I'll never love anyone like I love my cat India(she is named after a
character on a soap opera). While
she may not be the most gorgeous cat in the world, to me she is
beautiful. At eleven years of age her
black fur coat is soft like a kitten's and her piercing green eyes are
still able to make me melt. She is
very hard to resist and this is why. I bought her at a pet store for half/off because a long weekend was
approaching and she was the only
one left, and would have had to stay there all by herself. The clerk
told me that no one wanted her as
she was the runt of the litter. She was very tiny and so adorable that I
just had to have her. And
besides, it would be great company for our grown house-cat Rory. When I walked up the steps into our apartment on Prince Street, Rory as
usual, was waiting at the top
of the stairs to greet me. Immediately the nose was twitching, not in
anticipation of a new family
member, but rather that look one gets on their face when a freshly
grilled t-bone steak is set in front of them. I knew
immediately that I would have to protect this little one until we all
got used to each other. Our supper
that evening was KFC, and it was at that time that I was introduced to
India's ferocious appetite, she
helped herself to a drumstick and attempted to drag it across the coffee
table growling fiercely at
anyone who would try to take it from her. I knew right then and there
that this was a feisty little critter.
She took right to me and found a comfortable spot in the nape of my neck
and she has successfully
remained there since. Since I was the one who rescued her it was her
turn to capture my heart and she
did it. She began to follow me from room to room, sat on my lap while I
watched television, slept in the bed
with me, and at times has used me as a bath mat. Since she claimed me
for her own personal use she
was willing to protect what was hers by defending me if she had to. My
Protector. No one goes near
her Daddy! When I set off for work in the morning, she lays on the floor at my feet
waiting for a goodbye tickle.
When I arrive home in the evening she follows me to the bedroom while I
change, stares at me in the
tub, assists me in eating my supper, and lounges around with me in the
evening. If I decided that I might
enjoy a moment alone in my den with my headphones on, India will sit
outside the door and howl
until I would let her in. If I am unable to hear her, my wife would
answer the distress call and come to her
aid. It was easy to see that she was fast becoming my constant
companion. Both my wife and I are strong animal advocates. I insist on having pets
spayed or neutered, providing
proper care, regular visits to the vet etc. I keep my cats indoors with
plenty of playroom, fresh water
and open windows for fresh air and sunlight. Aren't I wonderful? I am so
great that one day I insisted
to my wife that we take into our home a stray half-grown kitten that had
been abandoned a few
streets over. She reluctantly agreed, but once she saw the beautiful
tigress whom I named Angel she
quickly came around. While Rory immediately took to her, India's nose
was out of joint at the mere
thought of another cat in our house, let alone another female. In time I
figured that she would come
around, but she never has. However our house is certainly big enough for
the three of them and I was
glad to give that cat a clean and comfortable home. What I didn't know
was that I was bringing into
our very private world a deadly disease, feline leukemia. It seems that
I was not quick enough in my
rescue of Angel to save her completely. She lived with us in luxury for
a year before succumbing to the
disease. The vet told us that since Rory and India drink from the same
water dish and use the same
litter box they could very easily have picked up the virus. You cannot
imagine the guilt that has run
through me knowing that it was me who insisted on bringing that cat home
therefore putting my other
two at risk. I worried about Rory the most as he and Angel had become
fast friends often chasing
each other from one end of our house to the other and wrestling in the
process. India never went near
her. Rory's test came back negative, thank God, but it was India who was
susceptible and she caught
it. After hearing the news I cried all day. There was no one to blame
but me. Here I am at six
feet-three inches tall and over two hundred pounds crying over a mangy
old cat who has had nothing
but love and devotion to only me. My heart was breaking.
Dr. Gwen told us that some cats are able to cure themselves of this
disease and after several tests we
found that India still tested positive. The only thing that we could do
was wait. India certainly enjoys
the extra attention and affection. It is at the trying moments that one
becomes quite humble. You see, I
have no children and I work a lot, I'm a very busy person. I find great
comfort in my baby and I
honestly love her. She embraces my heart. It's been over five years
since Angel had to be put down
but my India is still going strong, living with her disease and showing
no signs of progression. As we
enter 2001 and all it has to offer, I take the time to count my
blessings, for which I am truly
grateful. In fact, she is sitting on my lap as I type this, staring up
into my face. Daddy truly loves his
baby. Todd Canton
India
