Growing up, I’ve always had pets. I’ve never not had some sort of animal in my life, be it a dog, a cat, a hamster or a bird. I went through countless cats growing up. I know that sounds terrible, but my parents were not OK with an indoor cat at all, so they were primarily outdoor cats…which means plenty of my cats either ran away, ran into the road or wandered off into the woods and became a meal for a wild animal. Yeah, sounds terrible. Obviously, I didn’t realize that as a child, which is probably a good thing. Either way, RIP Shadow, Hunter and Tigger. You were great kitties.
When I was starting high school, my mom finally talked my dad into letting me a get a cat. She said I was not allowed to have another one and it live outside only to lose it again and it break my heart, so…Navi became an indoor cat! Getting Navi was seriously the best day. She was the cutest kitten, and she always sat on my desk next to my laptop. Of course, since my mom was home more, she grew more attached to her than to me, which was fine. We all loved her, including my dad, whether he admitted it or not. When I moved out for college, she was sincerely heartbroken and got extremely sick. She always loved on me when I came home to visit, but she was just never quite the same.
Around Thanksgiving last year, she became severely sick, and it was evident that she wasn’t going to make it. We’re still unsure of what happened because the vet didn’t have many answers. She passed away in my mother’s arms, and I never got to say goodbye. It’s definitely the worst feeling to have to bury your pet, especially knowing that you were supposed to have so much more time with her. I was going to bring her to live with me in my apartment when I moved. I was going to love on her for so much longer, but that wasn’t in the plan, I suppose.
It took me a long time to get over losing my Navi. Every time I would see cat videos, I would tear up. Cat toys made me sad because I missed her. About 6 months later, my therapist recommended I get an Emotional Support Animal. I was ecstatic. I didn’t want to replace Navi, but I missed having a furbaby to love on. Luckily enough, one of my friends was fostering a little kitten. He was the cutest thing. I knew that this was the kitten meant to be my baby. A few weeks later, he got to come home with me.
I had no clue that such a cute little kitten would change my life so much in such a short amount of time. It was no question that his name was going to be Stark. (Shout out to my friends in the North. Not Tony, as my mother mistakenly believed.) He promptly wrapped me and my boyfriend around his little paw, and most importantly, he’s great at his title of “emotional support animal.”
Stark came into my life, and a whole new sense of responsibility did, as well. He relies on me for so much – I must make sure he’s fed, the environment he lives in is clean and also make sure he is clean (much to his dismay). He always makes sure I know when he wants attention and when he isn’t happy with me, so it’s always my job to make sure he’s happy. He provides a means of entertainment and keeps me laughing – seriously, have you ever been around a kitten? You never know what you’re getting from one minute to the next. At night, he curls up next to me, and in the morning, he makes sure I know that he’s awake and ready to play. I’ve never felt so much love for a little animal – of course, I loved my past pets. Don’t get me wrong, I still miss Navi more often than not. But Stark is my kitty, and he relies on me. No longer do I have the opportunity to let my parents make sure my pet is fed or clean. It’s all on me, and it’s a wonderful bond to get to experience with him.
Laugh at me all you want, but I’m definitely a cat mom. I love Stark with all of my heart. When he isn’t happy, I’m not typically happy. When he’s sick, I worry and get upset. He’s my little furbaby, and he’s extremely important to me. I never understood how people could be so attached to their animals until Stark came into my life and flipped it upside down.
If you ever get the opportunity to adopt a pet, take that opportunity and change an animal’s life for the better. There are so many animals in shelters that need loving homes, and you can help change that! Visit your local shelter or pound. Save a life, and they might just save yours, too.
Photo courtesy of me.