Dream a Little Bigger, Darling

Animals are such agreeable friends- they ask no questions, they pass no criticism.
-George Eliot-

Honestly speaking I rather deal with ten cats put together rather than one person (regardless of the gender). My first pet is when I was 14. It was a stray cat with one distorted paw. However I was amaze with her strong will to survive so I tried to feed her. Everyday she came to my house for the food and I fed her secretly at our backyard. My mom was not too keen on animal especially cats (fur is evil). After a couple of days she caught me red handed and I was begging like I never have before to keep this pitiful yet amazing animal. Reluctantly she agreed and I found the joy of keeping a pet. The first day the cat was a bit skittish but somehow she adapt with her new home. I named her Toro (her full name is Toronado from the word tornado) because she ran very fast even with a distorted paw.

Toro has light brown fur and a spot of white exactly at the center of her belly. Her eyes were green, keen and alert. Petting her short but silky fur was a therapy for me. It gave a calm effect. Her purr alone can lull me to sleep. My adolescence was not really what you called smooth sailing. It was more like a battleground. I was face to face with matters that bug every teenager all around the world; to fight for my freedom, searching for identity and all those crazy people harassing me for better and better grades. However having Toro along the way made things bearable even only a little. I talked to her on daily basis and she seemed to understand when I need her company and when I want to be left alone.

To strangers Toro was intimidating because of her paw plus she never acted all cute and friendly with anybody outside of my household. She hated kids especially and turned violent (hissing and scratching) whenever they approached her (ooh..we were so much alike in that sense). But to me Toro will always be my gentle, elegance and cute pet. After 5 years living under the same roof one day she disappeared and never returns. I was frantic and searching everywhere for her but after few months I knew that Toro is gone forever. Whether she was alive or sick or even died the questions were remain unanswered.

She leaved behind her kittens and from them I have a new generation of pets. Sometimes I still wonder what exactly happen to Toro. Eventhough this happen a long time ago, yet I can’t help thinking about her once in a while. For an animal Toro surely gave a big impression to me and I never thanks her enough.