Tom Nichols: The Cat Who Saved Me
https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2024/05/a-man-and-his-cat/678357/No paywall link
https://archive.li/lM3ny
A Special Presence
Almost 15 years ago, I was in bad shape. I was divorced, broke, drinking too much, and living in a dated walk-up next to a noisy bar. (It was only minutes from my young daughter, it had a nice view of the bay here in Newport, and I could afford it.) The local veterinary hospital was a few doors down; they always kept one or two adoptable animals in the window. One day, a gorgeous black cat, with a little white tuxedo patch and big gold-green eyes, showed up in a small cage. I stared at her for a while. She stared back patiently.
I wasn’t taking very good care of myself at that moment, so I decided I couldn’t take care of a cat. I walked on. For weeks, the cat sat there. For weeks, we stared at each other. One day, as I was deep in my cups, I took a walk with a friend and co-worker who also happened to be my next-door neighbor. “You look at that damn cat every day,” he said. “Just go in and get it.”
So I did.
The cat was called “RC” and she was a stray, but her preexisting spaying and good health showed that she’d once had a home. Now she was the queen of the animal clinic: Because of her gentle temperament, the staff would let her out of the cage after hours, and she would sit on their desks while they did their paperwork.
I picked her up. She looked at me as if to say: Yeah, I recognize you. You’re the doofus who stared at me for weeks. I signed the papers and took her home. She was fluffy and black-haired, so I decided I would name her after Carla Tortelli from the show Cheers; thus, she became Carla T. Nichols. She explored the apartment quietly for a day or two, and then, one afternoon, I found her on my bed, stretched out on her back, paws up, purring. Yep, she was saying. This will do.
*snip*
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Last edited Fri May 10, 2024, 08:18 PM - Edit history (1)
Found as a kitten, she was by my side for almost 18 years. Her health starting to decline early last year and by October the vet said "its time". Like Tom Nichols for weeks I kept thinking I'd see her out of the corner of my eye or hear her meowing in another room. I'd say good bye to her as I left the house and "Hi sweetie, I'm home" when I got home.
As I'm sure many of you pet lovers know, losing a beloved pet and companion is a very emotional event. Since I never had a pet before her, I really didn't understand the deep emotional impact a pet can have on you. It took me several months to get over the deep feeling of loss and even now I still miss her and talk to her occasionally.
As the saying goes, "Pets leave paw prints on your heart"
Hug to all my fellow DUers who have lost a beloved pet.
Just as an aside, I do not at all mean to diminish in any way the pain and sorrow one experiences when they lose a beloved family member or friend. Having gone through that several times there is a pain and loss that just cannot be equaled.
are simply, love in a fur coat
I miss her just reading.
