I was a junior in college when my mom told me that our cat Jellybean had passed away at age 13. I was devastated. I knew I would know when it was time to look for another cat, and one day I woke up with the feeling that I needed to look at the ads in the newspaper. I drove the hour and a half home for a day trip of checking out kittens with my mom.
We have always gotten pets from friends, family, or other families whose pets have had babies - NEVER from a store. We stopped at some homes, but none of the kittens seemed right. I wanted a big baby of a boy kitty and I hoped the last place we went would have him. When we got there, they showed us two little girls, but I had called about the boy. They had gotten us mixed up with another family, so they went back inside to get him. I heard him before I saw him and I just knew he was my baby. He couldn't be put into my arms fast enough. The other family took one of the girls, and I just couldn't let the other girl stay behind alone, so she came with us, too. They became my fur-babies, and moved with me through 4 different cities.
Uno passed away suddenly 4 months ago at 9 years old from heart problems that he never showed any symptoms of and vets never caught. It is through tears that I type this. He was always by my side, slept on a pillow next to me like a person, yelled at me for attention, loved to reach up and pat my face with his furry paw, and looked at me with a love in his eyes that I know will never be replaced. A part of me went with him. It's just Tootsie, his sister, and me now…and we both miss him terribly. My apartment is much quieter without my big baby (part maine coon and 21lbs), but he taught me unconditional love…and that's priceless.
New York, NY
