From Heartbreak to Healing

Senior shelter cat mends a broken heart

The tears had finally stopped flowing, but the ache in Marina’s heart remained. Weeks after fleeing war-torn Ukraine and leaving behind the only home she had ever known, her husband Volodymyr had left her too.

Alone in an unfamiliar town, every day was a struggle for Marina. The four bare walls of her tiny flat in Plymouth seemed to close in on her. She missed falling asleep to Volodymyr’s soft snores and waking to the smell of his burnt toast. The silence was deafening.

On a grey Saturday morning, Marina found herself wandering aimlessly along the city streets. As she passed a weathered building, a colorful sign caught her eye — “Plymouth Cat Rescue”. On a whim, she stepped inside.

As Marina walked down the rows of enclosures, an elderly tabby cat with crooked whiskers reached his paw through the bars. When she stopped to pet him, a raspy purr emanated from his throat. Bending down to read his info card, she learned his name was Maximilian. He was 12 years old and had been rescued as a sickly stray kitten.

“You and I are two of a kind,” Marina whispered. Max head-butted her face and let out a low meow. Right then, Marina knew fate had brought them together.