Timolena’s Return

Family & Relationships
Daily Musings
Loss & Grief
Grandma Stella recounts her emotional journey with the stray cats she has been feeding, from their mysterious disappearance to the joyful surprise of one cat’s return.
Author

Stella Tawfik-Cooperman

Published

January 26, 2020

There are a few stray cats that I have been feeding for years. I used to have about ten of them. During the past two years, they dwindled down to two, Timolena and Angelique’s Baby. Recently, I noticed that the food I was putting out was not being eaten. I commented about that to someone, and she said that someone in the neighborhood was putting poison out to get rid of the raccoons and killing the cats as well. I got upset. Each morning I would put out their food and call out their names, to no avail. I was sad and angry at whoever was killing the cats and raccoons. I would put out the food in the morning and bring it back in at night. Last night, I brought the bowl and put it away. This morning I was getting ready to leave. I opened the back and there was Timolena sitting on the back stoop! “Meow! Meow! I’m hungry! Did you forget me today?” she asked petulantly. You never witnessed a happier pet mom.