26 Your Cat November 2017š
real
life
A close bond
W
e all know how
much of a comfort
our cats can be
in times of need.
Having a purring ball of fur
to snuggle up with can help
anyone feel better.
For 12-year-old Evie
Henderson, from NorthAfter being diagnosed with cancer, comfort came to young Evie
in an unlikely, furry package, writes Rachel Armitage.
Genie has
supported Evie
through her illness.Hykeham, Lincolnshire, her cat
has truly been her rock.
Black and white moggy
Genie had a tough start to life
— she was a rescue cat from
Wood Green, The Animals
Charity, in Godmanchester,
Cambridgeshire, rehomed by
Evie’s family when she was
a year old.
“We brought herhome with us when we heard
her story — her elderly owner
had died and her littermate
had died too. We felt so sorry
for her!” says Evie’s mum, Tina.
“We also wanted to rehome
her because she’s a black
cat, and often black cats are
harder to rehome.”
Genie is described by Tina
and Evie as having been a bitgrumpy when she first came
home. She was more of an
outdoor cat and was a bit
reluctant to have cuddles, but
she took to Evie more than
anyone else.
Tina adds: “Her personality
completely changed when
Evie became ill. That’s when
she became so attentive; it
was a complete turnaround.”TOUGH TIMES
Evie was diagnosed in March
2016, after she complained of
leg pain following a friend’s
party. It was initially thought
that she had shin splints from
dancing on the hard floor, but
the pain didn’t go away. After
going back and forth to the
doctor’s, Tina asked for an
X-ray to be carried out.
The X-ray found that Evie
had an aggressive form of
bone cancer. She underwent
six gruelling rounds of
chemotherapy and several
painful operations, as well as
lengthy hospital stays far26 Y CtN b^2017Henderson, from North Evie s fami
aGenie was quite
grumpy at fi rst.Genie and Evie share
a special bond.Image: Fabio de Paola/PA Wire.26-27 YC Evie-Real Life CS RACC.indd 26 29/09/2017 12:50