FAMILY LOVE STORY | Brooke Sokoloski

SO MUCH LOVE & CARE FOR HER SPECIAL NEEDS CAT

NAPERVILLE–Brooke is used to living an active vibrant life as a graduate of Neuqua Valley High School who facilitated local book drives for charity and participates in the LGBTQ community. She continued her involvement at Hofstra University as a Resident Assistant and interned with YA imprint at Macmillan Publishers; so, living away from her Naperville family and friends, in the middle of a pandemic became very lonely upon her college graduation.

With a heart of gold and love to share, Brooke sought to adopt a cat. She grew up with cats and knew the companionship one could bring; furthermore, Brooke was also aware that it is difficult for shelters to place special needs cats in forever homes because people think that they propose to many challenges.

“Special needs cats are just as deserving of a family, even if it means giving them a little extra attention and patience,” Brooke shares. So, she adopted Novie, originally named Finch, a three-year-old cat with special from North Shore Animal League on Long Island.

“Novie (short for adoptive month of November) has cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), which means the part of her brain in charge of balance is underdeveloped,” Brooke adds. “Some cats with moderate CH walk a little wobbly, but Novie has a severe case. She cannot jump, walk, or even stand, yet she is very capable and determined. She rolls, flops, and drags herself across the room to get where she wants (the floor is covered in foam yoga mats to make it easy for her). She uses the litterbox and eats food just like any "normal" cat does. Honestly, the way she moves around is adorable and it just makes her more charming to all who meet her.”

Although Brooke has been almost completely shut in her apartment because of COVID, she is not lonely because she hangs with Novie every day.

“It truly feels like I've become a mother because Novie is so much like a baby - sometimes she's feeling hyper and independent, and other times she just likes to cuddle up on my arm and sleep.”

Novie is a great companion while Brooke completes her daily tasks working in data entry with the hopes to enter the children's publishing industry in the very near future.

To share in the love, you can follow Novie via her Instagram page @noviefinch. -

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KANE

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