Christine Weber Bouldin first saw Felix, a kitten with specific problems that required assistance, back in 2008. After serving in the US Army for eight years, she was stationed at Bagram Airfield for her last tour.
Christine has been a lifelong animal lover, she has even smuggled some hermit crabs in her pocket to keep her company. After being told a cat and her kitten were wandering around the base and people had been throwing rocks at them she made it her mission to go out immediately and find them.
What she discovered was the tiniest little kitten with ears that were half his body size that couldn’t walk without flopping from side to side.
“I’d never seen a cat like that,” she told People Pets. “I felt so sorry for her. She couldn’t stand up and would flip over.”
Little Felix had Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), a non-progressive disease that affects motor skills. She wobbles when she walks but is otherwise as healthy as a normal cat.
The kitten first hissed at Christine whenever she approached out of fear. Felix, however, gradually warmed up as the mother started to act in a trustworthy manner, such as by stroking against Christine’s leg.
Every day, Christine would take care of them by bringing them food and water a few times. The kitten changed from being quite timid to allowing her human friend to steady her as she ate.
It was time for Christine to start planning how to securely get both kittens home as the furry family was beginning to thrive.
Christine began to wonder how she would manage to transport both creatures home, but later that month the mother, whom she named Sandy, abruptly disappeared, leaving behind her youngster Felix.
Because pets weren’t allowed, she and a friend made a makeshift home with sand bags for the kitten, but little Felix was too clever. “Even though she could not walk, she could climb up that sand bag wall and then fall out on the other side.”
A friend later constructed a little house for Felix where Christine would visit twice daily to look after her feline baby.
She brought cat treats and toys sent by her family from North Carolina. Every day she looked forward to spending some quality time with her best friend which became the highlight of her days.
They became inseparable, and Felix would give Christine the biggest hugs every time she went visit. “She was so sweet and I could tell she appreciated me taking care of her when her mom left,” she said. “She makes me cry sometimes still because she looks at me like I’m her mom.”
Christine felt helpless without a method to bring Felix home after the canine unit turned down her request to ride back to the States.
Then, one day, Christine’s luck turned when a vet connected her with an animal rescuer in Kabul who could help, when she was giving Felix some vaccines. She quickly got in touch with Pam Constable after finding new hope, and Pam agreed to foster Felix in Kabul and eventually bring her back to the US.
At the base’s back gate, Christine hired a vehicle for $300 to pick up Felix and transport him to Constable’s Animal Shelter in Kabul.
It took us just over an hour to go from Kabul to our base, and IEDs are always a possibility. I was concerned for her. I wasn’t sure if I would ever see her again or if they would let me take her home. I think I started crying,” Christine remembered.
In February 2009, Christine went back home. Constable’s return to Virginia had to be delayed until the spring, and she had to fork up nearly $2,000 to fly Felix home in the meanwhile. Bouldin claims, “I didn’t even care what I had to pay, I would have definitely paid more.”
She would have to drive five hours from North Carolina to get her cat. Felix was a bit skittish at first, Christine says, “But she warmed up to me fairly fast.”
As for Constable, “I knew I was going to miss her … But I was very glad she made it through all of that back to the person who had rescued her.”
It was quite the journey but Felix finally made it home safe!
She has even found a furry best friend to cuddle with every day. She calls them “two peas in a pod.”
Felix may be a little unsteady, but he can jump, play, and pounce like any other cat. She has no trouble even using the litter box.
“She managed to accomplish what she needed to. Because so many people undervalue animals, Pam told People Pets, “It’s incredibly encouraging to witness an animal like that just battle to live.
Christine claims that, just like she repeatedly did during her deployment, she can always rely on her little Felix to make her feel better. They will never be apart since they can always rely on one another.
She said, “When she greets me, her tiny tail vibrates with joy. “Felix is an angel that God sent to me.”
