I'm a senior cat who lives with a silly girl. I know she loves me and takes good care of me, but sometimes her teasing is a bit too much for me. Lucky for me she spends hours at a time quietly doing her work. So, I can sleep and dream without her bothering me. And whenever I need her, she's not too faraway and usually available immediately.
I know from experience how diligent my girl is about cleaning out the litter box. It was rare for me to have to remind her to do it. She just did it all on her own. It never mattered how many needed to be cleaned out. She would just clean them all out everyday.
So, when I girl was busy cleaning out a litter box that belongs to Princess Lily, a fluffy and hard to please cat, my girl was reviewed. My girl has told me her previous human employers never gave her good reviews. Or at least nothing that was useful. However, Princess Lily reviewed my girl and was quite pleased with how clean the litter box would be after my girl cleaned it everyday.
Way to go, my girl. I knew you would be an excellent devoted servant. Thanks for doing such a good job. Keep up the good work with any cat you find yourself caring for.
I am a cat and some humans think I’m color blind. They truly believe cats can’t see any colors. Some realize we can see some colors, but not as well as many humans do. I know there were times my girl would give me tiny pieces of white cheddar cheese as a treat. She would set the pieces on the tile floor which was alternating black and white tiles. I could see the cheese on the black tiles without any trouble. But I couldn’t see them on the white tiles. She used to feed me the cheese with her bare hands until I accidentally bit one of her fingers. Not hard enough to hurt her, but enough that it startled her. It was because I couldn’t see clearly where the cheese was on her hands very well.
So, we’re not exactly color blind. I know I’m a black and white tuxedo cat with white paws. But that doesn’t mean I’ll see other colors very well as my girl learned when she was feeding me little pieces of white cheddar cheese.
My girl (Ali Noel Vyain) recently found my diary. We have decided to release it into the world. It will be available as an ebook, but not until after it’s first serialized via Patreon. My diary features my thoughts, feelings, opinions and why I wrote my memoirs.
Just a little sample:
Entry 1
I’m just a kitten. My name is Socks. I have a mom Ramadon and three brothers: Paintbrush, Inky and Spitter. We play everyday. Life is nice here.
Just one thing puzzles me. I know I don’t know much. I keep asking my mom questions and she answers what she can. So, I keep seeing these beings of light. They are sparkly and have wings. They fly around me and sprinkle dust on me. They laugh and dance.
Who are they? What do they want with me?
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As a cat I can tell you we do like to socialize. It’s a myth to believe we are so independent that we won’t interact with you. Speaking for myself, I am shy so I don’t like to be around strangers. I got so used to my girl that I don’t mind talking to her or cuddling with her. Just like others, I need to socialize. It helps when I’m comfortable with others. But it takes me time to get to know people. It doesn’t matter if they are cats or humans. I need to take it slow.
I’m so glad my girl understands this about me. That’s why when she decided to have a little birthday party for herself, she gave me a place where I could hide and no one bothered me. Isis, on the other paw, is very outgoing and she greeted and interacted with everyone who stopped by. That’s just how she is. It’s better that she did so and enjoyed it. I could never play host.
We cats do like to socialize, but it depends on how shy or outgoing we are as to how much we want to socialize and with whom we will socialize. Please remember that if you decide to live with us.
I came across Nuri who is currently living with my girl. She readily agreed to an interview.
Sir Socks (SS): How long have you lived with my girl?
Nuri: For a few years. We’ve bounced around quite a few times. I hope we don’t have to travel again, but she seems to think we will.
SS: I lived in a few different places with her. I don’t know what the problem is. Whatever it is, it’s bad. I think she has asked for help and can’t get what she needs.
Nuri: I know she has anxiety that gets too high at times. I do what I can to comfort her. She says I help her out. I don’t know what the real problem is either. I do believe she’s the best human for me, but other humans don’t like her for reasons I can’t understand.
SS: Hmm. I suppose the dislike of other humans is a factor. I agree with you that she’s a great human to be with even though she’s too silly for me.
Nuri: She’s not too silly for me. I have to deal with other cats and they don’t always want to play with me. But she will. She even offers or plays with me when I approach her.
SS: That’s good. I know she used to play with Spot too. He truly believes she’s his mama and a cat.
Nuri: (laughs) She told me she bottle fed a kitten. That must have been who she meant. She did tell me she’s lived with other cats. I never cared about the other cats. I see no reason to be jealous of those who came before me. Or even of those she meets now and pets them. I’m just glad she knows what I need.
SS: I trained her well.
Nuri: I’m so glad you did. Most of the time I’m afraid to complain when things aren’t quite right for me. Yet, she has told me sometimes I do need to complain. I did once and she never got mad at me. She understood what I was complaining about.
SS: She was always good about understanding and taking care of the problem. (pause) Is it true your story is a rags to riches?
Nuri: Yes. I was born and raised on the street. I know how dangerous cars and raccoons can be. I also had to fight other cats just to survive. I was scared when humans grabbed me and put me in a shelter. Then I met Ali. My world hasn’t been the same since. It took me time to get used to her and her ways, but I’m glad we met.
SS: She turned my world upside down in a good way. I’m glad she’s a part of my life too.
Nuri: I’m glad she came when she did. I feel much safer inside or even on an enclosed patio. I feel very safe when she’s around. I know she will protect me.
I can’t say I’ve gotten along well with female cats as I did with Nuri during this interview. I know Nuri hasn’t always like male cats either. I’m sure it was because she grew up on the street. She seems to tolerate them better now that she can’t get pregnant.
One of the best things about being a cat is the power of a purr. We can purr for hours. We can stay relaxed and calm without any trouble of all. Our purr is so soothing not just for us, but it has a calming affect on others as well. I know my girl loves it whenever I purr. She will cuddle with me and just breath as she should. I know it’s the best way for me to help her heal up whenever she is sick.
We cats have the best power in the universe with our purring. That’s why it’s so easy for us to heal others we love and to meditate. We just purr and others get better as we reach the wonderful state of nirvana.
After my girl interviewed me, I decided to interview the kitten I raised with my girl. Spot was very cooperative. I wasn’t surprised by his responses as he has grown up with me and has always adored me and looked up to me.
Sir Socks (SS): Do you mind that I included you in my book?
Spot: No, I’m glad you included me. I’ve known you my whole life. Why wouldn’t I be in your book? I thought I was an important person in your life.
SS: You are an important person in my life. So is my girl that you believe is your mama.
Spot: I love mama.
SS: I know. Did you know she’s human?
Spot: What? I thought mama was a cat like I am!
SS: Uh, she is an honorary cat as far as I’m concerned.
Spot: Good.
SS: So, what’s wrong?
Spot: I’ve told mama she shouldn’t stand under running water, but she still does it. I also don’t know what’s happened to her hair.
SS: She stands under running water to bathe. Her tongue isn’t like ours and her saliva doesn’t have the cleaning power ours does. Her hair can be cut and let to grow out to different lengths. It’s not like our fur which stays the same length all the time no matter how much new growth we have.
Spot: Oh. So, both are okay for her?
SS: Yes. (pause) Would you ever want to be a bigger part of my magazine someday?
Spot: I don’t know yet. I like the idea and especially that you and mama work on it. I do like how it supports animal charities around the world who need the support. I know I’ve been in the magazine because I’m a part of your book. I do know mama has written about me too.
SS: So, that’s a maybe?
Spot: Yes, I might join later on.
That was all I asked him. I might interview him again later on. I still don’t quite understand why he thinks my girl is a cat. It’s probably because she bottle fed him when he was a kitten. Yet, when he was that young, he stole my crunchies too. He was too much for me until he grew up and calmed down.
It’s not uncommon for us cats to give our devoted humans gifts of dead animals. I myself have given such gifts to my girl. I know she doesn’t eat animals, so I helped myself to the parts that I like to eat. I gave her the rest. When she saw the gifts, she screamed.
*Sigh.* I hope she understands why I gave her the gifts, but it doesn’t appear she understood at the time. I guess she loves animals in general too much to like any such gifts as those I gave her. I only did it because of how much I adore her.
Death is one of the hardest concepts I’ve ever dealt with in my life. I suppose that’s one thing even humans have a hard time understanding. I lost my brother Spitter when he was too young to die. But he did. The blind guy thought it was poison and murder. I have no idea. All I know is that I had lost a brother that I could never have back.
Sometimes I still miss him. I know when we cats die, we leave our physical bodies behind. But our essence lives on. We go somewhere else that is hard to describe to those who are still living. I know that’s not a very good description, but it’s the truth. In some ways, there is an important part of us that never dies. It lives on as the physical body decays and dies. We shed the physical body as if it were old, worn out clothing.
Death is also a separation from our loved ones who are still living in physical bodies. That part I don’t like very well. I could still see those I loved, but without a physical body, they weren’t as likely to see me. That just isn’t fair. My girl was aware of me. She knew I was still around with her. She didn’t mind my presence. She felt as if she had lost her best friend. In a way she did lose her best friend. I don’t know how I became that to her. She doesn’t know either. But in one way, we are still connected to this day. It’s a strong spiritual bond. Once I have a new physical body and we met again, we will know in some respect that we are still friends.
We all die. So, this part shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. It still was to my girl. I think she knew the end could come at some point. We were going to be separated by death. Yet, she didn’t act like she had prepared herself. She just noticed that I was limping. She asked me what was wrong. I honestly didn’t know at the time.
Then she took me to the vet. She stuffed me into a carrier and took me for a walk. Eventually, we got on a bus and went to the vet that way. She told the vet what she had noticed and she voiced her concerns. The vet asked me to walk around the room. As soon as I was free of the cage and everyone, I jumped down to the floor and walked around the room.
I was still limping and not sure what they were going to do to me. Blood was drawn. I don’t remember how much or what for now. But the next morning, I knew it was over for me. I tried to tell my girl. Thankfully, both Spot and Isis left me alone. They had for quite some time now. But my girl was distracted. She got a phone call and tried to talk to me about what I wanted.
She offered to take care of me more than what she had been doing. She was already giving me wet food on demand because I didn’t have enough teeth to eat crunchies anymore. But what she would have to do was beyond that. Yet, I knew it was already too late.
I told her to forget about taking care of me and begged her to kill me. She never really could understand me well when I talked to her. I don’t know why. I could understand her just fine. But this was important. I had to get through to her. I kept repeating my message. Finally she understood and cried.
She realized that I couldn’t move the back half of my body anymore. I had no bladder control. That was embarrassing. She just had to understand that I couldn’t move on my own anymore. It was over for me. I was ready to die, but she didn’t seem to do much at first about my last request.
I know how much she loved me and still does. She was a wreck, but she made some phone calls and before I knew it, she scooped me up in a blanket and carried me out of the apartment. She held on to me while the next door neighbor drove us back to the vet. He dropped us off and she carried me inside.
I was still repeating my request. I didn’t know how much longer it would take. Then we were ushered into an exam room. She set me down on the table. Finally, everyone understood what I wanted. My last request was about to be fulfilled.
The vet rolled me over and shaved my leg. I had become quiet because I knew it was the end for me. Everyone understood what I wanted. My girl held my forepaw. I let her. Normally, I didn’t like so much affection from her, but this was a special time. We were being separated. Really, dying wasn’t so bad except for the fact that my girl was so upset about the whole thing. I knew it was my time to go.
The vet injected the poison into my shaved leg. In a few minutes, my body was dead. Everyone left the room to leave my girl alone with my body. She said nothing to his condolences. I saw her carefully move the blanket out from under my body. She no longer wanted my body. She knew I wasn’t inside it anymore. My eyes had become glassy. My body was lifeless.
She sighed. She held the blanket close to herself and walked out of the examination room. She sat down in the lobby and called the neighbor to come get her. Everyone was kind to her. I was a spirit and I didn’t want to leave my girl. I sat down next to her. She knew I was there, but said nothing to me. No one else saw me or knew my spirit was nearby.
Soon the neighbor came and took her back to the apartment. She stepped inside and locked herself in with Spot and Isis. They didn’t know where I was. I didn’t come back in the physical form with my girl. I was free of my physical body and I was still with my girl. I’m not sure they could see me. Isis was quiet. Too quiet as far as I knew. But my girl knew I was there.
Spot, was a different story. My girl sat down on the bed and set the blanket down on the floor. He came over and yelled. He was mad that I was gone. He ate what little hair of mine was left on the blanket. But my girl was silent. She couldn’t respond to Spot at that time.
I stayed with them. I watched my girl. I loved her so much and I still do. I saw her watch “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” over and over again. Towards the end, when Dumbledore tells Harry he’s not well, my girl cried and cried and cried. It was awful to watch. I couldn’t believe how much in shock and how painful it was for her to have me die when I did.
Eventually, she stopped crying. She told me she’d be fine and that I should just go ahead and move on. I deserved to have another life. So, I crossed the rainbow bridge hoping that I would meet my girl again in my next life.
My girl notes that I died three days after her birthday in 2010. She wasn’t happy about it, but she coped. She still had Spot and Isis living with her. I could see the three of them without me. Spot learned to accept that I wasn’t coming back as the cat who had raised him. Isis and I didn’t know each other very well. She had been living with us for just one year.
My girl used to tease them and complain that it was too quiet without me. Spot didn’t say anything. He wasn’t much of a talker. Isis tried to make up for my lack, but she wasn’t loud enough as my girl told her. Besides, Isis was much too happy to be me. She laughed and was just as silly as my girl was.
As I crossed the rainbow bridge, I could see in spite of my girl’s pain and sadness at our separation, she would be fine. She was not alone. I took a deep breath and finished crossing the bridge.
As I was crossing the bridge, I soon discovered I wasn’t alone. The fairies soon appeared all around me. They were happy to see me. I was glad to see them too. They complimented me on helping the witch stick to her better self. She had become very selfless as she needed to. The fairies flitted and danced around me. I was sad that I had to leave my family, but glad I wasn’t alone either.
It was time for another adventure. This time I would have more choices to make. My girl was right. She knew it was my choice and she didn’t want me to worry about her. It wasn’t her time to cross the bridge yet. I just hoped we would meet again someday.
I got to the other side and was soon joined by Isis. I was shocked to see her. She was just as shocked as I was. She told me our girl had told her to go on and get another life. It wasn’t fair what had happened to her.
Isis had become sick after I had died. She told me, she was shocked by what had happened to me. That shock must have triggered the dormant illness inside of her. She died about a month after me from feline leukemia. The same vet who had killed me killed her too. Isis said she wasn’t ready, but our girl petted her and calmed her down. Without our girl, Isis said she would not have been able to cross the rainbow bridge.
Isis wasn’t sure what was happening with our girl and Spot. We both worried. I told Isis, we had to move on without them for now. I stressed there was a chance that we would meet them again someday. I didn’t know if they would be in the same or in different bodies. But when we did meet them, we would recognize them and know they are still our friends.
We’ve been inseparable ever since. I don’t regret my life or my adventures. I just wish Isis had a much longer life as I was blessed to have. I don’t think it’s fair.
Isis was much too young to die. She wasn’t a middle aged cat. I thought it was an outrage. But I didn’t leave her. I told her I’d look out for her in this spirit realm. She accepted my help. She was glad she wasn’t alone. I was also glad to have a friend in this new world besides the fairies.
*******************
If you’re wondering how I could write my memoirs and have a Twitter account, the answer is simple. My girl and I were never completely separated. We could still sense each other and talk to each other because of the strong, long lasting bond between us. Yes, I have moved on. But I still love my girl very much. I always will. I know she will always love me just as much too.
Sir Socks Le Chat 