It was a hot day in June all of the kids in the neighborhood were anxiously awaiting the end of school, we were all talking about what we were going to do over the summer. Just then my best friend’s mother came out of the house and announced that the cat was having kittens. We all ran in to see the kittens; they were so cute. We watched them grow everyday and that’s how it started. I went by everyday as soon as I got up to check on the kittens. They were getting bigger everyday except of course for him. He just sat there never getting any milk or attention from Mom, always looking confused, his eyes were too big for his head and his head was too big for his body,(the most beautiful sight I had ever seen).
Everyone picked the kittens they wanted and then it came down to Him, I had already been told NO NO NO.I heard my friend’s parents talking about what to do with HIM that had become his name, all the other kittens had names like Fluffy or Snowball. They said they could not keep Him, the only thing to do was to take Him to the SPCA which we all knew that his chances of lasting there were almost zero; he had been to the vet and the vet said that he didn’t breathe well and would probably not last more than another week. I Knew then that I had to help Him so I snuck him out of his box after all of the other kittens were taken and I took him home; he started making a funny noise which I thought he was dying it turned out he was purring, which he never stopped doing after that even when he ate or slept.
I knew the one to go to was Dad he was a self proclaimed Dog person but he could never say no to me. Of course he shouted and said absolutely not but once he heard from my friend’s parents that he probably wouldn’t last a week or 2. I guess he felt bad and said Ok but don’t get attached we’ll just keep him comfortable. Didn’t get attached I had been attached since the moment I saw him. Need less to say that him and my mother battled for hours.
My mom’s concern was I’d be heart broken when he passed, not to mention I had severe asthma. Anyway they agreed to let me keep him for as long as he had. I used eyedroppers to feed him and spent the next 8 weeks in bed (all summer so much for big plans)he grew and grew and got stronger and stronger and my asthma got worse and worse.
My parents battled on whether to let me keep him or not, I explained that I saved HIM and he was mine. After endless trips to the ER and the Dr we got it under control and for the next 20 years we were inseparable. Sox had become my Best Friend, our connection was unbelievable; we did everything together. He went everywhere together; he walked on a leash when coaxed with Dorita’s.
Everyone in the neighborhood thought he was so cool because he came when I called him and walked on a leash. Everyone still called Sox Him. It didn’t bother either of us. Time went on I graduated high school and went to college (I commuted. I know in part to not leave him). Then I met John the other man in my life it took a lot of coaxing in the beginning. Sox was used to me and him but he eventually grew to love John. We were all living Happily Ever After.
Sox was a big brother to my son and 2 daughters guarding each bassinet as the children came. Then the day came that I had dreaded, he was at the bottom of the steps and was not moving and for the first time in his life was not purring. We rushed him to the vet and they said he had a massive stroke and it did not look good, my husband said money is No object fix him; we both agreed. The vet looked at me by this point I was a ball of nothing in the chair beside him and she said we’ll do what we can but you don’t want him to suffer do you? What a stupid question to ask could she not tell I was suffering and that I needed my touchstone.
Later that night I laid in bed not sleeping just thinking about all the years and all of the wonderful memories that I had with Sox and it broke my heart. I was at the vet’s first thing in the morning to see him; he looked terrible but they were giving him fluids and keeping him comfortable; the vet said there was nothing that could be done. She didn’t know how he had survived the night. I asked if he was in pain. She said No not yet, that she felt he already left. After an agonizing hour with him holding him and crying, I told her to keep doing what she was doing and I’d be back in a few hours to which she replied I doubt he’ll last an hour.
I called in an hour and she said he was still hanging on and another hour passed and she couldn’t believe it but still nothing I said maybe he was getting better, she gave me no response. I drove around for about an hour and it dawned on me why he had been hanging on, because I didn’t tell him to let go, through his whole life he thought of me as his master so when he caught a mouse and wouldn’t let it go or took a piece of meat from the table all I’d have to say is Let go and
then tell him Good Boy.
I called my husband from my cell phone and told him to meet me at the vet. When I walked in the door I could tell by the look on their faces it was not good; the vet explained that he had gotten much worse and she feared he was in pain I rushed to his side and while my husband and the vet waited outside I had a long talk with him and told him that he had made my life so special and that he was the bright spot in my days and that no other person or thing could compare to him and then I knew what I had to do.
I held him so tight. I thought I’d break him and I told him to Let go and it would be alright, and then I heard that sound that I had learned to love and look forward to, His Purr, I knew that it was then at that moment he said his Goodbye to me, and I told him how much I loved him but the last thing he heard me say was Good Boy, and as the vet came back in to administer the shot (that is why I had called my husband. He would have to be the one to give that order I could Not). She realized he was gone and she just looked at me and said he’s gone which I knew but when she said it it was real. I don’t remember much in that next 20 minutes that I laid there on the floor with him. I do remember this, as many asthma attacks and trips to the ER over the last 20 years, that at this moment this was the hardest it had ever been for me to get my breath.
We went home where we laid him to rest so I could visit when I wanted. The next day we baptized our daughter and it somehow felt appropriate. As my whole family knows now we all have a guardian kitty with us forever and he is missed so dearly. There isn’t a day that goes by that he is not missed, thought about, cherished, and grieved for. That is it, Thats our story A little girl and her runt, and how much she loved Him.
My Sweet Boy, how I miss you, remember Mommie loves you.
All my love Good Boy,
| Sox |
| Julie |