Requiem Diablo

I never considered myself a 'cat person'. I always fancied myself more of a dog type. Dogs after all, were loyal and friendly could be trained to do a great many things. I grew up with dogs, There was a German Shepard at my side from as long as I could remember until I left home. Ever present companions, watchful protectors, and eager playmates, dogs are wonderful Yes sir, I was a dog man!

Cats, on the other hand, are aloof and distant. Cold, calculating creatures that have a need for human companionship that goes only as far as purveyors of their next meal-truly predators at heart; unloving and not capable of the same kind of interspecies bonds that canines make so easily. This is what I used to think anyway, until we got Diablo.

"He's the runt of the litter", my wife said as we looked over the group of kittens. "Yes, that's exactly why we should get him!" I replied, a perpetual fan of the underdog. A few minutes later we were escorting a tiny orange ball of tail-sucking fur back to our home, and into our hearts.

Thus began our relationship with one orange, short-haired member of the species, Felis catus domestica, or as we named him, Diablo. I always say that Diablo thinks he's a dog. He follows me around, comes when I call him, and is always more interested in what I am doing, than any typical 'feline pursuits'. He is sometimes annoying, usually mischievous, and always loveable. Diablo is the perfect companion.

At least he was, until today.

He died today.

Last night I noticed he was a bit lethargic but chalked it up to his 18 hour-a-day sleep habit. Today he began having trouble breathing and started meyowing loudly. This was unusual for him as he is typically a very silent cat. I took him to the animal hospital this afternoon, and while we were in the examination room I somehow knew this was to be his last day. He lay limp on the table staring at me with blank eyes. This was not good. Eyes that were so typically alive, curious, and ful of spunk just stared out devoid of all personality. 3 hours later he was gone. The vet said it was an acute onset of congestiver heart failure- precipitated by who knows what? None of that seems to matter right now.

I miss my little buddy.