Squeaky - the Cat Who Liked to Read

When Cindy was a little girl, her father was busy building what would become a successful career in truck sales.  The effort required frequent moves and by the time Cindy was in the third grade, she had lived in three states and was enrolled in her third school.  The moves had taken a toll on the quiet little blue-eyed girl who was having difficulty learning to read.  Her teacher often became exasperated with her.  Learning was becoming a fearful experience.

Concerned, her parents consulted their pediatrician for ideas.  He suggested a pet would be a good source of friendship and a constant in Cindy’s life during future moves.  Cindy’s father scoured the pet ads in the local paper and the following Saturday he drove Cindy to nearby San Francisco to meet with a woman who was offering free kittens.  They left with Squeaky, an orange and white short hair.  

Squeaky was amenable to friendship with Cindy and soon became her after-school companion.  They spent time under the high bed in her parents’ bedroom with Cindy reading to Squeaky.  She also enjoyed brushing the patient feline.  After accompanying the cat to the vet, Cindy became interested in medicine and would pretend to give Squeaky and herself shots.  The vet encouraged her curiosity in the medical field by giving her an empty syringe to use during play.  Cindy's interest would eventually blossom into a nursing career.

By the following year Cindy’s reading scores had improved and she began to excel in school.  Not surprisingly, there were subsequent moves and new schools to adapt to.  Squeaky remained a constant and loyal friend for the next seven years.  The companionship he offered the lonely child was never forgotten by Cindy and it left her with a lifelong love of cats.

Thirty years later, following her retirement from nursing to pursue a second career as a high school health education teacher, she had the opportunity to pass along Squeaky’s gift.  This time it was she who was teaching others the power of compassion and friendship when she enlisted her class in caring for a feral cat colony living outside their classroom.

More on that in a future column...

by Elizabeth Sundstrom