God’s Gift

Beaten up, cold, and scared, this six week old kitten was carried into the dealership I worked at. Desperately, this lady asks if there is anyone available to foster. “I found him in the center of a few dogs, they looked like they were going to eat him! I rushed towards the group, pushed them off, and saved this kitten,” sharp breaths between her words heightened the sense of emergency. He was covered in fleas and could barely see. One could easily identify he was cold and hungry. Looking like he had already given up on living, he curled into the corner of my desk by the printer, seeking for warmth. I called my parter and told him the details. Not even thirty minutes pass when he shows up to pick up the kitten and take him home. My shift ended late, so the kitten was already bathed and curled into warm towels by the time I returned home. The next morning, we took him to the vet to make sure he wasn’t infected with any diseases and to find out how old he was. She informed us he was only six weeks old and was healthy, besides the worms and fleas. After a few shots and flea baths, he was as good as new. We brought him to our humble abode and began the introductions to our other cat. My cat, Poseidon, began sniffing the kitten and low growling as he lightly batted his tiny skull. The kitten jumped at every movement Poseidon would make and poofed up every moment he discovered something new. Days progressed as did their relationship, and soon, they were cuddling while Poseidon adopted the role of father. The kitten had evolved to Gambit and he was now part of our small family.

Months went by as Gambit enjoyed his spoiled kitten life. Every now and then, he would refuse to use the litter box, but besides that, he was a well behaved kitten. He loved to climb the cat tree and attack Poseidon from above. Poseidon would schedule cleaning times for Gambit when he would least expect it. Sleeping was the ideal time for Poseidon to begin his cleaning; Gambit thought otherwise. Gambit would wake up with his head soaking wet and Poseidon proud of his work. They were two peas in a pod. Slowly Gambit began to become more cuddly. He insisted on wanting to sit in my lap instead of playing with his toys. He began to sleep longer and only get up to eat or use the litter box. While that might not seem strange for a cat, it was strange for a kitten.

As we began to notice Gambit refusing to use his litter box, we could only worry. I had to work another late shift when I received a call from my partner explaining he was in the emergency room with Gambit. “They listened to his heartbeat and told me he needed medical attention right away,” I could hear breaths between sobs, “I don’t know what to do.” His voice trailed off as I reassured him I would arrive shortly. My roommate rushed me over to the emergency room where they were. The vet came out and informed us he had failed kidneys and the only way he would live was a kidney transplant. With no compatible kittens at our convenience, we had no choice. The vet allowed us time with him in a room while we said our last goodbyes.

Gambit drew his last breath.

After hours of tears, we were dismissed with the vet bill. As hard as it was being the price of my rent, we quietly paid and left with heads hung low. Times grew hard as Poseidon lost his brother and favorite cleaning partner. Meows echoed through the apartment while he searched for his best friend, his only friend. Weeks had gone by while the gloom never lifted from the apartment. Time to pay rent approached quickly and we were short on money due to the vet bills. Launching a gofundme helped a little bit with the bills, but we were still struggling. At work the following day, I was approached by a coworker I was close with. "I usually donate 10% of my income to charities or to God, but God told me you needed it more," he whispered as he handed me an envelope, "You don't need to thank me, or pay me back. Use it how you will, but know it's from God." With those words, he hugged me and left. I returned to my desk and peeked inside the envelope to find $500. Tears fell as this was the blessing we needed to survive the remainder of the month. He never said anything about the money since, and we were forever thankful for all the charity we received through those somber times.