Kelly Nugent flew from Florida to New York two months ago to care for her father. She even brought her cat, Sweet Potato, along to help her.
Nugent’s father was undergoing treatment for bone marrow cancer, and she wanted to be with him as much as possible. “He started having a lot of trouble getting around and doing things,” Nugent told The Dodo. “He very much needed 24-hour care while he was recuperating.” “I knew I just had to be there with my dad since he’s my best buddy.”
Her 2-year-old cat isn’t a certified therapy animal, but he’s a close second.
Nugent described him as “the cutest cat in the planet.” “He just adores everyone and longs to be in the company of others.” He’s got a dog’s personality.”
While Nugent’s father adores animals, he is more of a dog guy. He’d never had a cat before and didn’t think of them as especially affectionate or helpful creatures. Sweet Potato, on the other hand, made sure to modify everything.
“As soon as we got there and Sweet Potato acclimated, he became a madman for my dad,” Nugent said. “He would not leave his side, and still, to this day, they’re just attached at the hip.”
“It’s just the sweetest thing you could ever see because I know [Sweet Potato] can sense something’s wrong and that he’s needed,” Nugent added. “So he kind of just stepped up to the plate and was like, ‘This is my job now. I’m gonna help heal you.’ It’s like he knew.”
The cat and her father have become inseparable in the two months since Nugent and Sweet Potato came, and they do everything together.
“So my dad sits in a chair and puts his arm on the recliner, and Sweet Potato will jump up and sit in the tiny nook in his arm and snuggle with him every single time,” Nugent said. “He’ll sleep on his bed or in his room,” says the narrator.
Sweet Potato will jump on my father’s keyboard while he is using his computer. Sweet Potato will sit on the paperwork whenever my father sits at the table to do any paperwork. All he needs to do is stay on top of him.”
Nugent began uploading videos of Sweet Potato and her father on TikTok, and the adorable videos have amassed a significant following. “It was very nice to him when I read him all the comments,” Nugent recalled, “that so many strange people were pulling for him.”
However, Nugent and her father’s favorite joke is that he and Sweet Potato are almost identical twins. “The fact that so many people remark they look alike is my favorite aspect,” Nugent added. “My dad has a white mustache, and Sweet Potato has a white mustache… and it makes us giggle so hard.”
Nugent’s father’s health has substantially improved since nurse Sweet Potato took over. And she can’t help but believe her cat played a role in it.
“I honestly believe Sweet Potato’s emotional support, cuddling, and just being there — it’s had a significant influence on him,” she added.
Credit: KELLY NUGENT
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