It might be difficult to understand a cat’s emotions at any given time, but when Elka’s rescuer put a collar on the elderly, ill cat for the first time, there was no need for interpretation.
Elka was happy.
Before her rescue, the approximately 18-year-old cat hadn’t had it easy. At some point, Elka’s former owner had declawed her and then abandoned her with a colony of feral cats when they no longer wanted her.
But, for Brenda Wilkinson, founder of Hands of Mercy Cat Sanctuary, Elka’s life started the night of her rescue. Elka was first spotted by local residents, who captured the scared cat and brought her into their home to give her food and water. Then, they called Wilkinson at Hands of Mercy for help.
When Wilkinson first laid eyes on Elka, she could see the old cat was struggling — so much so that the experienced rescuer did not expect her to live for much longer.
Later tests would show that Elka’s organs had already begun to fail.
Wilkinson told The Dodo, “I genuinely felt like it was going to be a short time together.” Therefore, I [did] all within my power to make her feel loved.
Wilkinson adopted Elka’s preferred method of receiving affection. She wanted to be petted, according to Wilkinson. She would paw at my arm while sitting on the stand next to my chair until I gave her attention.
But Wilkinson never anticipated that Elka would have her very own collar as one of her love languages.
“I was putting [collars] on some of the other cats,” Wilkinson said. “She was watching me put them on the others, so I went ahead and put one on her, not really thinking anything of it.”
But as soon as Wilkinson secured the bright orange collar around Elka’s neck, something changed. “I could feel everything inside of her leap with joy,” Wilkinson said. “Like, ‘Oh my God, someone loves me. I have a home again.’”
It’s been six months since Elka’s brightest chapter started, and her new mom is doing everything possible to help slow her organ failure and alleviate some of her symptoms. “She’s doing amazing,” Wilkinson said. “She’s persistent — she will not take no for an answer.”
For the remainder of her days, Elka will remain at Wilkinson’s side at the cat refuge. She will receive endless cuddles and kisses from her new mother and the rest of the Hands of Mercy crew there while she receives lifetime medical care while donning her gorgeous orange collar.
And because, as Wilkinson put it, “she’s home,” she won’t ever have to experience what it’s like to not wear a collar again.
