In Praise of Unsung Heroes

[Razorfeld]

Right off the bat, this is not about unsung human heroes. This is about an animal hero, specifically a small cat. And I want it understood from the beginning that I have never, and never will, humanize an animal. They are a different species that has the ability to key into our world in ways we have yet to understand.

This morning I gave my avatar, my Lil Mama, back to the Universe. It was a quiet transfer aided by the best vet I have ever known. I have grieved before the fact of this morning. I am done with post grieving. I am celebrating this small wonder of a cat. She was with me for near on to 13 years. She came on her own to my front door, a street cat, no collar, no chip, not afraid of humans. Opened the door, she marched in and took over. To the vet's for a check up and congratulated on become a step-grandfather. After being a midwife to a litter of six, and looking at the six kittens, I realized the little scamp had had a heck of a night with three different Toms - two from each father by the markings. Homes found for all but two, one a half Siamese and the other, a 25 lb love machine who went before his mother earlier this year.

The reason she is my unsung hero is the following. Six years ago I spent several months on and off in the hospital for four day stays with 24 hr chemo for abdominal cancer. Needless to say, the times at home between the stays we not always in good mood or feeling. I have a good support team from my family, that goes without saying. But this little cat, quiet beyond belief, living her life by the heat looking forward to food, water and litter box and rarely demanding attention, with out biding, would find where I was sitting, climb in my lap, curl up on my stomach and start an almost audible purr. She would not leave until she sensed that I was feeling better about things and would jump off and go back to her favorite spot in the house. Any time she came when I was feeling good it was because she was not well, like this last time. Large tumor on her bladder, past solving. I will carry the image of her giving unasked for comfort to a human for the rest of my life.

Lil Mama, unsung hero (I'm sure there are many more like her out there), I celebrate you.