A black cat not just like other cats

 Black cats have always been associated with death, bad omens, but this one particular proved all those superstitions wrong. 

Roy and Bernita had known each other for several years. When Roy finally asked Benita the big question, she didn’t take a second to say yes. They tied the knot only a few months after, not realizing that they just put their feet into misery that would end up testing their patience to the limit.

They were a happily married  couple who only wished to expand their family, have babies and watch them grow. This was their idea of a perfect life, a life that wasn’t that easy to obtain, as their path was paved with obstacles and sorrow.

Bernita was unable to conceive for the next couple of years following their marriage. The couple had several tests and medical procedures done. Still, nothing worked. 

When Bernita was finally able to conceive, new complications occurred. The doctors informed her that her case was complicated and both herself and the unborn baby needed special care. Roy stood with his wife in the crucial times and supported in all the possible ways. But their struggles didn’t seem to end anytime soon.

After a long wait and hundreds of clinic appointments, the couple finally got the most awaited news. But their happiness wasn’t meant to last long. Bernita had a miscarriage in the first term of her pregnancy. She thought that losing her baby so prematurely was the most pain she could ever handle. Little did she know this was just the beginning of it.

She had three more miscarriages in the years that followed. Her hopes of having a baby were becoming bleak. She was heartbroken,losing three unborn children wasn’t an easy pain to get over. Both her and her husband were slowly diving into a deep well of sorrow, they both needed cheerful news, or at least one last straw of hope to hold onto.

Roy and Bernita started to think about other options. Before they even initiate the adoption process, something caught their eye. 

When Bernita couldn’t find any reason to be happy, a cute little guest started showing up in her backyard. Her lovely visitor was a young stray tomcat who used to hop inside the backyard. Even though she wasn’t much of an animal lover, she never scared him away. This tiny black kitten was soon going to make her live the most shocking moment of her already shocked-full life.

Cats are known to have an attitude that not every attention-seeking owner is able to handle. An attitude that can make their owners doubt if their cat loves them at all. 

The cat was initially scared of Bernita until she started leaving milk and bread for him in small bowls by the entrance. The cat soon became familiar with her. This was the first time she got friendly with an animal, and it felt nice.

When Bernita told her husband Roy about the cat, he couldn’t help but  notice a spark in her eyes that was lost for a long time. Seeing his wife happy, Roy decided to adopt the cat. They took him to the vet, got all the necessary vaccinations done, however, they weren’t ready yet to welcome him home.

The couple had no past experience with pets, which was their main reason for concern. Luckily, their vet reassured them, all they needed to do was give the kitten time and space and it’ll eventually grow used to the environment and become familiar with them. 

The kitten was brought home with a lot of love and sparkly eyes, Bernita named him Midnight because of his color. Midnight filled the house with happiness. They even introduced the new member of their family to their relatives and neighbors. But can an animal really replace a human baby in anyone’s life?

Midnight became a lucky charm for the couple as Bernita got pregnant within a month of welcoming the cat. After their old disappointments, the couple decided not to tell anyone about the pregnancy this time. 

Unlike her previous pregnancies, Bernita was less scared of what would happen next, she finally  regained her hope of becoming a mother. 

The nine months of pregnancy went by without any complications. Over these months, Bernita and Midnight became best friends. She was never able to understand the reason for Midnight’s immense affection towards her. Little did she know it was the baby she carried inside her. 

Bernita gave birth to a baby girl whom Roy named Stacey. With the baby finally here, the couple felt like their family was completed. But the clouds of gloom haven’t left the Rogers’ residence, not just yet.

Roy and Bernita were willing to give their all for Stacey, they couldn’t risk anything harmful happening to her, “I do believe Stacey’s birth was a miracle. I don’t know that I can put into words how long we waited and how special that made her,” recalled Bernita. 

“He was always looking at her,” Bernita recalled. According to her, Midnight was “always in the room with her.” Midnight became less demanding after the baby girl’s birth. He just followed the little girl wherever she was taken.

Midnight was extremely possessive when it came to Stacey. Anytime her parents took her to the clinic, the cat would wait for her at the door for long hours. 

He neither insisted on going out for a walk nor tricked anyone into playing with him. Midnight stared at Stacey every time she made a movement. He was like a silent watcher. His affection towards the little one was now known to everyone who visited the Rogers home.

The couple was doing their best to take care of their little girl but apparently this wasn’t enough. One day, Stacey started crying and couldn’t stop for the whole night despite all their efforts, her parents rushed her to the hospital without any delay..

The doctors informed the couple that there was nothing to worry about and the baby had a mild cold that was troubling her sleep.

As Bernita started to feel that her baby girl was completely fine, Midnight  to act strangely around the kid. Unlike before, he used to meow relentlessly. He used to climb curtains and stare at the little girl from the top.

Bernita kept trying to distance it from her baby, but that didn’t work. At first, she was concerned for Stacey but Roy assured her that the cat will never cause their daughter any harm. She then ignored the cat thinking he was trying to get her attention but was that it?

Bernita was thankful that her daughter was getting better and started to sleep in her own room again. She always made sure to keep the baby monitor on, to make sure that her baby ws well at all times. But her nightmare was waiting for her around the corner.

“He came and he jumped in my lap, and he jumped down, then he jumped back in my lap. He was pretty persistent. He obviously wanted me to do something, but I really wasn’t interested,” remembered Bernita of the night when Midnight was behaving like anything but normal. What happened next left everyone in awe.

It was extremely late at night when Bernita heard a loud noise coming from the baby monitor. It wasn’t Stacey’s cry, something else was making that sound. She quickly understood who was making this sound, but couldn’t grasp why.

It was Midnight meowing very close to the baby monitor. Bernita tried to ignore him to get some sleep on a rocking chair but Midnight’s growling was nowhere close to ending. The yowling was so loud that Bernita gave up and ran upstairs to see what was going on.

“It was this screech, wail, scream, cry. It was frightening enough that I jumped out of the chair and ran upstairs.” Bernita was shocked when she understood the reason behind Midnight’s strange behavior. It was a call for help from the little black friend.

As Bernita hurried to her baby’s room she tried to hush down Midnight who just kept crying even louder

It was surprising as Midnight has never been this stubborn before. Bernita looked away from her at the cradle and that was it. Everything became clear,  Midnight was meowing all this time to call for help .

 Stacey wasn’t able to breathe, her body  was changing to blue. Bernita was horrified by the sight, so she picked her up and drove to the hospital. Stacey was then taken to the emergency room. 

The doctors informed Stacey’s parents that they made it to the hospital right on time, had they been only a few minutes late, they would’ve lost their baby girl for good. She was suffering from  severe respiratory failure, one her body wouldn’t have handled if she wasn’t taken to the hospital on time.

Bernita and Roy waited outside the emergency room the whole night, dying of worry. The doctors were thankfully able to save the little girl’s life. Stacey was now out of danger thanks to Midnight’s cries for help and persistence.

“This cat actually saved this baby's life for us. There’s no way we can repay him,” said Bernita. The couple was right when they started calling Midnight a lucky charm. Now, Midnight became a hero for the Rogers family, not just a lucky charm.

Luckily, after this incident, Stacey was never admitted to the hospital ever again. She recovered and lived a healthy childhood. Thanks to Midnight she is living a fulfilled life. “Midnight is a good friend, and I love him dearly because he’s always been around for me,” said Stacey.

The unbelievable story of Midnight, the black cat and the Rogers family was shared with the world on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Midnight touched thousands of hearts that day. 

 

After living a long and healthy life as an important member of the Rogers family, Midnight said goodbye to his beloved family and his favorite girl, Stacey. 

The Rogers conducted a small funeral for Midnight, the cat without whom their little girl wouldn’t be alive. 

Midnight didn’t only save Stacey’s life, but the entire Rogers family from falling apart.

 

Stacey was not perfectly healthy but both Bernita and Roy were doing everything they could. So far, Stacey was just underweight but not ill. Her weight was also improving with time. However, this case was about to change very quickly.