Brave Boy

There's a song called "Brave Boys" by Old Crow Medicine Show that I sing whenever my cats Petey and Kip make an appearance despite the dogs being present. Petey and Kip are shy and my terriers are exuberant and so it is a celebration when either Petey or Kip exhibits bravery.

Today, I whisper-sang the chorus of "Brave Boys" to Petey in the vets' office while we waited for the end.

My home lost a heartbeat today.

Petey-Pie Thomas entered my world approximately six years ago. He was six months old and came from a hoarding situation. I've never had a kitten who was so skittish; when I first met him at the SPCA, he was hiding in a litter box that was hidden beneath/within a bench. When I picked him up, he tried desperately to escape.

It took me a while to settle on a name for him. The SPCA had been calling him Alejandro, but that seemed positively absurd because Petey didn't look anything at all like an Alejandro. I remember talking to my friend Theresa about his name and she said, "He needs a sweet name. He's just such a sweet kitten. He needs a name that encompasses that sweetness."

I settled on Petey. Petey-Pie Thomas, specifically, which was in memory of my family cat Charlie-Thomas (another Siamese mix) who had some things in common with Petey.

As I told my friend Victoria today, no matter how many times you say goodbye to a beloved pet, it never gets any easier... but I believe that today's goodbye ranks among the three hardest goodbyes I've ever made. I have my reasons why, but don't feel compelled to share them here. What I'd like to share in this blog is the perfection that was my beloved, sweetest boy:

• Petey was quiet, but occasionally used that Siamese voice of his. He loved his food and sang a little deep-throated yowl every morning when I divided a can of Fancy Feast among him and his brothers.

  
  

• Petey was not a cuddler... unless the cuddling was to occur in bed. His favorite location was draped across my ankles, anchoring me to the bed. He could lounge eight hours in that position, easy.

  
  

• As he aged, Petey developed an intense love of water. He frequently kneaded the platform on which his water bowl sat while indulging in a long, cool drink. The behavior was bizarre, sure... but also adorable.

  
  

• Petey was a mouser. For the majority of his life, my bed was his favorite place to be, and so whenever he discovered something new and wonderful, he'd immediately take that new and wonderful thing to bed: a piece of string, a favorite toy, and -- TWICE -- a real mouse. (Once, the mouse was still alive.)

All cats are great cats, but Petey was one of the greatest.

My heart is heavy tonight.

Kip, who grew up with Petey and shared a special bond, said his goodbyes today as well. Kip knew that something was not right. He spent the day with his best friend and, right before I put Petey in the carrier to take him to the vets' office, Kip licked Petey's paws. Animals know. And Kip's reaction lets me know that I did make the right decision... but that still doesn't make today any easier.

I will never not have animals. The goodbye hurts soooooooo much... but I will NEVER not have animals. In my opinion, animals are the reason for living.

Please consider donating to the Adams County SPCA. They do so much for animals, and that's where all of my cats came from, and I think it's important that we give back to the animals because they give nothing but love to us.

I did tell Petey to give Ernie a big headbutt from me in Heaven. I know he will.