In late July of 2003, Asa and I were shopping for cat food in our local Pet Food Express store. We always went on Saturday, when the local cat rescue group was exhibiting cats and kittens for adoption. The last thing on earth that we needed was another cat. I realized that, although my heart had melted when I had first seen Billy, a fragile little waif. He was still there that weekend, and I left Asa with him to continue my shopping. About 10 minutes later, I was at the extreme back corner of the store when Asa appeared, carrying Billy on his shoulders. "He sure is a friendly little guy, isn't he?" Asa said, the identical words he had said 16 years earlier when Asa "allowed Bubba to stay." I knew he was smitten, and the rest, as they say, is history. Billy has become my son Lance's cat, and leads Lance around by his nose. He's quite smitten with his own beauty, and deservedly so.
Bubba left us for the Rainbow Bridge in December of 2005 at the ripe old age of 18 1/2 years. Hardly a day has passed since then that we don't pick up one of his many pictures and remark, "He sure was some cat." That he was, indeed, and he will live forever in our memories
When we bow our heads to give blessings before Thanksgiving dinner, we'll remember all the cats we have known and loved, past and present. They fill a huge place in our lives, and we're ever thankful that they have chosen us to be their humans.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
