We Met in -25 ºC.

Brrrr! It is -20 today, a frigidly cold morning for our sweet Mr. Wiggles, as he attempts to do his business, on three legs. The fourth one is being held in abeyance, too cold to touch the noisy, crispy white stuff called snow. He runs and runs, trying so hard to get away from that hurting freezing cold ground. Even playing hockey with that large egg-shaped plastic 'puck' is losing its lustre. Today, hockey is no sport. It is pain, with outside temperatures that cold.

I was reminded of 'that' horrible day, nearly 15 years ago, when Tiggy, our kitty cat, then a tiny kitten, was left to die, by the side of the road, on that March 3^rd, in -25º weather. Her life and death struggle gave me a new take on life: never give up and some of us are truly evil! Today's sub zero temperatures attests to her strength of that by-gone era. Back then, she was dying. At that moment, I was falling in love with her. A trip to the clinic to save her came in a most timely fashion. She'd had less than 25 minutes to live. Today she is in her 15^th year and loving her life as I do.

She was a newborn, with no fat and newly made muscle to help keep her warm but easy prey for the coyotes that roamed our rustic neighbourhood, in the country. She was painfully and slowly freezing to death. I had made a wrong turn, that fateful day, and the rest is a rich history of meows, hisses, bites and talking to me in her special way. We were meant to be.

Tiggy is adorable. She put our family through many challenges over the years. We persevered. Early on, she would escape. It was just her nature. When I spotted her near the trees, I warned her of the grave mistake she was making, even on warm summer days. It was Mother Nature's world, I cautioned her. Do not take her for granted, I would say. You have a great life with us and would never survive 'out there'. She knew. She would wait to be picked up, then moved to 'higher ground' where her siblings, the retrievers lived. Each kept to their own quarters, as animals generally do. Whenever they met inside, she would fuss while the male puppy ran towards his newly adopted sister hoping she would play with him.. He just wanted to have fun. She would watch then leave, always reminded that she did not need to be downstairs though she liked to walk on the wild side, occasionally.

She is an adult, now, following responsible dietary protocols, eating tiny amounts of coconut oil, mixed with a few drops of boiled water, then added to her prescription thyroid diet. (She has hyperthyroidism). This healthy fat has given her a rosy glow with a firmer profile. There is an inner strength that seemed to be lacking. (She eats her greek yogurt, too, from time to time). All is well in her kitty world. Her lab results are fine and within range, considering how deathly ill she was a few years ago. Then, she detested her special food. She wanted protein rich foods, high in iodine. But those choices were slowly killing her as she 'wasted' away, an ounce a day. Rational thinking had no part in her decisions. But soon, her body began to protest. She listened. I cleaned up her messes. Dry brushing is now her special spa moment, a daily requirement for health.

As another winter season descends upon us, I am reminded of all Tiggy has endured. Her thoughts and actions influence my decisions in all things medical and nutritional. She is an animal with wisdom. Her water is changed several times a day. (Cats hate their own saliva). Her stainless steel flat 'dry food' bowl is cleaned meticulously before use, all dry morsels, in a single layer when added. Sometimes, her clinical results have told one story while her daily life experience, another. What matters most is her daily truth, not a random one. Laboratory tests are but a moment in time, we are  reminded by our friend, a forensic pathologist.

When that frigidly cold day arrived, 14 years ago, I was ready for a truth like no other. My life's trajectory was altered that day. There was so much more to learn as Tiggy would soon show. She became my new teacher. I was fortunate that we met. We became the perfect match and the most poignant of all love stories.