103-Year-Old Woman in Tears After Shelter Surprises Her With Cat for Birthday
When 103-year-old Lillian Grant’s cat Sammy passed away a few years ago, she was devastated. Since then, she’d been wishing for another cat to keep her company.
After Debbie Preland, the administrator at Ridgeview Gardens Assisted Living in Utah, asked her what she wanted most for her birthday, Lillian simply replied, “A sweet cat like Sammy.”
Debbie and other staff members knew they had to make her wish come true.
A week before Lillian’s birthday, Debbie contacted her brother Joseph Harradine, who is an animal services officer at St George Animal Shelter, hoping that they had a cat suitable for the centenarian.
And sure enough, a 9-year-old cat named Marley was on the hunt for a forever home after her previous owner had to give her up after moving into an assisted living facility.
Herradine explained that the shelter needed to make sure Marley would truly have a forever home.
But Debbie was more than happy to step up to the plate to bring such joy to one of her residents. In the event that Lillian could no longer care for Marley, Debbie agreed to be her owner.
A week later, Lillian’s friends had decided to throw her a surprise birthday party, and Debbie knew it would be the perfect time to give her the gift.
Just before they brought out her birthday cake, she explained that they had a very special surprise for her and brought Marley out.
The cat immediately took to Lillian, cuddling right up to her. But at first, Lillian didn’t realize the cat was meant as a gift and thought Marley was simply a party guest.
“I don’t think she quite understood that she was getting the cat, that it was going to be hers,” Harradine said.
But soon, Debbie explained it all. “Debbie leaned over and said, ‘This is going to be your cat now,’ and (Grant’s) eyes kind of squinted and it almost looked like she was crying,” he continued.
According to Debbie, Lillian and Marley are already the best of friends. Lillian has added onto her new companion’s name, calling her Marley Sammy after her beloved cat.
“Just to see her reaction choked me up,” Debbie said. “I actually had tears in my eyes. It was so sweet.”
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