Posted on 07/02/2013 1:01:31 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
When Robert Sollars of Mesa, Arizona went blind in 2003, Sollars’ cat, Admiral K’reme, became his seeing-eye cat, helping his owner adjust to his new life.
Sollars, a security consultant, says his loss of sight is due to diabetic [retinopathy] and came upon him quickly. Once his doctor had diagnosed his condition, Sollars and his wife began finding ways to adjust to their new reality.
The Admiral quickly joined in to help. He established himself as Sollars’ “Guardian Kitty,” guiding him around the house and helping him navigate. The Admiral would watch and anticipate where Sollars was headed “just like a good wide receiver would,” Sollars chuckles. Then, the cat would run to the anticipated spot and meow until Sollars found his way.
“When I’d get up in the middle of the night, he’d follow me through the house, ‘yelling’ at me until I got back in bed,” Sollars remembers with a laugh. Although losing his sight was traumatic, Sollars says, “It was comforting to have the Admiral with me.”
Now 10 years later, Sollars is completely adjusted to life without his eyesight, but Admiral K’reme still takes his job as protector and guardian very seriously. He sleeps by the front door at night and worries about Sollars when he leaves the house. “If I take out the garbage or go get the mail, he’ll meow meow meow until I’m back inside,” Sollars says.
Sollars runs his security consulting business from home and is even working on a book right now, using a special word processing program. The 15-year-old Admiral is still right there by his side “helping” him, by sitting on Sollars’ keyboard or squeezing beside him on the chair.
When the Admiral isn’t protecting Sollars or helping him work, he’s keeping Sollars abreast of how the pair’s favorite football team, the Cincinnati Bengals, is doing. “Every Sunday he gets in the chair with me to watch them play football. If they start doing poorly, he’ll leave the room. Then later, he’ll come back to the chair to finish watching the game with me!”
Handsome boy. My youngest would help me out. The other would see it as an opportunity to increase his chances of tripping me on the stairs.
I remember seeing a skit about a seeing eye cat on some British show....the cat on the leash dragged the guy through garbage cans, running along the tops of fences, under cars. Hysterical.
bttt
Thank you both so much for posting this truly heartwarming story and the picture. There are a lot of great things about Free Republic but the Kitty Ping List is near the top for me.
Very nice. I totally agree with Jackson Galaxy that through investment in, fascination with and empathy for the animals we will save all of them, and each other as well.
Wonderful story. I am convinced that we have no idea of the complex, well...thoughts, I guess...that go through the minds of animals. What we see may very well be the tip of the iceberg.
(cute attack)
LOVE Jackson Galaxy.
Thank you!
Agreed.
Awwwww.....
Fangs!
Mew’re welcome.
:o])
I love kitties but all of my cats would have led a blind me into walls, garbage cans and their hidden nest of grasshoppers just for giggles and sh@ts.
I do think cats have a stronger capacity for complex problem solving than dogs...which unfortunately generally goes unappreciated without their unhealthy drive to please humans at all cost and tolerate frustrating situations for long periods of time.
We love him, too. Have learned much about our own kitties’ behaviors because of him.
LOL. No doubt my AndyMan would be that kind of guide cat. With nothing but the best intentions, of course.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.