburg, Pa., and can be reached at cvasoc@innernet.net. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at (717) 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org.