I received Gabby as a Christmas gift from my two daughters. They had seen him in a pet store at the mall and had purchased him, then hid him in their room trying to wait until Christmas to give him to me. Of course that didn't work because one evening they were out and he started to cry and I heard him. There was this little kitten, barely five weeks old. He was infested with fleas and although my girls were doing what they could for him under the circumstances, he had an upper respiratory infection and needed to see a vet. The girls came home and I told them I had found the kitten. They told me that I was always asking for an orange kitty and so they got me one. He was to be my first. The next morning we took him up to see Bill & Brenda(our vets) and they began to work on him. They dipped him, although he was very young, and gave him meds for his infection. He was very sick, but we pulled him through and then began a very long and loving relationship.
What can I say about Gabby, he was so dear and precious to me. He wasn't the smartest cat in the world, but we delighted in his antics, and over the years he gave us so much joy. He was terrified of storms and would hide when he heard the thunder. One time he managed to squeeze behind the entertainment center and when the storm was over he was stuck, he couldn't get out. We had to move the thing out to rescue him. Or maybe the time he was sitting on the counter watching me cook supper and his tail caught on fire. I smelled the burnt hair and started beating his tail and he gave me this look like "I" was stupid. He never moved an inch or acted like there was a problem. You could never sit in a chair without Gabby knowing you were resting and it was time to get on your lap. I always said if I died first Gabby would have to be put in the coffin with me because he was always on my lap and would be lost without me. Now, I'm lost without him.
Gabby was always the first kitty to welcome a new one into the fold. There wasn't one that he didn't like. He was a great role model and taught the little kittens what to do. When there were adult strays dumped at our place, again he would accept them like it was the thing to do. Although he got into mischief he always was sweet about it, and you could see in his eyes he was asking forgiveness.
When Gabby was twelve I brought two adults cats into our home from Golden Cat where I had worked. Gabby took one look, no problem. When he was fifthteen I introduced three new cats, one kitten, and two adults. They were all yellow tabbies. Over the years that Gabby was with us, he was my only orange kitty. He accepted all of them, just like he had the others, and became best friends with them.
In the early spring of this year, I came home one evening and found something smeared on the rug. I looked at the kitties but all seemed okay. So I didn't give it much thought and the next morning I noticed a large amount of blood on the blanket that rests on the cabinets in the front windows for the kitties to watch the birds. I was frantic right away and started checking the kitties for anything that could be the cause. I was down to Gabby, and there on his back leg was a tumor that had ruptured. I took him to the vet immediately, and most of the day we waited for test results. They finally came in and he was to have surgery to remove the tumor. It was sent off to see if it was malignant and we waited for Gabby to recover. When I went to visit him the next morning, I knew something else was wrong. Gabby had had a stroke. Now it was just waiting to see if he would recover at all. After several days he did recover with no ill effects and I got to take him home. He was very unsteady and needed help to get certain places. As he started to recover more, he would come and sit on the rug by the daybed and it was like he was trying to memorize what I looked like. The results came back that it was malignant, so I knew our time was limited. I brushed him, and loved him, and tried to squeeze another sixteen years into a few months. The time came sooner than either of us wanted, the tumor was back and growing quickly. We had made makeshift steps around the house for anything that Gabby wanted to climb up but the day came when he was too unsteady on his leg. He pleadingly looked into my eyes, telling me it was time. How could I let him go? I told myself that it was the best for him he didn't need to suffer anymore. How could I say goodbye to my best friend for sixteen years? As we went in to see Bill, He said the words I did not want to hear. But I looked at Gabby and knew it was right for him. He was depending on me for the last time. I held Gabby as he died, with tears running down my cheeks, all the memories rushing through my mind. My heart was breaking, I would miss him, Gabby, my faithful and loving best friend for sixteen years.
This Old Cat
I'm getting on in years;
my coat is turning gray.
My eyes have lost the luster;
my hearings just okay.
I spend my whole day dreaming
of conquests in my past,
Lying near a sunny window,
waiting for its warm repast.
I remember our first visit;
I was coming to you free,
I was your Christmas present,
You were going to take care of me.
I was really young and sickly;
But you looked at me with love,
And you took me to your doctor,
I was watched over from above.
You took me out of pity;
I accepted without shame,
Then you grew to love me,
and I admit the same.
I have shared with you your laughter;
you have wet my fur with tears,
We've come to know each other,
throughout these many years.
Just one more hug this morning
before you drive away;
And know I'll think about you
throughout your busy day.
The time we've left together
is a treasured time at that.
My heart is yours forever;
I promise.....this old cat.
