I met Anna on February 4th, 2023, a few minutes past 6 p.m. I had just returned from where I was learning a skill. Our compound was large, with many tenants, and one of my neighbors owned Anna, a pure white, lean, and beautiful cat.
Many people avoided her out of fear, influenced by cultural beliefs. She stared at me for a moment, then ran, jumping over the fence until she was out of sight. I stood there wondering why she ran away.
For a week, I didn’t see her. Then one moonlit evening, as I sat outside alone enjoying the cool breeze, I noticed movement beside me. It was Anna. Her golden eyes glowed in the night, and she swished her tail — which I took as a happy greeting.
“Come, Anna,” I said, half expecting her to run again. But she came closer, and I gently patted her head. She looked at me, eyes curious, before walking away. At that moment, I felt a connection I couldn’t explain.
The next morning, as I opened my door to leave for work, Anna was there. I patted her back and saw her tail swish again. She followed me to the gate before I gently sent her back, knowing I couldn’t care for her myself.
Later, I spoke to her owner — let’s call her Aisha. I asked why Anna was so thin, and Aisha admitted she didn’t know. She said Anna had been eating less and losing weight every day. I asked if she had taken her to a vet; she shook her head. I offered to take her, even if it meant finding a cat specialist, but Aisha declined, saying she’d handle it.
Two days passed without seeing Anna. I hoped she was at the vet. But four days later, when I asked again, Aisha told me Anna had died two days earlier. I never saw her again.
I’m not a vet, but I believe Anna died from neglect and lack of care. Her loss showed me that I could form a deep bond with an animal — even in such a short time.
Fast forward to late 2024, I met a friend whose love for cats reminded me of Anna. Soon after, I discovered EveryCat Health Foundation, and I knew I wanted to help make sure no other cat has to go through what Anna did.
~ Princess Kennedy
Princess Kennedy lives in northern Nigeria. She is a Virtual Assistant with a BA in Theatre Arts from Delta State University. Princess enjoys writing screenplays and seeing animals happy.