Is love visible or invisible? You name it. This story will bring you to tears, not only because of the cat’s unlucky appearance but also because of the fateful years he spent finding him forever home.
Bubby is an orange stray cat who wandered the streets until he met a sweet boy, Boyd Abbott, 8 years ago. He was noticed to be missing an arm and part of his tail was also missing. This three-legged pooch started jumping into the man’s kitchen and claimed it was his.
From that day on, Bubby tended to show up in the same place and began to befriend Season, who was the feline of the house. Bubby and Season were very close friends until Season had to say goodbye and crossed the rainbow bridge.
Bubby won the hearts of the whole family, including Abbott’s. They invited Bubby into the house for a nicer place, but he preferred to be outside. But that doesn’t mean the family didn’t provide food and water for the three-legged cat. Bubby loved to visit the man’s house regularly, he loved to be showered with affection. He was spoiled by the family, he had his chair, a set of nice plates, Bubby was covered by the man!
Unfortunately, all was spoiled when the man, unfortunately, passed away a few years later, Bubby and the family were heartbroken. The family had been asked to take care of Bubby while he was away. After Boyd Abbott’s death, Bubby also disappeared, despite the family’s best efforts to find him. Although they left food out, as usual, he has not returned since. Finally, there was no sign of Bubby, so they began to worry about the worst.
Around the summer of 2019, the neighborhood recognized an orange cat with 3 legs Bubby reappeared where he benefited from the kindness of the deceased man. The tabby kitty returned to the kitchen where he had fond memories of his temporary owner. Ray Pinsent knew exactly that this was the faithful cat of ten years ago who had bonded with the deceased for a very long time. Having suffered from those cruel years, Bubby was weaker and older.
When the harsh Canadian winter arrived, Ray was concerned that the cat would not be able to keep up with his health problem. Bubby needed medical treatment. The kind-hearted Ray decided to fight for Bubby’s life to keep him safe from the elements by contacting the Abbott home (which was replaced by the new family). He knocked on the door of the new owner’s house and asked about the cat. The new owner only came to see Bubby once, but he didn’t notice him. Ray begged the owner that if the cat ever came back, he should call him immediately and he would bring Bubby to him.
Then, the next day, she called back to tell him the cat was sitting in the kitchen. Ray quickly went to meet him and rushed him to the Exploit Valley Adapter Bulls SPCA to save him from death as quickly as possible.
“Bubby was dehydrated, beaten, and everything. He was sent to the vet and would not have survived another storm. The vet said he started purring while on the exam table.” Said Exploits Valley SPCA Adoptables volunteer Sarah MacLeod.
Abbott’s daughter stumbled upon the news of Bubby, she immediately came to the shelter with Bubby’s memorable dishes.
“She introduced herself and told me Bubby’s story. She cried when she saw him and brought his dishes to him. Bubby now eats from the dishes he once made at this man’s house.”
Sarah was too in love with the tabby cat, she offered to keep a sweet 3-legged Bubby, she felt that Bubby was her forever feline companion.
“I knew I wanted to keep Bubby forever before I brought him home.”
Sarah continues: “We weren’t in the market for a cat, so my boyfriend had to be convinced.”
Soon after, Sarah realized that Bubby was the one who was quickly acclimating to the house.
“I came home from work to find Bubby and my boyfriend both on the floor. Bubby had crawled all over him. Neither of us had seen him do that before, but I knew he had won him over.”
Although he only has three legs, there’s no stopping him from being smart, and charming, and he knows how to get what he wants. Now Bubby has a loving home with human parents and his woofy friend, they loved playing together.
“Bubby, with his sad human eyes, was loved once before and is loved again now. He purrs the minute he wakes up in the morning and when he goes to sleep each night. He has never once asked to go out. He needs to know he’s home now, for good.”
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10 Mental & Physical Health Benefits of Having Pets
Pets are family members. Like humans, they need love, health care, and attention. But pet parents’ relationships with their pets are not one sided. Pets give so much back in return, improving the health of our minds, bodies, and hearts.
The benefits of having pets are plentiful — and scientifically proven. Pets help their humans live longer, happier, and healthier lives mentally and physically. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) gathers the latest information on the positive health effects of companion animals. These researchers help make the case for adding a pet to a household.
From reducing the risk of heart attacks to alleviating loneliness, these furry family members are contributing to healthy communities.
Let’s talk about those benefits.
Better Mental Health
Pets can contribute to positive mental health through emotional work and practical work. The emotional work can be described as alleviating worries, stress, and depression. You may have noticed that your pet wastes no time noticing and springing into action when you are upset or sad. Their intuition is what makes them great support and therapy animals, and animal-assisted therapy is effective in treating PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Then there’s the practical work that comes with caring for a pet. This means making sure their individual needs are met. Developing a daily routine of walks and feeding times can help pet parents with mental health conditions feel a sense of purpose that affects other areas of their lives.
The Data: Pets and Mental Health
A 2016 HABRI study explored the role of pets in the social networks of people managing a long‑term mental health problem.
- Pets were found to contribute to a stronger sense of identity in pet owners with mental health conditions, including reducing negative perceptions of a mental health condition or diagnosis.
- Pets provide a sense of security and routine in the relationship, which reinforces stable cognition.
- Pets provide a distraction and disruption from distressing symptoms, such as hearing voices, suicidal thoughts, rumination, and facilitating routine and exercise for those who care for them.
Better Physical Health
Every little bit counts when it comes to physical health benefits, and those daily walks really add up for dog owners. Since they are more likely to meet the criteria for regular moderate exercise, dog parents have lower instances of obesity.
Your heart is one of the biggest spots to see the full benefits of pet ownership. Just the presence of animals has significant impacts on blood pressure, with pet owners having a lower resting blood pressure than people without pet babies.
Cat parents aren’t left out of the healthy heart race. A feline friend in your home reduces your risk of death due to cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attacks. According to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), people without cats have a 40% higher relative risk of heart attack than non‑cat owners.
The Data: Pets and Physical Health
- Approximately 60% of dog walkers met the criteria for regular moderate and/or vigorous leisure‑time physical activity compared with about 45% for non‑dog owners and dog owners who did not walk their dog in a 2005 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey.
- In a study of adults over the age of 50 with mildly elevated blood pressure, the presence of a pet dog or cat had a significant impact on blood pressure, with dog ownership being associated with lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure compared to people who did not own pets.
- A study of over 2,400 cat owners concluded there was a significantly lower relative risk for death due to cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attack, compared to non‑owners during a 20‑year follow‑up.
Healthier Aging Process
Research has shown that older adults get social and emotional support from their pets that combats loneliness and depression. Aside from promoting exercise and reducing stress, pets also assist in the treatment of long‑term diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Pet companionship is also key for hospital and cancer patients. When coupled with animal-assisted activities, pets help patients with pain management and in interactions with doctors and nurses. Those patients also responded better to treatments and reported improvements in their quality of life.
The Data: Pets and Aging
- Results of a study of older adults who live alone suggest that pet ownership may act as a buffer against loneliness.
- Results of a one-year study that examined the impact of animal‑assisted therapy (AAT) on patients with chronic pain demonstrated that, following AAT, patients reported reduced pain, discomfort, and stress. Additionally, stress among nursing staff was found to decrease significantly following AAT.
- A study of older adults with mental illness living in long‑term care facilities concluded that AAT reduced depressive symptoms and improved cognitive function.
When we look at the data on mental health, physical health, and aging, it’s clear that pets contribute much to people’s lives in these areas, as well as being the loving companions we’ve always known they are.