A Touching MeoowzResQ Adoption Story
by foster Jan D.
Jacqueline Rodriguez was in the prime of life, enjoying college and working when she 
noticed a bump along her right cheek. After several failed attempts at diagnosis, she received the devastating news that there was cancer in one of her salivary glands. She was just 20 at the time. Part of her treatment and recovery involved not being able to close her right eye for an extended period and she had to lubricate it manually. After extensive surgery and 3 months of radiation treatment 5 days a week, Jacqueline made a full recovery from her cancer and is more beautiful and bubbly than ever. She and her fiance Paul Rodriguez were married just last March, 2014.
MeoowzResQ’s 4 month old kitten “Merida,” an orange tabby Manx, had a severe eye infection as an infant for which she’s had two surgeries. Still, the eye looks a little funny and she can’t open the affected eye all the way. But this never stops her from being extremely playful, energetic, very cuddly and amazingly cute with her petite little body, short tail with a curl on the end, and little white mittens on her feet. Once you meet her and experience her great personality you can’t help but love her.
When the couple was kitten shopping and saw the photos of “Brave” little Merida with her “special eye” online, they were immediately drawn to her. It was Jacqueline’s right eye that had also been affected when she was ill, and she felt an instant and profound connection with this special little kitty with the funny eye.
When they came to visit Merida and saw how sweet, cuddly and fun she is, they made the decision to make her a part of their fur-ever family and adopted her. They named her Ellie after the spunky little next door neighbor girl from the movie “Up” – which fits her perfectly. This beautiful young couple is now all set to enjoy their new marriage and new fur-baby Ellie; a little kitten with a big personality, who finally got her happily ever after.
