Boo

I still remember the day my grandma called to tell me she just found a little black kitten in her mailbox, we both thought it was so mean that someone had did that. She said she couldn’t keep him and that if I could just keep him awhile, and then try to find him a home. Needless to say, I never found him another home. I fell in love with him pretty quick. As a kitten he loved playing with toy balls, he would get on his back and scratch at the ball with all four paws, it was so funny. As an adult, he continued to make me smile and laugh. He loved cheese; I swear all I had to do was open any kind of cheese wrapper or bag and he would come running, he could sniff it out anywhere and always expected a few bites. He loved his scratchy pad too, and always ran to it when he was happy, and I would pat him on the butt and tell him he was a good kitty, and he would scratch it some more. He enjoyed looking out the window or screen door, usually keeping a watchful eye making sure no other cats came on his turf. He loved going outside with my husband and I in the grass or patio, he would roll around on the sidewalk in the sunshine or explore the smells and things around him. He grew to love being in the bathtub too; he would give us this little look and meow, and would beg us to turn the faucet on just a little to drink some water. It was sometimes kind of annoying, but mostly it just made us laugh. He had a Nerf ball that used to be the kids, that he would pick up and carry around the house, howling at the same time. It was one of the funniest things, something we were never successful in getting on video tape. He would often be waiting at the door when my husband got home from work, almost like he knew. It made my husband feel special I think, being greeted like that. He had a blanket on one cushion of the couch, where especially in the winter he would lay with us and watch T.V. Or every once in awhile, he would be curled up on the bed with Romi (our other cat) taking a snooze, or they would chase each other around the house. At nighttime, he would always come up on the bed a few minutes, and crawl up on my chest and belly to get some lovin’ and pettin’. I think that is what I will miss the most, our special bonding time; him looking at me, and I him, which such love in our eyes and hearts.
He had a few issues in his life health wise; he often had a stinky butt we had to shave, a few years ago he had some mouth surgery and had a bunch of teeth removed, and just recently we found out he had advanced lung cancer. The lung cancer seemed to happen very quick, with symptoms of coughing and being more lazy occurring in just a month. After we had the x-rays, it was almost like once he knew that we knew, things went downhill within just a few days. We found out on a Wednesday, and by that same Friday he was dying and I knew what I had to do. It still amazes me how fast it all happened.  The thought of taking him to the vet when he was in such bad shape, just didn’t feel right to me. Home to Heaven was so wonderful; from talking to the receptionist who was so helpful and caring, to the vet that came to help my Boo. It felt like a friend of the family was coming to help him, and he was so great and talked to me and made me feel at ease with my decision. I couldn’t bear seeing him suffer, I knew I had to give him one last gift and help him. It was truly such a blessing to my Boo kitty and myself. In the last hour before the vet came, I sat and spoke with Boo. I told him to let me be the brave one now, to let go and be at peace. I spoke about all the good times, and what a good kitty he was. It may sound weird, but I swear he listened. That last hour I saw him letting go, and I did my best to be strong for him and be right there by him.
Now that he has gone, the house feels so lonely. I keep thinking he will come running in the bathroom, and jump in the bathtub. Or that he will come see me at night, and lay on my chest. And my other kitty is very sad too, she misses her friend.  I miss him terribly, and it feels like a piece of my heart is missing. He was the best companion animal and friend I could have had. He was my big Boo bear. But I know we will meet again. I will carry you with me always, Boo, you were one of a kind. Be at peace, my Boo kitty, all my love.
Sierra Moore