Nurse Walter
by Barbara
(Shildon UK)
Walter
I just had my first ever dose of flu, I’m sure I’ve never felt that bad before, and seriously don’t want to again. I’ve been most kindly taken care of not only by my dear sister Ruth AKA Kattaddorra, but also by one of our cats, Walter. That’s not to say the Jozef wasn’t kind, but he didn’t want any part in caring for the sick.
Walter has hardly taken any time for himself this last week, a quick dash outside for the call of nature and a quick meal before he’s been back upstairs, still chewing the last of his meat as he came round the door. I haven’t been allowed to go to the bathroom unattended, and he’s even overseen my baths, sitting on the chair and calling advice in his important little voice. He’s been in bed in my arms to keep me warm and he’s rolled around and played silly games like stuffing his head in the tissue box to cheer me up, he’s worried when I’ve coughed till I couldn’t breathe and he’s shared the butter off my toast.
He’s cuddled right up and put his face on mine, then turned it quick and smashed me in the nose (I could feel every sore bit inside breaking open, but he was so happy what could I say?) he’s injected me with his needle sharp claws and he’s laid on my chest so I couldn’t breathe anyway. What a wonderful little nurse he’s been. Only one night was he so shattered that he had to have a couple of hours on top of the wardrobe to chill out. I’m up and dressed today and he must know I’m feeling a lot better, so he’s having a Walter day, he’s been out and now he’s relaxing on the bed. Thank you Walter, you are a splendid nurse, you put me so much in mind of our dear Felix who cared for our mam in the same devoted way for the last 10 days of her life.
Cats are so basically kind and caring aren’t they? They don’t know that they will not catch what we’re suffering with; they just love us and want to help. How can anyone deliberately inflict pain on them and make them feel ill themselves?
