I was stunned when my parents announced that we were moving. How could I leave the friends that I had known for most of my life? To say I made it rough on my folks is putting it mildly. Mom and Dad finally came up with a bribe that made things a bit easier for all of us. They promised that I could get a cat once we were settled in the new house. Thus Shadow, my beautiful black Manx, joined our family. Human friends followed, but this loving cat was the first one to make my new home seen welcoming.
We had many pets over the years to come, but Shadow was special. I called him my Kitty-Son. We grew from gangly youngsters to adults together. His fur absorbed the many tears of teenage angst. His purrs saw me through love and loss. Happy times and new beginnings.
When I got married, Shadow once again moved into another new home with me. The transition from child to wife was much easier with my Kitty-Son by my side. We were happy in our new life, but time has a way of catching up with everyone.
One day my 16-year-old Shadow suddenly had a stroke. I was devastated. Nothing the vet and I tried helped. My strong handsome boy was paralyzed and trapped within his own body. I was forced to make the decision no pet owner wants to face. As I held him in my arms, the doctor gave the final shot to set him free. I felt a part of myself go with him.
Shadow had been my friend and confidant since I was little more than a child. My then husband tried to help, but there was an empty spot inside of me that was filled with deep sorrow. A few weeks later, I discovered that empty place had been filled. My tears of grief began to dry as my stomach swelled with life. Right before Christmas my arms were filled with my human son. Not a replacement, but another new beginning.
That small boy has grown into a young man, loving animals every bit as much as I do. We now have a houseful of critters, mostly cats, which he helps me care for on a daily basis. I’m sure somewhere my Shadow, my Kitty-Son, is smiling at both of us.
