The Boy and His Cat!!!

Most little boys go fishing with their trusty dog. Huey takes his cat!!

A few years ago, after being away for a week, I came home to a house which had been invaded by a mouse!!! SICK!!! I am not a huge fan of animals and will never have an animal in my home (besides fish), but after this incident, I was willing to make a concession! The next spring, our friends cat had a litter of kittens. Hugh took right to those cute little things. They quickly dubbed a pretty, little calico kitten, "The Willie's Cat," and as soon as they were weened, we brought her home. Anya got to name this new little friend. After her first two suggestions (which were something like HRSJTY and BTGHDK), Jesse finally said that the first name that she came up with that he could actually spell (and contained at least one vowel) would be the one. Eventually, she suggested, "Dacko."

Well, Dacko had kind of a rough start. I think that is just something you have to go through to be a part of this Willie family - to contract some sickness or other problem before you turn one. Anyway, she first got an eye infection that resulted in her scratching her retina. As a result, she had to be given amoxicillin and eye drops three times a day so she wouldn't lose her eye. We literally had to cart her around with us on trips for like two weeks and take breaks from meetings and social events so we could get home to tend to our stupid cat.

Later, she got attacked by a crazy raccoon that had moved into our neighbor's pine tree and, from then on, sported a huge scar all the way down her back. Then, we found out she had developed some sort of weird skin allergy and would periodically lose her hair in various spots. Next, while being spayed, they found that she only had one kidney. Of course she did... Needless to say, she wasn't the healthiest cat on the block, but I thought I tended to her aliments pretty sufficiently, all things considered.

But, there was one catch. Did I mention I don't like cats? And, this cat was really not much different. I liked her from a distance. I liked her because she was a good mouser, and I liked her because Huey had really come to love her. But, other than that, she pretty much just annoyed me. Aside from all the aforementioned ailments, she was also a total wimp (the raccoon could have played a part in this) and was always hungry and would constantly whine for more food. This, however, was mostly her own fault, as she would bolt from her dish as soon as the birds would come close, leaving her meal for them. She was the only cat I've ever known that could be bullied by a bird. And, I hated that my flowerbeds became her regular litterbox in the winter. I hated her incessant meowing at the window after dark. I hated how every time my front door would open, she would bolt through your legs into the house. I thought she would figure out after two years that she was not welcome, nor would she ever be, in my house! But, that is exactly how Huey gained his sweet friendship with Dacko.

Hugh was our "Cat Wrangler"!!! He would chase her through the house, pull her by her tail, and eventually get a good enough hold on her to finally get her to the front door, where he would toss her out and give her a little kick. He loved this job! And, I actually think she kind of did, too. Perhaps that's why she always tried to get in - to get a little attention from her buddy, Hugh. All we ever had to do was say, "Huey, Cat!!" and he was on it. (Interestingly enough, this was one of the few scenarios in Hugh's life where he's obeyed after only being asked once.) He loved to feed her and was always wanting to pick her up. And, ironically, for some strange reason, she loved him, too. She never scratched or bit him, and she would follow him around the yard and to the neighbor's house. They truly were buddies!

Well, sadly, all of these fun cat days have come to an end. Today, as I was backing out of our driveway, I ran right over that dang cat. I freaked out. I didn't know what to do. I felt so bad and have been bawling about it all day. I killed my son's best friend!! Mother of the Year, I know..... It has been eating me up all afternoon. I know it is just a cat, and for that, I am grateful. It could have been a child, I guess. But, I still feel horrible, and that is why I am writing this - kind of as an apology to Huey...and as an attempt to forgive myself for the terrible thing that I did today! I am so sorry, Dacko. And, I am so, so, so sorry, Hugh, for taking away your best cat friend!!!