Goodbyes and Hellos

 One Sunday in September 2007, Tony and I were driving home from church when we saw a "Free Kittens" sign on the side of the road.  I looked at Tony, and we both knew that we had to stop.  We had been searching for a kitty for several months, and this was our chance.  We pulled into the drive of a ramshackle house with cats running amok in the front yard, the side yard, the front porch - basically everywhere.  The lady who answered the door confirmed that they did have free kittens (in case there was any doubt) and ushered us onto the back porch where said kittens were kept.  Within moments, there appeared this adolescent kitten with mostly white fur checkered with a few black spots.  Without hesitation, he padded over to Tony, and he proceeded to gingerly place his front two paws onto Tony's shin while looking up at him pleadingly.  Instantly, we knew this was our cat.  So shortly thereafter, we left the ramshackle cat house with a shoe box full of two cats:  one who would soon become known as Checker and his best pal and brother who would soon be known as Domino.  Whoever thought putting two adolescent kittens into even a large shoe box was a good idea has clearly never tried it.  Before we had turned onto the road, the lid had popped off, and the cats were snooping around Tony's truck.  Thus began our life with Checker and Domino.  

Domino stuck around for a few years and then decided he would rather stay at our old house with the new owners when we moved.  He was a good cat, and we missed him.  But Checker - he was our faithful companion from day one.  He would follow us wherever we went.  One snowy Christmas Day, we walked through the snowy streets at nightfall, and he was right there with us, leaving little paw prints in the snow as he went.  On more than one occasion, he put himself between one of us and a stray dog (and the dog would usually regret coming to our yard thanks to Checker's strong paws and sharp claws).  Of course, we never lacked in the department of critters (or pieces thereof) left at our doorstep:  birds, mice, chipmunks, rabbits - you name it and it was left for us by our faithful hunter.  I remember when he was still pretty young seeing him dragging a rabbit that was bigger than him down the sidewalk, him straddling the rabbit as he slowly inched along the walkway.  Then there was the morning he brought a live bird into the house while I was getting ready for work...When the kids came along, we had less time for him, but he didn't hold that against us.  He would always greet us with a friendly meow and thunderous purring, no matter how long it had been since we last petted him.  He wasn't sure about the kids at first, but he eventually warmed up to them.  Within the past year, he actually would let the kids pet him.  He's had his share of cat fights and other injuries too, but he always pulled through, using every last one of his nine lives.   I know everyone says this, but Checker really was the best cat.  Friendly yet fiercely loyal.  Independent but not snobby.  Playful yet gentle (never once did he bite or scratch me).  It's hard to imagine the first decade and a half of our marriage without thinking of Checker too.  He was woven into it like he was always meant to be part of the pattern of our lives.  

Sadly, we lost our Checker unexpectedly this past April at the age of 14.  I cried, the kids cried.  It was awful losing a beloved pet, but it was even worse seeing your kids go through it too.  We had a burial service commemorating his life and his contribution to our family, and we buried him in the backyard he loved so dearly.  

The kids wanted a new cat shortly after Checker's passing, but, out of respect for the incredible cat we just lost, we decided to wait a while before getting a new one.  

So after mourning Checker for several months, we set off on a search for a new cat, which led us to the local animal shelter this past weekend where we met Luna and Tiger, two little kittens with lots of spunk.  Like Checker had done with Tony so many years before, Luna, who according to the worker was normally pretty shy with strangers, practically jumped into my arms and began purring and snuggling with me.  Tiger was also friendly and, most importantly, would actually let the kids pet him.  So we are now the proud pet parents of not one but two playful kittens.  The kids are over the moon, and they are about all things kitties from morning to night.  

I am fully aware that these cats will hopefully be with us through some momentous occasions:  elementary, middle, and high school, family dinners, snowstorms, birthday parties, graduations, maybe even weddings and the birth of my grandchildren, bad days, good days, busy days and lazy days.  While the memory of Checker will likely be very distant for the kids, Luna and Tiger will hopefully be a meaningful part of their childhood and adolescence.  With God's blessing, these kittens will bring as much joy as their predecessor Checker did.