I never thought in my life that I would feel any type of emotion when a pet died. Actually, I’ve never mourned for an animal in my life. When Patches was put to sleep today it felt different. It really hit me where it hurt. It felt like I lost a family member or something. It bothered me so much that I could not keep still. After sitting on the bed for about a hour after I got off work, I decided I had enough and packed my things to go to the gym. I worked out extremely hard today, leaving all the pain at the gym.

Patches was very special to me because he was introduced to my wife’s family around the same time I was. I remember this ugly little kitten with hardly any hair on its body running around under the couches. I asked my girlfriend (now my wife) why they allowed a hairless kitten in the house. Patches was extremely ugly. He looked like he was infested with all kinds of disease. He reminded me of a giant hairless rat. This was almost ten years ago. The reason he was given the name “Patches” was because he had mange when my mother n law first recieved him and when his hair started growing back, it grew in patches all over his body.
When Patches’s hair finally grew out, he turned out to be a beautiful orange and white tabby. Family members who visited our home could not believe it was the same kitten running around just weeks earlier with no hair. It reminded me of the ugly ducking that turned into a beautiful swan. That was Patches.

During Patches’s younger days, my brother n law’s and I used to play all kinds of pranks on him. He would check out the fridge when we opened it and we would close him inside it for a few seconds. It was so funny because when he came out, he would give us this dirty look like we were evil or something. Patches would also try and take up entire couches for himself. If I wanted to lay down on the couch he was on and he refused move, I used to toss him across to another couch and he would be so pissed off he wouldn’t even look at me. I can remember his expressions very clearly. His expressions were very unique, and dont think I’ve ever seen them on another cat before.

As he got older he became much more affectionate. He would actually push doors open to look for you to lay on your bed while you watched television or read a book. One of his favorite things to do was crawl right on top of whatever you were working on when he wanted attention. He would just plop himself on top of your paperwork or newpaper and wait for you to pet him. He was so spoiled. It came to a point where he would refuse to eat if you didn’t sit with him. In the morning you could hear him meow when he wanted to eat. Someone would have get up, sit near his bowl and pet him while he fed. Spoiled boy!

The last couple months were extremely hard on him. One of his legs started to swell up with liquid and became very large. It turned out to be cancerous. Patches was scheduled to have his leg amputated on October 3rd. He never made it. This past week he stopped eating completely. He labored when he tried to walk and he really didn’t leave the confines of my mom’s bedroom. We discovered later that the cancer had spread to his lungs. There was nothing more that could be done. My wife and my mom took him to the local vet to be euthanized. Im not big at attending these types of events so I didn’t go. My father met them at the vet and told me that Patches knew he was going to pass. As he lay there and the vet inserted the needle, he made a final cry and nibbled on my fathers hand as if to say goodbye. Its sad just thinking about it.

I dont know why I feel so much hurt for Mr. Patches, and I dont know why his passing continues to bother me so much. Although tears have yet to roll down my face, I feel this terrible burden inside my heart for my little friend……

Wait….. I do know why I feel this pain. He wasn’t a pet. He wasn’t an animal. He was family. Losing family always hurts. Our home just became a little lonelier without Patches running around in it. He will truly be missed.

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