Losing a loved one is never easy, and it seems that holds true for our feline friends too.
Meet Trooper, a cat who has been showering unconditional love on a special person for almost her entire life – 96-year-old Sarah Whaley.
Back in 2014, Alexis Hackney and her family stumbled upon Trooper during a house flip. The faint meows echoing from the basement led them to a tiny, two-week-old kitten stuck in the wall. With a bit of sledgehammer action, they rescued the little furball.
Bringing Trooper home, they had no idea the profound bond that would develop between the kitten and their grandmother, Sarah, who shared the same living space.
The family realized the depth of their connection when Sarah fell ill. Trooper, almost like a guardian angel, spent most of her time on Sarah’s bed, showering her with gifts from around the house.
However, when Sarah eventually passed away, Trooper was devastated. The inconsolable cat, who usually isn’t very vocal, roamed the house, crying incessantly and even avoided being near Sarah’s body.
“She didn’t want to be around my grandma’s body,” shared Alexis. “She stopped eating. She’s not a very vocal cat, but she was just walking around the house, crying all of the time.”
While Trooper has gradually improved, the void left by Sarah’s absence is palpable. It’s a poignant reminder that cats, often misconstrued as aloof, indeed experience deep emotions and form profound connections with the humans they share their lives with.
