My cat "Baby" the sweetest little boy I've ever known left us on 02-04-09, he was only 1-1/2 years old. Born at our house, he was the only one to survive from a litter of three. His mother was very sick and could not nurse him, he needed us. Both me and my wife took turns feeding him, cleaning him, and keeping him warm. We quickly fell in love and gladly became his parents and he our child. No one could ask for a better friend and he loved to be loved.

I miss how he would snuggle up tight, right against my face every night, and wake me every morning by licking my face as if saying "come on dad, get up, it's sunny outside!" I miss him in the window, always waiting until I came home and wanting a kiss. It was so much fun to watch him playing and exploring. I miss the way he loved water, he was fascinated with it. He would jump in the tub when it was almost done draining, he loved the gurgling noise it would make. I miss how he liked to drink straight from the kitchen faucet and miss that his favorite toy was any wet dish sponge that he could steal from the sink. He loved to play with anything he could get a hold of. The evening he died he was playing with an empty coke can, he had it in his mouth and was running all over the house with it. I could ramble on and on about all the things I love and miss about him.

We found out about six months ago that Baby had heart disease, he was born with it. His cardiologist had him on five different medications that he took two times a day, always like a little trooper.

He survived two attacks of Saddle Thrombus but the third one was massive and hit both rear legs. We were right there when it happened and rushed him to the animal hospital. I remember it was snowing like mad and the roads were terrible. My wife kept telling me to slow down but when she told me to speed up I knew Baby was in real trouble. Fluid was building up in his lungs from his poor little heart failing and he couldn't breathe. He died as soon as we arrived.

Looking back, the sadist irony about him loving to play with water is he ended up drowning from fluid in his lungs. I know he must have been very scared not being able to breathe. Oh Lord, I want to be able to hold him again and look into those beautiful eyes; my life has changed forever and will never be the same.

Goodbye for now my pretty little pumpkin patch, daddy and mommy will always love you. Look for me at the bridge my darling; I will be calling your name.