Interview with Skyla Spencer

Skyla Spencer is a country music artist & a new children's author!  She tells us how her love of animals started & about a couple of her current pets!

Animals have always been a huge part of my life.  I have always had a great respect and love for all of God’s creatures. I grew up in WV and had cats, dogs, horses, and a pet cow named Penny. Caring for animals came so easy to me. As a young child, maybe 6 or 7, I remember one time finding a small baby bunny in our back yard. It needed some TLC.  No mother was in sight and looked like it had been attacked by another animal. My dad and I fixed up a place for it in our basement and we kept it there for a few days until it regained it’s strength. Once it regained it’s strength, I set it free. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It took off and ran up the road. That was the first time I felt real sadness about parting with an animal. It broke my heart, but I knew it was the right thing to do.

Upon moving to Nashville a few years ago, I came with my two cats, Cotton and Chance. Both had brought me so much joy and I was so lucky to have them each for almost 15 years. Cotton was from a litter of cats we had, and Chance was a kitten given to me. They died a year apart. Cotton, who became diabetic as he got older, needed more care, and I learned a little more about the disease. I treated him with insulin shots for two years as prescribed by the vet. It was an adjustment in my life as I had to give him two injections a day. I planned this around my work schedule and cared for him and made him as comfortable as I could. After two years on insulin, he developed some other complications and had to have his gall bladder removed. He developed an infection that was resistent to antibiotics and took his life. I was truly heartbroken to loose him. He had been with me through so many things in life.
After the passing of Cotton, Chance seemed depressed a lot, and seemed like a different cat. I knew he was missing Cotton as they were always together. Chance developed cancer that year which took his life just a year later. I was holding him when he passed in my arms. One of the hardest things for me to do was to make the decision it was time to let him go. Everyone who loves animals and has pets know how hard it is to let go. They become a member of your family. I really wasn’t sure I wanted to even get another pet after Chance passed.

Pawl McCatney

Along Came Pawl McCatney and Princess Piper.This was two years ago. A friend of mine who lost her dog that was probably age 13 or 14 was taking good care of a stray cat in her neighborhood. She was trying to find a home for him. She loves animals, but never had a cat before and really wanted to get another dog at some point. I couldn’t take him in just yet, because Chance was dying and I knew it wasn’t the right time yet, and I wasn’t emotionally ready. She called him Pawl McCatney. A few weeks after Chance had passed I agreed to watch him for just the weekend, so I thought. I swore I didn’t want another pet and told her it was just for the weekend. The rest was history. As soon as I saw him I fell in love with him and agreed to take him if she wanted. She still comes and visits him sometimes. He is about age 8 and a large Maine Coon cat weighing probably 20 pounds. Some of his unique characteristics are: He loves to lay on your stomach, hates being outdoors, and loves music especially when I sing. He can be under the bed or anywhere in the house and as soon as I start singing he comes into the room. He is my number one fan.
I had Pawl for almost a year, but I still kind of wanted to get another cat or kitten. I heard through the same friend, that she had heard through the grapevine of someone that had a cat that needed a home. I went to check it out. They had a family and was really looking for someone to take good care of Piper.  They had several cats and a big dog roaming the back yard, and they were worried she may get hurt etc and really couldn’t keep her inside anymore.  She was this little teacup persian cat that weighed maybe 6 pounds. She was a cute tiny little thing. She looked like she could use some TLC so I just said I would take her. When I got her home she was covered in massive fleas. I bathed her and then a day later applied flea medicine and also took her to the vet. Needless to say, Pawl was furious about me bringing another cat home. It took him awhile to accept her, but eventually he warmed up to her, and liked me again. For a good month Piper would not leave her food. She would stay in the one room. I tried to get her to, but she was always afraid to leave her food. I think in the former environment she was living in she probably had some competition when it came to feeding time. After a month or so she figured it out that she was always going to have plenty to eat and started to venture into other areas of the house. Her and Pawl slowly became friends, and now love playing together. Some of Princess Piper’s characteristics are: She speaks loudly when she wants something, loves hanging out on the deck, and loves to cuddle on your shoulder.
No cats will replace Cotton and Chance, but I am so glad I decided to take these two in and give them a good home!