This isn't a poem just a little story about our tom cat named McNeil (Neily). I adopted him at 6yrs old - he was squished into a cage at the SPCA and smooshed his face against the cage door anytime someone walked by. I had never owned a cat but thought what a cool cat - the tag description said his name was Valentino and that he had been an outdoor cat - found in a racoon trap......I thought thats my boy...........needless to say 7 years later he was the most wonderful cat. We kept him indoors to keep him safe............and he was very much like a dog.....he loved to beg for food and would run into the bathroom to hang out with you while you showered etc......
2 hours ago while putting my son down for a nap I heard some comotion downstairs (I thought one of our dogs was playing/chasing him), but when I saw both dogs in the room I thought he was chasing a fuzzball etc...and then I heard him cry out...a sad painful sound. When I went to the top of the stairs I saw him laying down at the bottom in the sun. I ran down the stairs and called his name but he didn't move. I started to pet his head and knew it was bad...I called my husband crying that I thought Neily was dying. I hung up and pick him up and held him....Neil let out two breaths and his body shuddered and he was gone. Just like that......I don't even know what happened. I didn't think it would hit me so hard - I felt dumb crying in front of my 2 yr old. My husband came home to bury him under our Maple Tree..........I will really miss him..........