When I lost Rex, I just couldn't stand my empty home, so I went looking for a couple of new friends. The lady who was fostering you along with a dozen or so other cats held you up and said how special you were...that you could communicate with just your eyes and the look on your face, and she was right. She said you and Ellie would make a good pair, so I said yes. While she was getting the paperwork ready she told her young son, "She's taking Cricket", and the little boy jumped up and yelled, "Cricket?! I have to say goodbye to Cricket!" and he ran off to do so.
Then when I took you to the vet the first time, it happened to be the one that also vaccinated all of the cats at the foster home. And when the assistant saw the lady's name on the paper she asked which cats I got. Her next response was, "Cricket! You have Cricket?!" and she rushed over to see you.
Everyone loved you, Cricket. When Auntie Debs came to take care of you all those times I was away, she always told me what a good boy you were...rubbing your feet on her shoes and sticking your head in her glass of iced tea. :lol: And when John would come over, he always looked at you and said, "That's a great cat!" You sure were.
You had great big round green eyes and a broad nose and such big ears. Poor Cricky...you got a lot of ear infections and hated that medicine, but you were such a good boy. You always gave me a "foot massage" when I came home. You liked to jump onto the counter, then the 'fridge, and then up onto the tops of the cabinets to walk around and sit down.
You loved to sleep in the bed with me, and you always had to be touching me. Your little foot would be against my back, or you would roll over onto your side and lay your head in my hand. I loved that, Cricket. And you had the best meow. You made kind of a "Rowr" sound as you looked at me just as though you were talking about something very important. I'm sure you were. You hated it when I sang or whistled, and you would come right up and get in my face then and say "Rowr!"
You loved to play with your bat. I'd toss it into the air and you'd shake your head quickly from side to side as you watched it fall and then ran after it. And you loved that weird purple striped cat/mouse thing...rolling and rolling on it and licking it. And your string!
That red shoestring that you picked up in your mouth and dragged around the house making "Rrrrowr" noises, then...well, there's a reason we called it your girlfriend. :lol:
Sweet, simple-minded, lovable Cricket. I always told people you couldn't hurt a fly if you stepped on it. I'm so sorry you got sick. You had several illnesses over the years and even a couple of surgeries, but I never knew at the end that you were sick until it was too late. We hardly had time to say goodbye.
But after not being able to be with Ellie in her final moments I was not about to let the same thing happen with you. I held you in my arms as you left. You didn't go as easy as I'd wished, but I held you tight and petted you and kissed you and held on long after you were gone, just to make sure.
I miss you, Cricket, my Cricky. I never, ever forgot how lucky I was to get such a special guy. You made me so happy. Thank you, buddy.
