My sophomore year of high school, one of my cats gave birth to a litter of kittens. I intended to originally nurture all of the kittens until they were old enough to be adopted, but something was different about this one kitten. I’ve grown up with cats my entire life but everything changed when I spotted a kitten who had an eye infection. For two weeks straight, two times a day, Evan (my boyfriend) and I would soak his eye until it was all clear. After the two weeks, we had grown incredibly fond of him.
He began sleeping on my bed every night, curled up on the side of me. Like a new mother, I woke up every hour to make sure he hadn’t fallen off of the bed or managed to cover himself in heavy blankets. He would lay on my lap when I read books and when I was on the computer. He became my baby and all I wanted to do was be with him. After a few weeks, I stumbled upon his name. When you would put your hands underneath his front legs and pick him up, he would go into full stretch mode. I mean the biggest stretch, ever. He also would lay in interesting positions, almost like he was doing yoga. That’s when I decided to name him Yogo, because it sounds like yoga and it ends with an “o”, which masculine words in Italian end with. Yogo still does the “stretchies”, as we call it.
Yogo has grown up with two other siblings, Fuzzy and Panther. He is always near at least one of them, almost like a protector. He spends a lot of time with Panther, his big brother. Panther is a large black cat who wouldn’t hurt a fly. He just flops down wherever and waits for tummy rubs. Fuzzy is a very skittish and anxious kitty who spends most of her time in the basement. Yogo is always surrounded by so much love and attention at home, by his siblings, and by my family.
Yogo is an odd cat. Whenever he hears the ice dispenser of the fridge go on, he will run from any part of the house, because he wants you to throw an ice cube down on the floor to chase. I swear he was a hockey player in a different life. You can never have a straw in a drink because he will hop-up on the table, and bite it right out of your cup. I guess he’s very environmentally conscious. You also can never have nail files or q-tips anywhere because he will also grab them and hide them. Evan and I have loved him from the day we laid eyes on him. Every time we come home from college, the first thing we do is find Yogo and give him the biggest kiss and hug. He has been surrounded by attention and love his whole life and that will never stop. Last year, Yogo was on the verge of being put down, but luckily a miracle happened. The costs were high but we were lucky enough to work out a plan that would end up saving his life. Ever since that day, I have felt even more love for him, something I didn’t know was possible. So I now when I see him, I hold a bit closer, kiss him a bit bigger and cherish every second I’m around him.I think the saddest part about being an animal parent is the fact you will outlive them. You will have to watch them pass away at some point. That pain is worth it to me because I can provide a life where they are fulfilled and cherished. Next time you see your furry BFF, give them a big hug. They may be a small part of your life, but you are their entire life.