First True Love

The most unique yet the most common one.

These words best describe my first ever cat as a child. She is my closest friend, my crying shoulder, and my whole life, albeit temporarily. She is the youngest member of the family and the true “bunso (youngest child).”

By the year 2012, I always envisioned myself having a cat—and I had a specific type in mind about which one I wanted to adopt. A plain white cat with light blue eyes. One day, when the mother stray cat gave birth to three beautiful kittens, I was astounded to discover that she also gave birth to a beautiful white kitten. Looking back, I think what I did 12 years ago was a form of manifestation. This immediately brings to mind the most famous saying: "Curiosity killed the cat." I was extremely curious about what it was like to have a household pet many years ago. The only thing I knew at the time was that it would be incredibly exciting and filled with warm fuzzies.

When I first encountered and acknowledged a cat (I was 4 years old), I got scratched by it. I could not recall the cat's appearance, but I attempted to pet it because I thought it was so adorable. It is somewhat surprising that, despite the negative experience, I was still eager to adopt the same kind. The wound caused by the cat's scratch did not prevent me from hoping for one.

In my childhood days, I was always vocal about my dreams, aspirations, needs, and wants mainly to my parents. I regularly remind them that I want a pet—it is either a cat or a dog. Nonetheless, I prefer cats more. Disappointingly, my Mama did not allow me of having one at home because she asserted that it was an enormous responsibility, so bringing a cat into our home for the first time was a significant challenge—and as a child, I did not know the consequences I would face as I only see the positive side of this certain situation.

Now that I am 22 years old, I find it amusing that I was extremely obstinate as a child. This obstinacy led to the long-term happiness of my entire family. When my mother allowed me to care for Lincy inside our home, I was so ecstatic that I jumped, danced, and sang with joy. I lost Lincy during the lengthy process of gaining her approval. I was not able to find her for a few months—which led me to post Lincy's pictures online with the caption, “Missing.” It was March 2013, when my mother had no choice but to take in our once-lost, much-loved white cat after my father discovered her in front of our front gate.

I would describe my cat Lincy as exceptionally attractive. She has beautiful, long, white fur. Her fur is like silk—as soft as it is. Her eyes are pale blue and glisten like aquamarine gems. She is affectionate and loving, but she is very much “her own cat.” She adores her brother Blackie, but despite being playmates as they are the same age, she frequently picks fights with him. Although most of the time, they get along by eating, sleeping, and running around together. Originally, they are actually three siblings. The name of the other cat is Orangey. Unfortunately, she died as a result of a vicious neighbor's assault. As I type this, the image of her dead body still lingers in my mind. No cat deserves to be treated in such a manner, as they were all created to be loved by humans and are merely innocent furballs.

Honestly, I truly have nothing negative to say about this little girl. Except for the fact that she likes to scratch everyone when she is being petted and that she cries a lot when she is being bathed—which is acceptable because it is a normal behavior for cats. She is never naughty, but she enjoys begging for chicken, fish, pork, and beef, and she usually gets what she wants (she is highly polite). She has a high IQ as well, in my opinion. Far more intelligent than my other adopted cats. She will patiently wait for her dinner, and if she realizes it is not yet ready, she will leave the room to drink water in the bathroom or simply fall asleep. Lincy is an absolute angel and a sweetheart. Lincy is easily frightened, but if she knows that her enemy (the hair blower or human visitors) cannot harm her, she will not flee. She dislikes being picked up but enjoys being petted on her terms. Lincy does not resort to crying, but she will shed tears (poor thing!) when she is forced to visit the veterinarian.

The first few days of Lincy’s stay in our house was hugely difficult to handle because she was still adjusting. She was still a kitten when my father found her, but she was accustomed to living outside and suddenly being caged inside an unfamiliar place seemed strange to her during her first few days. Thankfully, her adjustment did not last long, because she was still seeing her furry friends right across our door.

During her first few months living inside our home, she developed several habits—which I find immensely cute. The first one is drinking water inside the bathroom; she was sometimes drinking inside the bucket of water, and licks the undried water on the CR floor at times. The second habit is she likes to play tag. I would like to describe Lincy as an untouchable cat, because every time I pet her, she would take it as a chance to scratch. For this reason, I made it a mindset that each time I caress her, I should quickly run away before she gets annoyed. When this happens, she also runs towards me and that is how we play “tag, you’re it!” The third habit she acquired was taking a pee and poo in front of our bathroom door. Due to this, we had to place a rag on that spot, so we could place the waste in the trash can. The fourth habit she obtained was the most unforgettable because she sleeps on top of my blanket every night, preventing me from getting the right amount of sleep. She appears unconcerned about the fact that I was unable to get enough sleep. It was irritating at the time, but I find it amusing and memorable now. There are many other habits that she picked up during her nine-year stay in our home that I would like to remember and jot down here, but these are the ones that stand out.

One of the most endearing characteristics of cats is their spirit of independence—which perfectly describes Lincy. Their personalities are unique to them. They react in accordance with who you are, but you cannot alter or control them. Because of this, their affection for you is so genuine and enduring. They have decided to choose you, not because they need you, but because they love you. They are indeed capable of love. Cats are unique. As I have observed, aspects of each of my cat's personality mirror mine, but I also mirror hers. There are complementarities and mismatches. Cats are significantly more distinct in their individuality than dogs. They possess a powerful will and are decisive.

In my perception, Lincy is the most special and incomparable cat I have ever had. Not that I want to compare her among the cats I own now, but being the first one is really what makes her shine among all. Her personality is rare to find in other cats. She was extremely obedient, knew her limitations, selfless, and empathetic. I can proudly say that she knows her limitations as she will not do anything unless her owners granted permission. She probably got that trait because we trained her to do that unknowingly. I can impressively say that she is also selfless, because whenever a stray cat is snatching her food, she will immediately give way and walk away. Lincy will patiently wait for another food to arrive after that. Moreover, I can confidently say that she is an empathetic cat. According to some, pets can sense their owners' negative emotions. Due to this, they will alleviate their sadness by staying and lying next to them. This is exactly what Lincy did. Whenever I am feeling down, she will be there to cheer me up immediately. The mere presence of her makes me feel euphoric; no words are necessary. The next day, after an entire night of feeling blue, my Lincy instantly wiped away all of my negative emotions.

I welcomed and celebrated the New Year 2022 with pure and genuine happiness. But despite that, whenever my gaze reaches Lincy, I always feel guilty about feeling happy. This is particularly because she was sick—not eating, and just slept everywhere she wanted to. I noticed that it was not her usual self, because she used to sleep daily below the electric fan. There was also a time where she slept beside me. Little did I know, that was the last time that she would be sleeping on my bed.

My entire family has taken amazing care of Lincy for the past nine years. However, she died at exactly 7:00 a.m. on January 5, 2022, due to a kidney disease. I was told by the veterinarian that her illness is equivalent to a stage 4 cancer in humans. Upon knowing that, I was terribly down and anxious for her deteriorating health. Truthfully, I honestly thought that there was still hope for her to live for more years. I thought that she could live for another year to celebrate her 10th birthday. I also wanted to buy her a cake when her day comes. But sadly, our expectations do not meet our reality sometimes.

Since Lincy was our first ever family cat; with whom I grew up, her passing devastated our entire household. My sweet baby kept me together during my worst times. Her unexpected illness—which I thought was easily curable; tore me apart. She masked my sadness moments without being aware of my feelings. After her passing, I spiraled downward. I miss her every day, and there are times in the middle of the night when I move to the side of the bed in the hope that she will jump up, sleep comfortably beside me, and purr soothingly. As she was my first ever cat, she will always live rent-free in my heart. I cherished her as if she were my younger sister. Until the end of time, I will cherish the moments we spent together inside our lovely home. And I will always consider her as my first true love because I have lavished her with tender love and care she deserves throughout her nine years, two months, and twenty three days of life. I'm still hoping to meet her in my next life; I hope she welcomes me cheerfully and longingly, since I would definitely do the same.