Brokenness to Lovingness
- Keep Up Creations
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
There are times, especially in the middle of the night, when I sit quietly watching with amazement at the family we have created. What started over fifteen years ago has become a source of laughter, sighs, tears, and love.
The collection of broken spirits started with Silver Sterling and continued with Little Bit Squish. She spent nearly all her early months outside fending for herself until she found our porch. There she found love in the form of fresh food, water, and eventually a winter shelter. While Little Bit would let us share the porch with her, it was a hands-off approach. We could talk, laugh, but no touch!
One day, I returned home from work to find her crying so forlornly. It appeared she had prematurely given birth to a kitten. I managed to somehow scoop her up and brought her inside, later retrieving the deceased kitten. We arranged to get Little Bit in for emergency surgery and ear tip her because we thought she would be returning to an outdoor life. Little did we know that a few months later, we would have to bring her indoors permanently.
With her spay surgery and recovery behind her, Little Bit returned to outside, staying close to our porch which had become her home. We had an insulated hut tucked safely close to the house. She continued to spend her days lounging on the porch sharing morning coffee with me until ... Little Bit showed up with an eye injury.
According to the vet, the eye injury required crate rest and daily medication. By the time the treatment had run its course, there was no way we could release her to the outside world again. So, our sweet tuxedo girl became a member of our family.
All that transpired in her life led to Little Bit being skittish and easily startled.
Over time, Little Bit and I had developed a comfort in existence. She would ask for lovin's but any attempt to pick her up was still an absolute no-go. Wrangling her for nail trimming or for medicine was a study in what-not-to-do and often ended with Little Bit thoroughly stressed and me with new scratches. Treats and calm voice would quickly win back her affections, though, with no grudges being held.
This was our way of life until the move from Ohio to South Carolina.
Packing put Little Bit uneasy. All those boxes, all those changes, all the stressors affected her causing her to become more easily startled and quite hissy. Living in the RV for a month gave her routine but still did not quiet the discomfort of something so new.
While living with my parents for the following six months, Little Bit found never-ending love with two people more than happy to share a sofa and give lovin's. Yet, she was still easily startled and hissy.
At last, we found our home and moved in. Piles and piles of boxes, but all smelled like the old home. Things nearly forgotten being discovered and situated in the best places in the new home. Stability and familiarness was finally starting to settle in for Little Bit. Still, she was easily startled and hissy.
Now, just over a year in this new home, Little Bit has realized home is here and we are staying. She is becoming less and less easily startled and not as hissy.
She is finding her courage! Because of that we are seeing Little Bit blossom. Nearly every day she zooms through the house, leaping onto our largest cat tree, jumping down and running off to somewhere else. Most days, Little Bit joins me for a nap, not just sleeping on the bed but sometimes snuggling against me. What an absolute joy to see the transformation happening!
The story of Little Bit, our experiences with her, should be an encouragement. That shy, hissy kitty at the rescue or shelter is waiting for your love and your home. They might never want to be held. But given time, space, patience, and unending love, they might share the sofa with you. They might ask for lovin's in the seemingly most random places in the house. They might snuggle with you. What they absolutely will do is ... they will love you, just in their own special way.
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