Last year, after Isadora Monteiro’s father, Sebage, passed away suddenly, it was a difficult time for his entire family.
Monteiro dropped everything to see to his affairs, including the rehoming of his beloved pets. Among them was Tina, her father’s cherished pet of 10 years.
“Tina and the other pets became my family, an extension of my father and a way of keeping him close,” Monteiro told The Dodo.
Since then, Monteiro and her father’s pets have been instrumental in helping one another heal from his passing, Monteiro said: “I did everything to make sure his animals didn’t suffer so much.”
But in the wordless interactions of their deepening bonds, Monteiro began to wonder if the memory of her dad still lingered in their hearts — especially Tina’s.
“I don’t know exactly how Tina dealt with my father’s absence right after he died,” Monteiro said. “I wanted to know.”
So, she endeavored to find out.
One day, with Tina by her side, Monteiro pulled up a video of her father speaking on camera. And, sure enough, the cat was immediately transfixed.
Tina’s emotional reaction made clear that, in all that time, he’d never truly left her mind.
“I was very touched to discover that she still remembers him after a year,” Monteiro said.
Here’s footage of that moment:Isadora Monteiro
For Monteiro, it offered a glimpse into Tina’s heart.
“I think I understand Tina better [now],” Monteiro said. “I understand the impacts of my father’s death on her and a bit of the relationship they had.”
Though nothing can change the reality of Monteiro’s father’s passing, the moment of Tina’s bittersweet remembrance serves as a reminder that he’s present in the legacy of love he left behind — and that they still have one another.
“It’s comforting,” Monteiro said. “I can’t love Tina more, because I loved her like my father from day one. And she seems to love me. She sleeps with me every night.”
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SWEET VIDEO!