framedsheep

Today, May 24 2008, my little friend and pet cat, Yoda, died. He became ill a few days ago and as things would have it, rapidly declined in health and vitality, until this morning when I was just about to give him his medicine, he died.

Professional, or unprofessional, I really don’t care right now, I am going to write this piece for him, because I loved that little cat and I am going to miss him. Next week he was to turn 7 years old. Unfortunately he did not make it to his birthday. I’m not going to get in to the details as to precisely what happened. It can however be said that life is precious, and even more so when it is brought in to focus how fragile it indeed is. For all living creatures. Call me over-sensitive or whatever else you may feel, pets are not just walking dolls. They are alive in every sense, with a consciousness of their own, which may vary from what is human consciousness, but nevertheless, they exist as you and I do. [Maybe a clever chimpanzee is reading this now, who knows … yes, that is absurd … forgive me, I am upset.]

Yoda’s story starts in 2001, when he was born as the smallest of a litter of kittens. We came in to contact and shared several years together. As I’d never been privy to making a buddy out of a feline before, Yo provided me with my first experiences of hanging with a furry fuzzball kitty. He was black and rather small for a cat. He never damaged anything in the house and spent his time either dozing, walking across balconies, playing with bugs and looking at birds flying by. What made him special though was that he would make his presence and love known by gently brushing against an available arm or leg and looking up with curious and sweet eyes. Absolutely everyone fell in love with him. Even those people who might not have liked cats to begin with. I know a few who became cat fans after meeting him. He was simply extraordinary and different. Beyond his personality, he was rather fond of potato peels. He would eat them with a great deal of delight, purring his way through his feast when the opportunity arose. From time to time he’d sample some other non-favourite cat food, amazing his onlookers. He made the sweetest little sounds when excited by the birds flying by or landing to almost taunt him, as he looked on from behind the glass door out to the balcony.

It has come as a great shock to me that he has died so suddenly and in what should have been the prime of his life. Unfortunately, he will not see another day of sunlight or enjoy another potato peel. His ashes are going to be put in to the sea.

This one is for you, Yo. My little black kitty ninja.