He Was A Good Cat

Teddie
March 1995 - September 5, 2009

Teddie came to live with me on a cold Saturday in November, 1995. I had gone to the Northlake Pet Smart with the intention of adopting a female kitten. I was thinking a sweet little calico would be nice. But Teddie had other ideas. The minute I entered the adoption area, Teddie began working it. He was in a crate about eye level, and he pleaded with his whole body for me to choose him. He leaned into the front wall of the crate and stroked it hard with his head. He poked a paw through the bars and tried to touch me. I noticed him and responded to him, but he was a big male cat. Eight months old already; I would have guessed older because of his size. Not at all what I came for, so I kept looking. I held a couple of other kittens and played with them. But I kept returning to the large, awkward, furry ball of love who I would later name Teddie. He won me over in short order that day, and I brought him home with me, along with a younger kitten-companion, Rudy.

Teddie lived a good life and did what cats do. He and Rudy played a lot when they were young and got into mischief. But as they aged, they slept more and more, usually side-by-side. Teddie always came and sat next to me on the sofa in the evening. And he always joined me for my first cup of coffee in the morning, purring loudly. Even this morning, the last morning of his life, he managed to make it out to the back porch where I was sitting with my coffee. I helped him up so that he could sit beside me. We enjoyed one last morning together. He was a good cat, and I will miss him.