My Cat, My Best Friend

At the end of August, Vocal opened up the 24/7 Companion Challenge. The challenge closed by the time I began writing this, but the thought of not writing something for my furry companion was, and is, unthinkable. So, here I am. At the beginning of October writing a post about a cat who has brought light into my life.

The cat pictured in the photo above is Ceaser. He's fourteen (14), but it can be hard to guess his age. His fur is well-maintained (with the help of a de-shedding brush), his teeth are in good health, and, despite his age, he is still active and hunting mice whenever they appear. He is old, yes, but the soul within him is young and wild with a few too many sharp teeth.

I love writing, I love books, and I love my cat. So, when I saw there was a prompt relating to pets in general, I was happy to see pets were given another round in the sun. I was sad because I had missed it. For those of you who are curious, the challenge I am referencing is:

The Vocal Challenge Prompt (24/7 Companion)

Pick a fond memory you have with your pet and tell us all about it. What did you do and why is this something you'll cherish forever?

I have always had pets, and have had them for as long as I can remember.

Picking a memory of Ceaser isn't easy, however. My memory recall isn't all that great. I have a hard time remembering what I had for lunch a few days ago, let alone a memory of my family or my beloved Ceaser that lingers.

The few that do remain engrained in my mind, like the story I wrote about a nighttime driving lesson with my dad, are rooted in something I found hilarious at the time. A memory that still makes me laugh to this day. There is one I do have with Ceaser, but it wouldn't reach the word limit needed for a post here on Vocal.

So, for my sake, I will change the prompt a tad.

By doing so, I will make it more accessible to me overall.

The 24/7 Companion Prompt (Tweaked)

Tell us of your pet. Tell us why you are fond of it.

It is, as far as prompts go, straightforward. More of an order, in a way, but one that doesn't beat around the bush. Which I am quite happy with, truth be told. It lets me really bite into the matter at hand, one which now revolves around a cat I have lived with for a year as of the 1st of October.

Ceaser is an odd kitty. Whenever my friend is over, if she leaves her shoes on the ground, Ceaser will claim them for himself. As can be seen in the photo above, he will lay on top of the shoes. Sometimes he will wrap himself around them before kicking them with his hind paws. Or, in other cases, he will settle himself over them and fall asleep.

From a human perspective, that can't be comfortable. Leather isn't all that forgiving. Yet, for whatever reason, it is there that Ceaser will park himself time and time again.

If the shoes weren't odd on their own, Ceaser also has a habit of sitting on top of my massage table. Some clients don't mind having him in the room while I'm working on them, and he knows it. When I'm getting ready to get the room cleaned up after a session, he'll park himself on the table.

Does he not want me to change the blanket or linens?

Or is he demanding a massage for himself first?

A Funny Memory Of A Cat

As I mentioned above, I do have one memory of Ceaser that's funny. It's a memory I'm fond of and is one that had my friend and me laughing for a long while.

For a bit of context, my friend and I tend to go driving in the evenings. A loop around the town, in most cases. Most of the time, we have a soda in hand and music playing. It's relaxing, and it gets us away from our houses for a bit. A good way to unwind after a day of chores or mental numbness.

It's night when we reach my house. It's dark out. My backyard, however, is lit up by the headlights of the car. The backyard is fenced in, and, on the other side, is a deer. A doe. She's grazing. The doe isn't too frightened of people and is minding her own business as she eats.

My friend and I are sitting in the car watching her when we notice that there's something else going on in the yard. We look over to see Ceaser, my fourteen-year-old cat, chasing a rabbit. This is normal kitty behavior, so it is more amusing to watch him try and catch something that is, at this point, faster than him. However, I have to give him credit for trying.

Then something unexpected happens.

The rabbit shoots through the fence, Ceaser on its heel. The rabbit goes under the deer. Ceaser runs into the deer. It was an instant collision when Ceaser ran into the doe's back leg. My cat ran into a deer, and then stumbled back and just stood there for a moment. I don't know if it was the shock that stilled him, if it was the unexpected collision, or if it was the fact the doe was staring at him afterward without moving.

My friend and I lost it. We started laughing as the doe trotted away, and we couldn't stop laughing as Ceaser slunk his way through the back door of my house. My friend dropped me off and went home while I got to spend the rest of the night with Ceaser curled up against my side.

That is one memory I won't forget.

Why I'm Fond Of My Cat

The fun thing about animals is how much they light up our lives. Each of them has its own personality. They have quirks, likes, and dislikes. And, if treated right, they will love you more than anything else on this planet.

As someone who has autism and depression, a pet has a way of lightening my mood. Ceaser often reminds me to eat because our meals typically are at the same time. Whenever I refill his bowl of water, it reminds me to drink water myself so that I stay dehydrated.

When my moods go south, he knows. He'll spend all morning in bed with me on the days I can't drag myself out of my covers, purring nonstop. When I can pull myself up, he'll walk with me through the house. He'll rub himself against my ankles, and hop up into my lap when I curl up on the couch after refilling his food and water dish.

For me, Ceaser is family. He lives with me.

With him here, I'm not alone.