Oh, I remember the day like it was yesterday. I tried to talk Britt into buying a bird, a dog, a fish. Anything but a cat. Money burned in her birthday pocket and she was settled. A cat. Well, a kitten. And, as you probably know, our childrens pets often become ours. We shopped around and found a perfect Blue Persian-Maine coon mix at a local rescue, a kitten. She, yes..she was beautiful. And without doubt, the smartest cat at the time Id ever seen. She understood English. It wasnt until the day I saw her sitting a top the chair near the door that I said to her, if you can open that door, you can go out. She turned, looked me square in the eyes, leapt onto the door knob, opened the door and let herself out. She stayed close by the front porch not venturing out much farther. One time though, she seemed more curious and left. She was gone over night. I fretted and did a midnight vigil, seeing her in the dark shadows. She came to me, inside. But from that moment, I knew something was different. Weeks later, of course, it was obvious that she had been cattin around. I knew the day she would deliver. She came to me, she told me. Seriously. Wed made a place for her and the moment she was ready, she came to get me. He was born right here in the palm of my right hand. He was the largest of the four in the litter. His color different from his mothers, but his long hair was evident and just like hers. His tail was already like hers too, full. Mama kitty wasnt so lucky and met an ill fate, just after the kittens had all been given away. Britt would be devastated, so I got the first born back before she returned home from her outing. Britt was overjoyed to have the kitten back and didnt notice for days Mama Kitty was missing. But Lil Boy Kitty, had a place in everyones heart from that day forward. The year was 1991, June 22. He talked, just like his mother. He was smarter though it was hard to imagine. He was an entertainer. Many nights as company came to visit, wed laugh at his tricks like jumping to turn off the light on the ceiling fan, or chasing his own tail when wed wet it to make it pointy instead of full. He would fetch as long as you would throw something, preferably a ponytail holder. But, his favorite toys by far were artificial bait or a common drinking straw. Hed chase, bite, and play with each of them until there was nothing left. And, what an ear...you could pull a drinking straw out of the bag, pull the accordion part out, and he would come flying into the room from wherever hed been to get it. Much like any other cat, all you had to do to get his attention was shake his treats and hed appear. Every single day as I showered, he hopped up on the edge of the tub and took a bath himself as splatters of water hit him. He knew that towel love always followed, and then it was breakfast time. Years went by and he continued to fill many faces with smiles. He endured at least one mean person that had to be removed from his life. First, knocking out one of his teeth, forcing him to become a full time outdoor cat by locking him out when I wasnt there and not feeding him for days. Then, later I caught him trying to extinguish a cigarette on Lil Boy Kitty. All the while, he remained a lover. Because of the treatment he was getting, I decided to move Lil Boy Kitty to my Mothers (and eventually moved myself). Lil Boy became a country cat and loved every second of it. He loved sitting in his window on a cushy pillow Mom put there just for him, watching all sorts of wildlife. He even learned to use the doggy door and sat on the railing on Moms porch as she would swing. Mom took such good care of Lil Boy Kitty and I know he loved her as much as he did me. Even though these last years Ive not been with him every day, he was still my shining star kitty. The last time I saw Lil Boy Kitty was back in January. Hed dwindled from his stocky 27 pound Maine coon build, to a coat-hanger shaped fluff ball. Ive known all along that it wouldnt be long. As I lay sleeping in a recliner at Moms he managed to crawl his old self up onto my chest and lay there sleeping for a couple of hours with me. I was afraid to move. He talked to me, and I knew that would be my last time to see him. I even cried as he talked to me, up close, to my face, as if he was telling me. Mom and I made a pact sometime ago. When he left us, not to call. Not to let me know. Just, the next time I came up for a visit and asked, wheres Lil Boy Kitty to just say, hes not here anymore. I thought that would be easier. Well, I found out today, by accident from my sister that Lil Boy Kitty left us back in April. April 2nd. Mom made a beautiful memorial with a cross and date on it. Today wasnt easy for me, to remember all the sweet things he did. But sister reminds me that he lived a long beautiful life. He was 40 days shy of making his 23rd birthday, and although hes been missed by me already, knowing that I wont get those Lil Boy sweet loves really makes me sad to feel the loss. I am so thankful for my Mama making him happy these past 7 years or so. He was the best Lil Boy Kitty ever.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 01:58:37 +0000
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