by Jenelle Smith

Created on: December 05, 2008

I am going to tell you a story. Of a little kitten that changed my life, and even though it was tiny, it's impact was big. It made a little girl smile again, and I didn't think anything would make me smile again. This is a story of love and loss, and the cat that made the difference in a 15 year old girls world. This is a true story. I was that little girl.

There was a boy Himalayan cat named Shadow, he was my mother's cat. He was older and wise, so he pretty much just laid around a lot. There also was a stray, who visited from time to time....I don't remember her name but she was a skinny calico. She became with kittens (pregnant), and then she gave birth to three. One little boy and two little girl kittens. One girl and one boy were both as beautiful as you can imagine. The boy (Big Sexy) looked just like his daddy, grey and white, and as fluffy as can be. The 2nd born a girl, was also fluffy like daddy, but calico colored from her mother so she made a great sight as well. The 3rd was another girl, but was definitely different from the bunch. She was a little runt, grayish black (the prettiest black I've ever seen) with short hair, and pretty green eyes.

I loved her from the start and she became my pal. She would walk with me to the bus stop everyday, and I guess go about her day while I was at school. But I always knew when I got off that bus she would be there waiting. She always was. Her name was "Ashes", and it suited her perfectly. She was a little rugged, but always sweet. She got me through some really tuff times. The biggest being my grandmother passing away.

A little while before Ashes was born I had encountered the biggest thing I had to go through up until that time in my life. My mommom was my best friend, someone I went to for anything. She was always there no matter what, and some of the most important moments in my life were with her. We had a special Wednesday everyweek, where we went to auctions to find furniture and neat trinkets for her shop. Always trying new things and food, it was always an awesome time. We lost her to cancer a few years after she was diagnosed, and it was a hard thing to get through.

But this little kitten came into my life, and with it's love made a little girl smile again. True cat lover's love there independence. That way that they each have there own special personality. It is what makes them great, and completely different then owning a dog, even though I love them too. It just sets them apart.

So that is the story. Of a tiny cat that changed my life.

Learn more about this author, Jenelle Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.