I was 12 when we brought CJ home. A tiny furry kitten from the Humane Society in Fort Worth. One of our earlier memories of him was that we were out in the backyard and decided to let him roam around out there. He was still quite small. He found a hole in the fence and immediately went into the neighbor's yard and came face to face with Acey, our neighbor's giant chow. It was a trip. I was screaming, Acey was barking, and my mom was attempting to scale the fence. The neighbors (very nice people) came out and handed the little kitten back over to us. He was shaken, but alright. Scared the pee right out of him. He was always a brave boy.
I left for college and he stayed with mom for those four years, then as soon as I got my first place in Austin after college, I brought him down to stay with me. He then journeyed with me to Brooklyn, Queens, back to Austin, and then to Dallas. He was huge and awesome. But as he got older, he got smaller and smaller. And sicker. And sweeter, I dare say. A total baby. We did a lot of snuggling this last year or so. I knew my days with him were numbered, and perhaps, so did he.
I did have to make the decision to put him to sleep, but it was time. I hated making that call. But when you know, you know. And he knew. Thankfully my mom was already planning to come visit, so she's been here with me.
I'm moving too. Wow. I'm moving! All this change is throwing me for a loop. I'm not moving far - just down the street - but it's a much better setup for me. It'll be weird settling into a new place without him. It'll be hard, but I'll manage. I think by the end of the summer, things will be much better all around, but these days, I feel quite heavy, quite sad. But I'll get by.
And now, some of his greatest hits..
In 1998, seeing me off to prom.
In 2004, Brooklyn.
In 2007, Astoria. Yay teeth!!
In 2008, looking fabulous. Still in Astoria (but not for long).
In 2009, Dallas. Miss you boy, xoxo.
7 comments:
ugh just looking at his sweet face brings tears to my eyes. im so sorry you had to say goodbye to the sweet boy :(
I teared up too, CJ was the shiznazz. Photogenic, sweet and fluffy, basically perfect in every way. Chin up sugar!
Running down my cheeks, that's what the tears are doing right now. Aw, CJ. My favorite thing to remember about him is that he loved running water. "Mom! Turn on the faucet in the tub for me! I need a drink. Lick. Lick. Lick. Thanks."
I also have a picture of him laying on the books/papers I was working on at your ma's house when we went for Spring Break one year. Just had to be on the papers...
So long, little buddy. 17 yrs is a good life. I can appreciate loving a cat for that long - Merd was 18 when he left my parents' house and never came back. I hold to the thought that he may be living with someone else now. Tim thinks I'm weird. I think I loved Merd. :)
Congrats on the new place. I will come see it!
Tearing up too. I never met CJ but I feel like I've lost a dear friend too. But happier things-yay for a new place! Throwing yourself into decorating a new place always takes my mind off things.
I'm so sorry. He was beautiful.
oh my goodness. i just found your blog, & i'm so glad i did. i live in austin, & on june 10th my partner & i lost our precious travis cat. his kidneys failed him, & he was only nine. he was my first pet, the cat i got the minute i graduated from college & so much a part of our family that the loss was crushing...still is. my heart goes out to you.
ps--our sweet boy loved the bathtub (and toilet--ick) too....& just water in general.
sarahsmithinaustin@yahoo.com
I am so sorry to hear about CJ. I'm not usually a cat person but the images you've got of CJ portrayed how you saw him and that was all it needed for me to get a little teary-eyed.
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