Back in January I posted about the difficulties we would face as my furbaby battled cancer.

We lost that fight this weekend.

In loving memory of Nico, from whom I borrowed this pen name.




A personal post follows:


Nico, you were the best little boy boy, and I couldn't have asked for a more fabulous roommate, friend, and kitty confidante. You were there for me through thick and thin, and I loved knowing every day that I would come home to your cute little meows, head butts, and biscuits on my arm. We settled into New York together, and we had many wonderful times.

There was the time I first saw you, when the woman at the rescue home kept putting kittens on my lap and asking if I was interested in them. Nope, I was most definitely not. I was interested in the grey four year old adult cat who was on their website. So we stood up and she took me to you, and there you were, sitting so majestically on top of the refrigerator, like you weren't gonna have anything to do with that ruckus. The woman warned me that you weren't very affectionate and could be kind of stand-off-ish. Oh, Nico, how wrong was she??? :)

Then there was the time in my first NYC apartment when I came out of the shower one night to see that the rooftop access door was opened. I didn't freak out for the usual I-watch-too-much-Law-&-Order reasons. Oh no. I freaked out because there you were, sitting in the open doorway with your hind legs outside and your front paws indoors, looking very very confused. I was so scared you would run away, but I learned over the years that you weren't just gonna bail on me like that. (P.S. There was no intruder in the house, thankfully--the latch just wasn't secure on a windy night.)

There was also the time I was hosting Thanksgiving at my second NYC apartment. Little did I know there would be more than ten people in my small one bedroom in the West Village. It was a cozy group and a lovely evening. The turkey was on the counter, and I had just taken it out of the oven. I turned my back for a second, and of course that's all it took for you to jump up there and start sniffing around. You were reeeeeally into that turkey, and when I picked you up, you doth protested fiercely. I still have the scar from your contributions to that evening. :)

There were the times when you would jump from the couch to my bed in my third NYC apartment (a studio), or how I learned to rip off the loose packing tape whenever I put a box down for you to explore, or when you would trot across the room with your tail high like you owned the world, or the way you would wait on the round carpet in front of the bathroom whenever I was taking a shower. There were the times you played catch with a paper receipt ball and ignored the toys I bought for you. There were the times when I would lie down on the couch with a book in just that way, and, without fail, you would come curl up in the cradle of my arm and do biscuits before falling asleep.

Through the years, there were so many memorable times, and I cherish every one of them. Thank you for bringing so much happiness and joy to my life. I'll always love you and remember you.

♥



I just needed a moment to shine the spotlight on the furry love of my adult life thus far. We'll return to our regularly-scheduled m/m romance-y stuff shortly. Thanks.