A Christmas Star

It is 100 word Friday thanks to Rochelle Wisoff Fields.  Links can be found here.

I really wanted to write something happy this week.  Something  with a little holiday cheer but when I clicked on the photo prompt I was instantly overwhelmed by the cute cat and couldn’t help but think about my best friend and his family who lost their Cat Star on Tuesday night.

Copyright-Scott L. Vannatter

 

Star was warmth in your home but on a cold night she’d steal your heat.  Even the allergic one respected her.

“Cats don’t have masters they have a staff”.

When you slept on the couch Star rode your hip, a log in a river.  Eight lives used up by fights and cars.  The south side bay window is where she spent her ninth life.  Heart disease robbed her balance.  Star went palsy climbing the stairs and had to be put down.   The little one’s innocence stolen by the first shovel of dirt.

“Uncle Tommy my cat died”.

“I know James”.

59 thoughts on “A Christmas Star

  1. “Cats don’t have masters they have a staff”. So true. I always think cats own you and generally are indifferent to you so long as you do what they want. Dogs love you and want to be with you all the time.

    1. Janet,
      I stole that line from somewhere….and I have used it many times when describing a cat.
      Thanks for the comment. With a cat you are there just to give them what they need if not they will move on.

      Tom

  2. Dear Tom,
    This piece made me ache.
    “The little ones innocence’s stolen by the first shovel of dirt” feels a little clumsy. Maybe little one’s innocence?
    Please take this in the spirit given. Again your tribute was lovely. We had to put our 18 year old cat down a couple of years ago so it was up close and personal for me.
    Thank you for your kind comments on mine.
    Shalom,
    Rochelle

      1. Thanks Randy she was and I can not help but think of my cat that is getting on in years…Sad for a grown man and even worse for a child.

        Tom

  3. I really liked “Eight lives used up by fights and cars…” and “The little one’s innocence stolen by the first shovel of dirt.” The first made Star an intriguing personality (and I’m not even a cat person!) and the second was a raw kick in the gut. Your dialogue at the end was great, too.

    1. Lora,
      There will be no Monday morning quarterbacks on my page….Just kidding. Uncle Tommy could have said that but he would have went over the 100 words.
      Tom

  4. Aww, that’s sad. Hope the family come to terms with their loss. You captured that beautifully, particularly the bit about riding the hip like a log. Mine used to do that. Nicely done, great tribute.

    1. Sandra,
      I am sure they will. Time seems to do wonders..If a cat finds a place it likes all the tossing and turning are simple adjustments for it. Thanks for the kind words.

      Tom

        1. Ted,
          I think I will join you…”That’s one damn snappy line, I just love it”….Now you better be careful cause I will be stealing your lines next and you won’t be getting any credit.

          Tom

  5. Tom, nice tribute to Star. We had to put down a kitty due to a disease she had. I still think of her and that happened years ago. Our pets have special place in our hearts. I like how you described her life, spending her last days by the window.

    1. Amy,
      Thanks. You never forget a loving pet no matter how long you that pet was in your life. Sorry to hear about your kitty.
      Tom

  6. That’s a great line. Another variation I’ve heard a lot is, “Dogs have owners, cats have staff.” Very well done, Tom. This really hit home for me. Less than a year ago my cat of almost twenty years passed away. They become a part of your family and when they depart they “steal your heat.” My son still cries over a cat he lost six years ago. You’ve captured some real emotions here.

    1. Debra,
      Perhaps over the years I changed it up a bit….My buddy and I always joke about cats having staff…Sorry to hear about your lose. Star stole our hearts. I am sure she will be in hearts and memories for years. She will be missed.

      Tom

  7. Dear Tom,

    This story is right up there with the best of the litter this week. You hooked me and took me for a ride and made me sad at the end and glad that i rode along with you and Star.

    Thanks for this one.

    Aloha,

    Doug

  8. Very good. As somebody whose name escapes me once said, “No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch.”

  9. HI Tom,
    I’m glad you did this tribute. The death of a family pet is a hard thing to endure, and I’m glad you recognized with your story how important she was in their lives. Ron

  10. it’s why people often don’t like cats. they’re not dependent upon us. they just wait for us to get around to them. too much like humans. well done. poor kid.

    1. Rich,
      I love cats. I love dogs and all other animals but there is something about cats that get my respect. Most people don’t understand cats because they have a hard time getting close to them. Not like dogs always under your feet. Thanks.
      Tom

  11. “Cats don’t have a master, they have a staff” – an apt way of describing these imperial animals.
    This was a sad story, more so because it’s true.
    This really touched me – “The little one’s innocence stolen by the first shovel of dirt.”

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