By Jimmy Liu, Staff Writer
Having a pet in my childhood was a life-changing experience. A pet will bring lots of fun. It’s a best friend and also a family member. My cat is someone that I will never forget.
The day we met was during my birthday party when I turned 3. I was still living in China, and she was a present from my aunt. I was really surprised to see a little kitten lying inside a small cardboard box. This newborn kitten, with its eyes closed, looked cute but helpless at the same time.
Most cats are known to prefer solitude, and independence. However, my cat, Qinghua, was just different. She loved to get attention and to hang out with people. She was the kind of cat that would actually leave the house and come out for a walk!
There was a time when I brought some money, grabbed a little cardboard box, and we went to the park together. Qinghua loved to climb over me, often standing on my shoulder. Qinghua also loved birds. She would run around the park, chase those little birds, and lay down by my side for a nap.
Usually, there were no extra snacks at home for me and Qinghua to eat, and this outing was always a great chance to buy some extra snacks. I would always buy myself a starchy sausage near the park and share it with Qinghua. I loved seeing her staring at the sausage with her blue eyes and biting on that sausage with her little mouth. She was so cute.
Qinghua was very different from other cats. She loved to play with balls. Whenever I threw one at her, she picked the ball up and brought it back. It was really funny to see her slowly push the ball back. I always questioned whether she was actually a dog in disguise.
Qinghua was always there for me when I didn’t want to be alone. She would always come over and sit down with me while I was doing my homework, playing games, or a lot more.
The reason that these memories were so unforgettable was due to the inevitable loss of Qinghua. It was when I’m nine when my family decided to move to America. I asked them if I could bring Qinghua with me, but they refused, “she will be fine staying at her place, cats are very sensitive about their territory.” I had a hard time accepting it, but I didn’t really have a choice. I felt so bad that I had to leave Qinghua and become alone in a completely new place.
If only I knew that this would be the last time I would see her face to face. I will bug my mom for it because long after, my mom delivered terrible news about Qinghua, “she died of old age”, she didn’t say much, but that was enough.
It hurts a lot that a family member is now gone forever, but Qinghua will always have a place in my memory.
