On a sunny day last March, staff members at Idylwood Care Center discovered that the resident feral cat had given birth to three tiny, adorable kittens.
Two of those kittens were black and white, and one was grey and white with piercing blue eyes. The grey and white kitten was quickly named Henry and he soon became the campus’ very own resident kitten. The staff soon discovered that, while this chosen kitten was small in stature, he was big in heart and personality.
Immediately after taking Henry in, their Business Office Manager, Deana Guzman, aka Idylwood Care Center’s Cat Mom, took him to a nearby veterinarian. The Cameron Veterinarian office went above and beyond their call of duty and provided Henry with a free examination, free formula, a free can of food, a flea comb, and a wealth of advice on how to best care for Henry.
After Henry was bathed and the fleas were removed from his plump belly that was now full of food and treats, he looked like a new kitten. Staff members volunteered to take him home for the night, and lines to visit with Henry during breaks formed in the Business Office. Staff members rallied together to provide Henry with the necessities that included blankets, a comfortable carrier, kitty condo, litter box, and toys. To say that Henry is well-loved is an understatement.
Our gracious and compassionate Administrator, Rashmi Rajadhyax, allowed us to bring Henry to visit our residents after he was vaccinated and acclimated to human interaction. Our residents love dogs and cats. They receive a monthly visit from a volunteer group, Furry Friends, and look forward to visiting with the dogs and benefit from the calming, loving interaction that these animals provide. Since we strive to give our residents the best quality of life possible, we truly believe having Henry is also emotionally and mentally beneficial to our residents. Staff members have benefited from Henry’s presence, too! Henry is truly part of our campus family. As for the other two kittens, they were adopted by staff members. We were also able to bring the other feral cats to a veterinarian office to have them spayed or neutered and released. Our Idylwood Care Center staff’s amazing compassion can be seen and felt every day for humans and animals alike. Keri Arnold, Social Worker Idylwood Care Center