Was Tabby's Behavior a Harbinger of the Stroke?

by Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger

08 May 2008 07:38 PM

My mom had her stroke on Tuesday, but reflecting on it now I'm wondering if Tabby knew something was up on Monday.

Ever since my mom moved here, Tabby's been her girl. She's on her lap whenever possible, guards her room at night, watches the sun rise with her in the mornings, and in general keeps tabs on her wherever she goes. Basically, they've become best buddies.

But on Monday, Tabby was even more of a shadow than usual.

Right from the time my mom woke up she kept talking about the cat.

"Come see what this cat is doing," she called to me.

I headed into her room and saw Tab sprawled out next to her looking as about as content as ever. The second I walked in, though, she sprang to the end of the bed and started meowing like crazy.

I thought she was just being cute and extra vocal, but what if she had been trying to tell me, "You need to watch her. Something bad's going to happen."

Then when my mom finally got dressed and headed downstairs, there was Tab right with her. Not so unusual. But when my mom's fang cord got caught on the banister, she stopped and went back up to untangle it. When Tab realized my mom was no longer right behind her, she zoomed around in her tracks too and caught back up with my mom, making sure to keep pace with her this time. That was unusual.

"Man, she's really being your little buddy today, isn't she?" I laughed.

"She's been like that all morning," my mom said, giving me one of her I'm-very-amused-with-the-cat looks. "I don't know what that's all about."

At that point the story of the nursing home cat who sensed death popped into my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. For one, I didn't want to think what that meant, but for another I figured I was probably trying to make something of nothing.

Yet, looking back on it now, I can't help but wonder if maybe Tab was tuned in to something I wasn't.

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Learn more about Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k.

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