~ Sara, Charlie and Keith ~

Nine years ago, Sara and her daughter, Charlie, met Keith, a black and white cat, who had been waiting day in, day out, for his forever home. From the moment they laid eyes on him, they knew he had found his forever home. 

In 2013, while volunteering at a local cat rescue, Sara and Charlie met a very sick little black and white kitten. He was brought in with the cat flu and had gastrointestinal issues. After a month, he still wasn’t getting any better. Charlie had fallen in love with him. He would follow her everywhere and climb on her shoulders as she worked with Sara at the rescue. 

Because of how much he had impacted her daughter, Sara decided to take him to a vet and got as many tests done as possible. Before adopting him, she wanted to make sure it was safe as she already had several other cats at home. The very next day, being Charlie’s 10th birthday, they went to the rescue and adopted the kitten! From that moment, he had found his forever home and a new name – Keith. 

While he had many health issues, Keith shared his big personality with everyone. It took four months of close monitoring but Sara helped nurse him to health. What has been really special is the bond that he and Charlie share. As someone with autism, Charlie found it hard to interact with her peers. Keith became her best friend and helped provide her with that connection. He waits for her every day to return from school and happily plays with her whenever she wants to. 

Early on, Sara found that Keith had a passion for arts and crafts. He has become quite an artist and does a lot of paintings. As well as this, he is also happy to help Charlie in any arts and crafts project she may be working on. 

Having Keith has brought so much joy into Sara’s life. Wherever he goes, he spreads happiness. Even on days that are challenging, having Keith makes everything a bit brighter. There’s just something about him that makes people smile, no matter what.

At the start of the Covid-19 lockdown, Charlie wanted to start an Instagram account for Keith, to share the joy he brings her with the world. Through this page, they share the ups and downs that Keith experiences as a result of his health issues, both physical and mental. However, Sara and Charlie hope that by sharing Keith with the world, they’re also sharing the positivity he brings. 

The impact that Keith has had on his humans has been huge. He has brought so much happiness and love into Sara and Charlie’s lives. Each day since adopting him has been made so much better simply because he’s there for them.