Deborah Elm lost her husband, Adam, suddenly when he was 39-years-of-age, reports the metro.co.uk. He died of a stroke after a lung transplant operation. He had cystic fibrosis. Six weeks after his death Deborah adopted Rosie, a grey cat. It looks as though Rosie is a random bred, rescue cat.
Adam was allergic to cats which I guess prevented her from adopting. In her story, she makes it very clear that Rosie provides her with a lot of comfort and that she helps her tremendously in getting over depression and difficulties in coping.
When she returns home she doesn’t have to enter an empty flat because Rosie is there waiting for her. Rosie comes up to her when she struggles to sleep at night. Her presence keeps her company and she’s always in the same room with her.
Rosie wakes her up in the morning with a kiss and a purr. And Deborah finds it comforting to have a significant other to care for. It fills a hole.
“She’s a big comfort when I feel low and I’m stuck at home and isolated because of my mental health. And she does the cutest poses that make me smile.”
Rosie made the final three in the ‘most caring’ category of the Cats Protection annual National Cat Awards. It is not surprising that Deborah recommends cat therapy for grieving individuals.
This is a classic story of the benefits of living with a cat companion for many millions of people. They help us cope. A lot of people struggle to cope and there is no shame in that. Life can be tricky and worse. In addition to being a cat guardian it is also useful to go for a 60 minute walk in nature every day. Connect with nature. It is a healing experience. In general, humans have distanced themselves from nature to their detriment in respect of mental health.