My cat > most people

As most of you know, I love my cat. I recently decide that I love my cat more than I like most people. Even some of my own family members. (remember Haylie will always fall at the top of the list of people whom I love).

Midnight though has a very special place in my heart and my life. Most of you will never experience the interactions that she and I share.

I was there when Midnight was born, she was the third born in a litter of 5 kittens on my bestfriend's farm. I didn't actually watch her birth, but the father documented the experience well. She was born on the 12th of June, we celebrate this day each year.

I don't remember much from Midnights kitten days, but I ran a paper route to pay for the vet and cat food, though looking back I couldn't have made enough money to have paid for everything considering I managed to keep some of the money from the route. I think my parents just wanted to give me the responsibility, and the thought of a liability without actually putting the burden on a 5th grader. I thought I was keeping her completely on my own though, and was extremely proud of this.

Midnight grew up with me, I told her everything when she was a kitten we would go on adventures in the basement. I would carry her in my backpack with the top open. I was extremely scared of losing her in a fire or tornado, so I made a midnight bag filled with a baby blanket, and dry cat food, and other things I though she would need if we had to leave in a hurry. She's was and still is my baby, that I cared for with all of my heart. Luckily we never had a fire, but I did use the bag when we sat in our basement during a tornado warning. I remember being wrapped up in my blankets sitting on a pillow with midnight in my lap reading a book with a flashlight. I wouldn't let her go, I was so scared of losing her. She hadn't made it to the basement initially and I made my father go up stairs and find her. He wasn't going to, but I started to cry really really hard and I guess he decided his life wasn't at risk but my mental health was.

Midnight was my confidant, she was the first one I told that I was gay. She heard all about my crushes and the happenings at cheer practice. She was and still is the screener of all my poems, helping me word them just right. When I learned German, she learned German. Sitting on my bed looking at my lazily as I recited the words back and forth between English and German.

I've watched midnight grow up, and one day I realized that she was old. This was after my first year of college. I went home after being gone only for a few months and she just seemed slower and less social. She learned to adapt and over come the depression of me being gone, and by the Summer after my first year at college she was far must adjusted.

My second year killed me, because I had planned to bring her back to school to live in my two bedroom situation. Unfortunately the room changed and I was unable to bring her back to school with me. I was crushed but somehow made it though.

I am happy to say that Midnight lives with me full time again. I come home and take time to cuddle with her. I still tell her all about my day. When I wake up in the morning she's in her usual spot at my feet. She's the love of my life. Not phased by any of the crazy things I wear or do or say. She loves Zoe, and Kate and Evan the most important people in my Grinnell life. She's really one of the only reasons I can keep going.

I love my cat.
More that you will ever be able to understand.