I have not had a pet since I lived at my mom’s house. That’s well over 16 years ago. I had pets growing up. We had dogs growing up. I had a bird. I have had gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rats. We had a family cat but myself, I have never had a cat all my own. I don’t have a reason why I never had a pet growing up while I lived alone. I could have had a pet. I just never got on. One of my all roommates had a dog but I took no part in looking after it or acting like it was mine. I know when some friends from out of state were passing through my town, they came to visit me. They wanted to eat the dog. Thankfully, they didn’t eat the dog and if that had, it would have been hard to explain to my roommate why his dog is nothing but a pile of bloody bones and an empty dog collar.
I ended up in an apartment complex that didn’t allow pets. It was never something I wanted. I never saw myself as a pet person. I was always working and it was hard enough to take care of myself. I loved our family cat. She was the best. Her name was Tigerlily. She was an orange tabby cat. Your basic, typical cat. Our cat was super chill. Eventually, Tigerlily’s name became just, Kitty. Yes. We called our family cat, Kitty. She lived to an old age. I am guessing late teens. Maybe like 17? I could be wrong. When she was older and close to passing, she could barely walk, climb or jump. We would have to lift her up just to cuddle with her. It was It is heartbreaking to see your beloved pet dwindle down to nothing and grow old and weak before your eyes.
I was the one who found her the morning she died. I had moved back home for a while. I woke up early to get myself to work. I came up the stairs and when I walked by her, she was lying on the floor. I called her name a few times. She didn’t answer. She didn’t move. I nudged her with my foot and her whole body moved. She was stiff. She was lifeless. The family pet we had for over a decade had died in her sleep.
We never got another family pet after her. I know my sister had numerous cats that lived there but they weren’t anything like Kitty. She was the nicest cat you’d ever meet. She was just as nice as my brother’s dog, Lightning. Another name that never fit. She was super slow and would never harm another person but our crazy neighbors always tried to say that Lightning attacked them and jumped on them with a look of evil in her eyes. Poor Lightning grew old and was put to sleep.
We have lost pets growing up. I am not saying no one else has. All families from all walks of life know what it is to lose a pet. Maybe that’s why I was always hesitant about getting a pet. I didn’t want to go through the pain and sadness of losing a pet all over again. I can’t take that risk of coming home or waking up to seeing my pet’s dead body on the ground.
Flash forward to now. I moved out of that complex and into my own home. I am a homeowner. I can do what I want here. I can paint a room. I can build a fire pit.
I can get a pet! I’ve done all those things. I have been thinking about getting a pet for months. I just never knew the right time of when I wanted to get it. It was shortly before the fourth of July when I got my pet. A lady from work gave him to me. That’s my kitty. He is super adorable. When he first came to my home, he hid from me. I don’t blame him. I would hide too. I don’t know this person or know the place I am now calling home. It was later that night, he got a little more curious. He would poke his little head out and say, Hi.
The next day when I came home from work, he ran right up to me. I was gone for about 10 hours and he missed me! The cat loves me already. Right now, as I type this up, he is sitting on my lap. This cat is great! Oh, I forgot to tell you his name. I call him, Pennywise. Yes, like the clown from IT. I have a slight obsession with that movie and I already said if I ever got a pet, I was going to name him that.
I want to leave you with a video of Pennywise. You can laugh. I did and I do everytime I watch the clip.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1015073472106651650
pitweston
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