I have always hated cats. Always. I had no use for them. I saw them as the spawn of satan. They filled no void that I could identify. What use were they? At least a dog can provide some sort of security by barking when a stranger comes up. I felt that way about cats until I owned one. My X and I adopted one from an animal shelter who was destined to be euthanized within three days. He was a little gray and white two week old kitten who, in three years, weighed about 15lbs. He was a big tomcat. Initially, when the X took him home, I was upset about it. As I said, I had no use for cats. None! I have always loved animals. But, cats were not at the top of my list by any stretch of the imagination.

As our divorce was in the process of making it’s way through court, I was moving my household goods down to Mobile, AL. I pleaded with my X to keep Kida as I, unbelievably, had grown to love him as much as any pet I had ever owned, including two dogs whose memories I still cherish. Kida stayed with me when I had a case of the flu I could not shake for almost two months. He was like a little friend who would jump in the bed and keep me amused as I recovered. He was a life saver. Kida often would jump up in my lap and we would both fall to sleep in my Lazyboy rocker. We had a lot of fun together. I loved that damn cat.

As a shot at me, my X gave Kida away to a family up in north Alabama without my consent. I had asked her to keep him until I got settled in here in Mobile. It was her way at getting back at me for not conforming to the idea husband she had imagined I should be. In other words, I did not become like her father. Last night, about 11PM, I got a call from her. She told me my dear Kida, my little buddy, had died of feline leukemia. Apparently, the family she had given Kida to had not kept up his shots. I’m not sure how more hateful a person can be other than my X. I have tried not to hate her, not to despise her. But, today, this morning, I truly hate her. I would have taken care of my little buddy, Kida. But, it was not to be. I know my mother always told me “your sins will find you out.” If that is true, than my X has a lot to deal with in the coming days. I know that Kida was just a cat. But, to me, he was much more. Kida and a neighbor's dog, Buddy, were the difference between sanity and insanity at times. Most of all, Kida was a friend. He was an animal, but a friend that loved me and that I loved in return.

There has to be a special place in hell for people like my X. That’s all I better say right now.