Charlie

Today's thankful post is about pets, specifically my current pet Charlie. When I was little I tried to bring home almost everything including a goat. I've mostly only kept cats as pets long term, but don't have a favorite. Over the years I've taken in the "runt" & sick animals to love & care for temporarily. Even when they don't have a good chance of living, if they are happy, I try to just love them all I can.
Charlie came into my life a few hours after my 23 year old cat died. I didn't want another pet, I had decided that months before...
Then there was a loud noise not like anything I had heard before. My mom went out to investigate & started yelling to me saying,"it's awful, it's just so awful." It took seconds, even in the dark, to see what was wrong. A kitten had somehow gotten it's paw stuck in the hinge side of the car door, that hadn't even been opened. He hung swinging & spinning from his paw, frantically trying to free himself. I quickly got him loose, & he & ran into the night. I asked my mom for a ride, to take him to the vet in the morning. She didn't believe I could, & the next morning stood nervous & was surprised when I walked over & picked him up.
He was purring instantly, & even now a few years later, it's constant. He hadn't broken anything, probably because of his age, only about 3 weeks old. He was running a fever & was diagnosed w/encephalitis, from his mom being sick during her pregnancy. He needed antibiotics, & wouldn't survive w/out them back w/his mom, likely not anyway. Several if not all of the others died before I could get to them. I had braced myself for him to die as well...he was so happy but very sick. He seemed to be blind, & had seizures, I watched him constantly for some sign of being in pain, or unhappy, but there was none, he just kept purring. Several weeks later he was growing & having less problems...now he's healthy, the only reminder is that his head tilts to the left always, & he has depth perception problems, so he falls off furniture at times, but just is happy where he lands.

We call him Charlie Bucket because his personality is so much like Charlie & the Chocolate factory. He's so loving, & when I'm sick he won't leave my side even for food, & has even helped me. One vet asked does he do things, like play? He actually has such a strong personality that I guess wouldn't have been expected. When he plays, he loves diet Coke caps. The second someone needs him though he's back trying to help. He doesn't even expect to be petted, instead he lays on my hand, & moves his head.
When he's not taking care of me, he goes outside & takes care of other animals. He curls up w/any animal, & once a bug... but sadly it's not easy to snuggle with a bug, & it was flattened. He was so sad, crying & laying next to it watching for a long time.
He's so caring that he gets so upset if someone crying on TV, if they cry long he gets a bit frantic searching for the person who's upset.
He often brings strays home, which then he will sit & wait until they've finished eating before he eats. I've tried to take some of them to a place I found that takes care of them but haven't figured out how yet, because they would need to all go at once. He has brought in an extra several times if the door is open(the grey visitor)once it looked like he gave them a tour...they followed him from room to room in a line, like little ducks, then went back outside.
Phoenix is Charlie's baby, another story, but he has taken care of her since she was a couple weeks old. Bathing her, showing her things. She even tried to nurse his back but for some reason it never worked. He acted so much like a momma cat, w/her & still does. He is great company for me, & it really helps to have such an easy pet, & one who makes life so interesting.