Anticipation
Crosby was trying to tell him something but he didn’t understand. He looked at the wall in question and back at the footage.
He got up off his chair and walked over to the wall. The usually sullen Crosby raced over and barked in excitement. It was the most alive he’d seen Crosby in weeks. Feeling encouraged, he placed his ear on the wall.
Crosby's Owner
Ever since 29-year-old George Miller adopted his dog Crosby, they’ve been inseparable. As a single young man living in a big city far away from any relatives, Crosby is not only Miller’s best friend but his family. They do everything together.
Miller describes Crosby as loyal and sensitive, and one of the friendliest dogs you’ll ever meet. But there was something else that Miller didn’t know about his beloved pooch.
Quality Time
The incident left Miller stunned. He had no idea how his dog did that, moreover, how his dog was able to communicate so effectively with him. It was as if Miller had never fully seen him before.
Miller often took Crosby out for walks and playtime at the dog park. He was always amused at how easily Crosby got attached to his surroundings, as well as other animals.
The Three Musketeers
Like most dogs, Crosby was naturally very trusting with an insatiable curiosity. These traits led him into all sorts of mischief but also to his best friends. The dog and cat next door. They had been best friends for nearly 8 years until disaster struck.
Crosby lost both of his furry friends back to back within a few short months. Their owner was devastated but something in Crosby changed.
Missing Signs
At first, Miller didn’t think much of Crosby’s different behavior. He carried on with their daily routines and his work as usual, completely oblivious to the warning signs.
Then one day, Miller returned from a long day at work expecting Crosby to greet him at the door like always. Instead, he saw something he never wanted to see again.
An Eery Incident
Crosby looked static, almost possessed as he stared unblinking at the living room wall. Miller called his name but he didn’t turn around. What was wrong with him? Could he hear Miller?
Miller raised his voice as he called for him again. Still no reaction. So he walked over to him and his eyes followed Crosby’s to the spot on the wall. What was he staring at? What was happening?
In A Trance
It wasn’t until Miller stood directly in front of Crosby and sweetly asked “what is it boy?” while giving him a worried rub that Crosby quickly snapped out of his trance.
Miller scratched his head as he tried to understand what happened. “He seems to hear me fine now”, Miller thought, “Maybe it was just a bug?”. But it wasn’t a bug. It was something much bigger.
Gloom And Doom
Everything seemed fine with Crosby that evening until it hit midnight. Miller went downstairs to get himself a glass of water when he saw doing the exact same strange behavior that worried him earlier.
Except this time, he noticed something different, there was a new gloominess to Crosby. He looked absolutely miserable as he hung his head low, staring at the exact same spot on the wall. Enough was enough.
Time For Answers
Miller woke up very early the next morning and drove straight to the store. He bought a recording camera with night vision, and installed it in the house before he went to work.
He waited until the next day to watch it. He had a whole day and night worth of footage to watch through. Was this what Crosby did when Miller was away? Why was he doing this? What would the camera record?
Getting Warmer!
Weird. The footage showed Crosby staring at this wall only when Miller was about to enter the room. He was trying to tell him something? Miller looked at the wall in question and back at the footage.
As he walked over to the wall, Crosby raced over and barked. It was the most alive he’d seen Crosby in weeks. Or more accurately, since his best friends had passed. With encouragement from Crosby, he placed his ear on the wall.
What Was Inside?
Crosby let out another cheerful bark as Miller dropped to his knees for a closer inspection. Suddenly, he heard a noise and froze. “What on earth was that?” he whispered.
His heartbeat raced as he realized something was inside the wall. His jaw dropped as he looked wildly back at Crosby.
A Hole
Miller broke off a piece of the wooden paneling that had fallen loose right next to the floor and was surprised to see a hole in the drywall.
He took a deep breath and plunged his hand in until he was elbow deep. But as he gingerly felt around inside, his eyes widened in disbelief.
Searching
Clumps of drywall poured everywhere, but then he thought he felt something different. He grabbed hold of it carefully and pulled it out, but it was just a handful of dirt, insulation, and drywall.
The cries became more urgent and he knew he was close. He dug through the dirt, clearing a way for his arm to go deeper down into the hole.
Something Inside
Carefully, Miller felt around inside the hole and his fingers brushed against something small and soft. He thought it might just be insulation from the wall, like before.
But, just then, Crosby let out a high-pitched whine -- as if encouraging him not to give up. His hand closed around the tiny creature, and when he pulled it up again his heart dropped.
Tiny Paws!
A little kitten had hidden itself within the loose wall paneling of the wall between his living room and washroom. However, what was bizarre about this was that the kitten closely resembled Crosby’s best cat friend.
Stranger still, Miller had no idea how the tiny kitten had ended up in this situation. But he suspected it had something to do with Crosby.
Questions
The tiny kitten was covered in dust. But how had she gotten inside the wall in the first place? And was her mother nearby? Would she look for her if he took her away? He had to think about what was best for the tiny creature.
What’s more, it was almost impossible for the kitten to have gotten inside the house by itself. Crosby must have brought her in somehow in all his despair for company.
Where Were Her Owners?
Miller carefully cleaned the little kitten up and gently wiped the dust from her fur with a damp cloth. He looked down at Crosby, who was wagging his tail wildly and looking very pleased with himself.
The kitten couldn't have been more than eight weeks old, and Miller had no idea how to properly care for her. He just hoped that she had owners who were looking for her.
Asking Around
Miller immediately looked for the kitten's owners but couldn’t find any. He went around to all his neighbors and even hung up posters. However, he never heard anything back.
Some neighbors told Miller that they had seen the kitten in the street before and think she’s a stray. Miller then took her to the vet.
At The Vet
The vet checked the kitten over, but apart from being ravenous and dirty, she seemed to be in perfect health. Then, the vet scanned the back of her neck to see if she had a microchip, but she didn’t.
Miller posted a photo on his neighborhood's Facebook group, but still, nobody came forward to claim her. Miller knew he had to make a tough decision soon.
The Final Straw
Meanwhile, Crosby loved having her around. He was becoming more and more like the joyful, goofy pup Miller knew him to be. But still, Miller never really wanted a cat, so he asked the vet about taking her to the shelter.
It broke his heart, but he was determined. Little did he know, the universe was working in Crosby’s favor.
Decision
“The vet basically told me that if I took her to the shelter she’d be turned away because there are already over 300 kittens at the county shelter alone that need homes," Miller said.
"He said I could try putting her outside and hope she goes home, or I could keep her.”
Happy Ever After!
With no choice but to keep her, Miller arrived home with a new member of their family and a very excited Crosby.
It was a win, win! Crosby was no longer lonely, and the kitten now had a loving home. Miller named the kitten Lil Ray-Ray. And Miller, well, he learned to pay more attention to what his dog is trying to tell him in the future.
Undeniable Bond
The more Miller saw how Crosby acted around Lil Ray-Ray, the more convinced he became that keeping the kitten was the best decision, after all.
Crosby even allowed the kitten to claw on him and make herself at home in his warm fur. Crosby put up with the kitten, even when she was using his fur as a scratching post.
Animals In Need
Thank goodness for people like Miller. But shelters all over the world need all the help they can get, so always remember: if you are unable to adopt, you may be able to foster.
If you are unable to foster, then you can donate, or even just help spread awareness about rescue organizations and the amazing animals waiting there for their forever homes!