A heartwarming story was shared by a son who gave his mom a robot cat as a replacement for her beloved pet of nine years. Virginia Smith, who has mild dementia and mobility issues and requires round-the-clock care, has been a cat owner all her life, as her son James Allen Smith recalls. However, after their father passed away two years ago, Virginia’s health started to decline, and she had to move from assisted living facilities to an adult family home in Seattle. Unfortunately, the 81-year-old couldn’t take her cat with her and had to leave it with James back in Texas.
According to James, it was a real challenge for his mother to find an assisted living facility that allowed cats. Despite this, she still expressed her desire to have a feline companion every time they spoke. To surprise her on her birthday, James suggested getting her a cat and even considered buying a robot one as a joke. However, upon researching, they found out that Hasbro makes robot cats for around $100 (£77).
James expressed his excitement as he gave the toy to his mother, describing it as her possession that is not only mobile but also highly responsive. He was thrilled to witness her immediate bonding with the robot cat, which he found fantastic. Within seconds of receiving the cat, Virginia began interacting with it, looking at it as though it were a real cat. James was touched by the expression on her face, which he hadn’t seen for a long time, and found the experience incredibly moving and amazing.
Despite only having the cat for a day, James is confident that Virginia will remain enamored with it. According to him, Virginia was thrilled with the feline when he spoke to her in the morning. She mentioned that the cat had slept soundly throughout the night and even purred contentedly on her stomach as she stroked it. Virginia named the cat Robbie and has already started referring to it as a “he.” James suspects that Virginia will continue to adore the cat, so he might have to acquire a few backups to ensure that she always has a furry companion by her side. As everyone knows, once someone becomes a cat person, they tend to remain one for life!
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