As a Kent, UK man struggled to break free of his addiction to alcohol, his cat remained by his side and inspired him to get better.
Robin Barry considered himself “more of a dog person” before his wife adopted a kitten while he was in rehabilitation. But it seems that Frank the cat may have made Barry a convert!
“I’m the first to admit I was always more of a dog person and couldn’t see what the fuss was about at first,” he told Kent Online. “But when I got home and met Frank, my heart just melted.”
Frank’s companionship and loyalty inspired Barry to stay on the road to recovery, and he was able to become sober.
“He became my number one supporter, following me about and being a constant companion,” Barry told the publication. “I was on a lot of medication and was very vulnerable and lost but Frank never left my side…With his support, I came through the other side.”
And when Frank became sick two years later with a “twisted gut,” the Barry’s didn’t hesitate to do what they could to make the kitty better.
“My wife and I had been saving for a holiday with all the money I had not spent on alcohol,” he said to Kent Online. “But there was never any question of what we should do – Frank saved my life and we were able to save his by paying for the best possible care.”
Because of Frank’s life-saving loyalty, the four-year-old kitty has become one of three finalists of the Cats Protection’s National Cat Award 2016 in the Purina® Better Together category (the contest is sponsored by Purina). There were hundreds of contestants, but Frank’s amazing story landed him a spot amidst the top nominees.
If Frank wins on August 4th, he’ll be awarded “a trophy, a pet-store voucher, a year’s subscription to Cats Protection’s The Cat magazine and a three-month supply of Purina® cat food,”explains the Cat’s Protection website. Then of course, there’s the meowing rights. The victorious Frank would then go on to compete for the highly-coveted title of “National Cat of the Year.”
We wish Frank and the Barry’s the best of luck! But whether or not Frank wins the title, this family has already received the best gift of all: a new lease on life and the unconditional love and loyalty of one special cat!
(h/t: Kent Online)