I was almost 5 years old when I picked the black and white kitten of the litter. To me, the color was very important, him being my very first pet and all. I still remember the day he came home with me. I held him close in the car, so he wouldn’t be scared. Ding Dong was the best cat anyone could ever ask for. Always wanting to be pet and be around people. He never did any harm to anyone, not even when he was playful. Being young, it was hard for me to hold him correctly, but I knew it was important for him to be comfortable and tried my best. He didn’t care, he was just happy to be with me.
In September of 2007, Ding Dong became very sick and we rushed him to the vet. They told us that he had F.I.P., an incurable feline disease that attacks the nervous system. Though it is incurable, it is manageable, and hearing this gave me hope. They gave us the medication and released him from the hospital. Though he couldn’t walk normally or jump very high, he was still the same lovable cat. The medication helped a lot, but almost a year after the visit to the vet, his health started to go downhill. The medicine wasn’t working anymore. We called the vet to see if there was anything else we could do, and they told us it was time for him to go. My mom was devastated. I had never seen her that sad before. I told myself that I would stay strong for her, so I buried my feelings deep.
I was doing a great job at being strong about it, but when we were in one of the vet’s rooms and they told us to say good-bye, it hit me hard. All those feelings that I tried to hide just came out. I realized that my best friend was leaving after 15 years. I couldn’t imagine my life without him, couldn’t remember my life without him. The hardest thing was leaving the office without him, knowing it would be a long time until we would see each other again.
Ding Dong, no matter how many troubles I’ve had in life, you were always there to cheer me up. I will never meet another cat like you, I can’t even explain how amazing you were to me. I know we will see each other again, but until that time comes, you will be missed by me and the rest of the family.
Until we meet again,
| Ding Dong |
| Tracie |