The moment I met you is one I will never forget. 

The first thing I remember is walking into the shelter, and the sound of the hollow wood floor under my feet. The room was so empty and it had that natural, dusty smell. I didn’t pay much attention to the woman at the front desk, as the large, metal crate in the corner had caught my eye. Inside, were multiple litters of kittens of different colors and sizes. Despite the crate’s size, the kittens were piled on top of each other, with nowhere to go. They crawled and squirmed, still adjusting to life and searching for whatever their instincts told them. 

I knelt down in front of the cage, and put my hand up to the bars. You climbed your brothers and sisters to reach the front of the cage. When you reached the front, you put your tiny paw up to the bars to meet my hand. That’s the memory that comes to mind when I think of you.

With my parents, we selected five or so kittens to take into a room to be introduced to. You were one of them. Your sister, grey and distant, was much bigger than most of you. Your brother, the smallest, could have fit in the palm of my hand, and so I called him Peanut. He was timid, and tried to hide in any crevice he could find. You all had infections of some sort, due to the carelessness of your previous owner, but you had it the worst. What we didn’t know was that for you, it would last a lifetime.

We took the three of you home, and you were all so curious to explore your new house. It was a big house, even for me at the time, so we thought it would take you a while to map out the place, especially since you no longer had eyes. You had lost them to the infection that took over your senses. 

You and your siblings always seemed to stick together. I’d often find you all curled up together or sprawled out through rays of sun that shone through the windows. Even as the three of you got bigger and grew out of your kitten features, you would still find a way to share the small cat perch that we got when you were little. 

These last nine years have been challenging for me but you were there for me the whole time. I had to adapt to new homes, new schools, and new people, but you were a constant in my life. When I was at my lowest, you were the one I never pushed away.

On your last night, I gave you a spot next to me on my bed where you would often sleep. I cried myself to sleep that night. I had a bad feeling about your condition, but I didn’t know it would happen so soon. I didn’t know the next day would be your last

October 23, 2025 was the hardest day of my life. I hated seeing how tired and sick you had become. I’m just glad I got to be there with you, and I’m glad that you chose to be in my arms as you took your last nap. You are the sweetest cat I’ve ever met and I’m so lucky to have known you. I hope you knew how loved you are and I hope that someday I can look back at your pictures without sadness and regret, but only with contentment.