Molly: When Kittens Raise Kittens
[As before, to be imagined in the voice of Keith Morrison from Dateline]
It’s a Cinderella-kind of story. But not really. There was no evil step mother. No spoiled and entitled step sisters. But there certainly was one very strong, very determined cat who took it upon herself to care for her household.
But that care and determination, well… they come at a cost, don’t they?
Molly was one of four siblings when she came to her foster family as a tiny lass. Perhaps it was the early passing of one of her brothers that made her become the cat she was to be. She took it upon herself to become the disciplinarian, with a *bop* to the head of her brothers when they got out of line. Or when she began to manage the cleanings of her siblings, keeping them well groomed, even if it meant an upset stomach and some extra hairballs for her later on.
Why, from an early age she even took on care of the family dogs. No, not even the traditional boundaries of species was going to keep her from caring for those around her. It was just in her nature, a part of her very fiber of being.
It’s a Cinderella-kind of story. But not really. There was no evil step mother. No spoiled and entitled step sisters. But there certainly was one very strong, very determined cat who took it upon herself to care for her household.
But that care and determination, well… they come at a cost, don’t they?
Molly was one of four siblings when she came to her foster family as a tiny lass. Perhaps it was the early passing of one of her brothers that made her become the cat she was to be. She took it upon herself to become the disciplinarian, with a *bop* to the head of her brothers when they got out of line. Or when she began to manage the cleanings of her siblings, keeping them well groomed, even if it meant an upset stomach and some extra hairballs for her later on.
Why, from an early age she even took on care of the family dogs. No, not even the traditional boundaries of species was going to keep her from caring for those around her. It was just in her nature, a part of her very fiber of being.
And while her family gained its fame and infamy in the media, she also found herself thrust into that spotlight. The guardianship she assigned herself for her feline family, the protection she gave, the discipline she dolled out with a steady paw… yes, they earned her a reputation even outside of her home.
She was first noticed by Martha Stewart. While Molly’s brother Brock was in the court system under suspicion of wrongdoing, a chance encounter brought “Brockstar” into contact with Ms. Stewart while she was undergoing her own infamous legal troubles. He confided in her that it was his sister, the demure and publicly quiet Molly, that kept the family in line. And when Martha saw what Molly came into court wearing on one cold and windy day, she was struck by the poise - and the jaunty, feathered, self-made chapeau - that made her decide this was one cat that needed her own spotlight.
She was first noticed by Martha Stewart. While Molly’s brother Brock was in the court system under suspicion of wrongdoing, a chance encounter brought “Brockstar” into contact with Ms. Stewart while she was undergoing her own infamous legal troubles. He confided in her that it was his sister, the demure and publicly quiet Molly, that kept the family in line. And when Martha saw what Molly came into court wearing on one cold and windy day, she was struck by the poise - and the jaunty, feathered, self-made chapeau - that made her decide this was one cat that needed her own spotlight.
Molly was soon on the covers of Martha’s magazine, appearing on morning television shows, and even a Fourth of July special on HGTV. She was a natural in the kitchen, in the craft room, and now in the boardroom as she began to see an empire build up around her. And yet, while she had assistants, producers, tailors and designers flocking around her, Molly maintained the same serious, maternalistic demeanor at home. She still cared for the other cats, the dogs, her adoptive parents.
After a while, well, we know how the story goes. It became too much for her. The long hours, the television appearances, flying to Europe to sample fabrics and Morocco to taste custom-ground spices… it was more than one cat could bear alone.
To comfort herself, Molly turned to her own vices. She stopped caring for the dogs and instead took to… well, let’s just say the time she was spending with them was beginning to raise some eyebrows.
After a while, well, we know how the story goes. It became too much for her. The long hours, the television appearances, flying to Europe to sample fabrics and Morocco to taste custom-ground spices… it was more than one cat could bear alone.
To comfort herself, Molly turned to her own vices. She stopped caring for the dogs and instead took to… well, let’s just say the time she was spending with them was beginning to raise some eyebrows.
Unlike the Cinderella whose story she seemed to be following, there was no Fairy Godmother, no chariot of mice to cart her away from her hard and demanding existence. “I found her one morning, unconscious from exhaustion,” her Humom told this reporter. “We knew she’d gone too far - taken on too much for her to bear alone.”
At first she went to a local, out of the way rehab center, but they weren’t prepared to deal with helping her meet the demands of her life. The Betty Ford Clinic finally was able to help her deal with her plight. The Cat Wing of the Ford Clinic was her home for several months.
And when she emerged… she was a cat reborn. She had decided to shed the shackles of celebrity, to return to her humble home. That same home that had once been such a burden on her, had once been the place that demanded so much, well now it felt like slipping on that old comfortable set of shoes.
At first she went to a local, out of the way rehab center, but they weren’t prepared to deal with helping her meet the demands of her life. The Betty Ford Clinic finally was able to help her deal with her plight. The Cat Wing of the Ford Clinic was her home for several months.
And when she emerged… she was a cat reborn. She had decided to shed the shackles of celebrity, to return to her humble home. That same home that had once been such a burden on her, had once been the place that demanded so much, well now it felt like slipping on that old comfortable set of shoes.
Molly now lives back with her family - her adoptive parents, her famous and infamous siblings, and even the dogs. She has given up the fame, the fickle fortunes of the limelight. These days, Molly - once the media darling of runways and craft shows - can be found lounging on the catio, soaking in the sunlight of a warm Oklahoma afternoon.
She still keeps one eye on the television though, watching for her old mentor and confidant Martha, and thinking… someday. Maybe someday…
She still keeps one eye on the television though, watching for her old mentor and confidant Martha, and thinking… someday. Maybe someday…
Next in our series, we follow Molly's tiny sister, Sauerkraut - overcoming her health challenges only to fall prey to the tough life of an inner-city kitten. The Thug Life - Loving It and Leaving It, in Part 3 of our exposé.
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