Goodbye

Five years ago you found me

I say I adopted you, but you really adopted me

My sweet, sassy, grumpy girl, you’ve put up such a fight

I will always remember when you emerged from the bushes, leaves in your fur, approaching me as I walked Valentine

You were so trusting and sweet, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you

It was clear you had been abandoned, and the more I got to know you, the more I knew it to be true because you weren’t the type to wander off

I remember feeding you, and running upstairs to grab water, only to find that a dog had scared you away while I was gone

I had to leave and I told myself that if it was meant to be, somehow I’d find you again

But when I got home, there you were

Sitting in the exact place where I fed you

So began our story

It took you months before you felt comfortable enough to leave my room

But once you did, what a character you were

Playing hid and seek with me under the shower curtain

Wrestling your brother and showing him who’s boss when he tried picking on you

Rubbing your face in our heads and slobbering all over our hair when we sat on the couch

Giving us “presents” (your toys) late at night with your La Llorona howl

Following me into the bathroom so that I could give you belly rubs while I peed

Giving your brother Simba hair as you groomed him

And today, on our last day together, you told me you loved me with your beautiful cat eyes and purred in my hand as we both knew the end was near

My sweet, special Osira

How I love you

I will miss you dearly