A cat given just two weeks to live has beaten all odds to join her family on their campervan adventure to the Top End.
Queensland couple Andrew and Bernice Kostecki didn’t quite plan to be in Katherine as the 40 degree days, typical of the build up, were setting in.
But Bella the cat, diagnosed with a stomach tumor five months ago, is a fighter.
The couple couldn’t wait any longer for their beloved pet to die, so they packed her up with the rest of their belongings and hit the road.
“The back seat is where she is happiest,” Mr Kostecki said, “she just loves looking out the window.”
Bella sits in the back and whenever the couple stops for a rest, she hops out to stretch her legs too.
There was no way the Kosteckis were leaving the cat at home alone, she just would not have survive with out them.
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“Four years ago we went to Norfolk Island, we put Bella in a cat care and she fretted the whole time. When we got back she was as thin as thin, the vet had to force feed her.
“We couldn’t do that to her again.”
The well travelled cat just might be on the last trip of her life.
Mr and Ms Kostecki, however, are well prepared.
“We have it all sorted, we know where we can get her cremated and where we can buy a little box with her name on it – you can do it in most of the bigger towns,” Mr Kostecki said.
“We have researched this so she will always be with us,” he said.
Currently, the trip is open ended – much depending on Bella’s health.
While she is strong, the couple said they have been enjoying the national parks and famous swimming spots around Katherine.
“We have missed out on getting some tips from other travellers because we are here so late in the year, but it is nice to have all the amenities to ourselves in the camp grounds,” Mr Kostecki said.
“And when it gets too hot, there is always a swimming spot not too far to beat the heat.”
Bella, on the other hand, prefers the cool of the air-con, opting to stay inside the campervan most of the time.
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