Pets in Crisis: a turning point for Veronica

From crisis to comfort 

RSPCA WA flew Misty and Felix down to Perth to be taken care of temporarily while Veronica secured a safe, long-term home for the three of them. 87 days later, they were finally reunited. 

“I can’t describe what it was like to be reunited with them again. Felix does this thing where he announces when he’s in the room, like he’d make this sound, and I didn’t realise until he was back in my life just how much I’d been imagining that sound. It’s like, he was with me the whole time in my head.” 

As for her eldest, Veronica had worried about how Misty would cope without her. 

“Misty has always been a one-person cat. Even now, she just follows me around like my little shadow. I missed that so much.”  

Thankfully, all her worries about how her babies had been impacted by the time apart disappeared when she picked them up from the airport. 

“I can't believe how much dental work and everything they had done, and they’d taken care of Misty’s lymphoma. It was such a relief, because when they’ve had to go into boarding in the past, even just for a week, they lost weight and their fur wasn’t the same.” 

Of course, it wasn’t easy being away from Misty and Felix for so long, but Veronica said the updates from RSPCA WA’s Program Manager, Nicky, gave her the reassurance she needed. 

“Nicky was amazing. She’d been trying to contact the refuge I was at, but the all the management had been like changed over, so she couldn't get in touch with me. But she ended up tracking me down to give me updates on how they’re going and on Misty’s health, because she knew I was dying to know,” she said.

A narrow escape 

Looking back, Veronica shuddered at the thought of what would’ve happened if she hadn’t found Pets in Crisis. 

“I was just going to be homeless with the cats. It did cross my mind a couple of times to just to go back to my ex,” she said.  
  
“That was another time the cats probably saved my life. My ex told me that if I left, he wouldn’t feed the cats, and that just dissipated any lingering love I had for him. What kind of person could do that? It was just a threat, but it wasn’t a risk I was willing to take.” 

A safe home and a brighter future 

Now that the dust has settled, life for Veronica, Misty and Felix is unrecognisable from the abusive environment they escaped, and the threat of homelessness Veronica faced not long ago. 

“They’re so happy now. It was always loud and there was so much yelling, and it wasn't a comfortable environment for them to show emotion. But now, Misty lays on my chest and it’s just like she's a kitten again, like jumping around all the time.” 

Having faced significant challenges over the years, Veronica credits her cats with giving her both purpose and strength. These days, even routine tasks like replacing their kitty litter are something she treasures.

“Just looking after an animal – having someone to care for just takes you out of your head so much. There were so many times where it just would’ve been madness if I didn’t have them to think about. I don’t know how I would’ve got through without them.” 

It wasn’t just Veronica and her two fur babies who were impacted by the support she received in a time of need. 

“It’s had a ripple effect on my Mum and sister, who live in Darwin, and on my Dad, who lives in Tasmania, because they know how much my cats mean to me and they know I wouldn’t have been okay if my cats hadn’t had been okay. So, when I came to know about Pets in Crisis, it was a relief for more than just me. It was a relief for them, too.”