Your Pet Loss Stories

by Emily León
(Puerto Rico)

The day I turned 23.. a very weird day.. not as fun as other birthdays not even close. Didn't feel happy nor excited to turn 23. I went to a restaurant with my parents and siblings.. without my boyfriend. I thought he forgot about my birthday.. but what I didn't know was he was driving miles to get my present...

When I got home from the restaurant I called my boyfriend very annoyed... Suddenly... My boyfriend came home and inside his shirt he had a small fur ball..

Four weeks old male Himalayan kitten.. the CUTEST thing ever... looking scared and timid. So small and adoring. How do we name him??? Researching antique greek or roman gods names.. He was nameless for a couple of days.. I remembered a kitty in a movie form Spain "Elsa & Fred".. he was "Piccolo e Bianco"... I named my Himalayan kitten.. Piccolo. Italian for Small. Perfect!

I was his mom now... He learned my smell and followed me everywhere. Slept by my side looking for warmth. I fell in love with Piccolo every single day.

My mom used to really hate cats... she and my whole family fell the same love eventually. He was a calm, divine, graceful, peaceful, adoring, also beautiful! The list describing him is long.

As most cats Piccolo was a finicky eater. At his 5 months of age.. he was very thin and weak.. My boyfriend and I had many appointments to the veterinary.. finally he had a full check up ... and with awful news... we hospitalized Piccolo.. he had a renal failure.. reasons?.. unknown, many factors, many possibilities.

For approximately 5 days we visited him and spoke to the vets.. They let me take him home for a few days.. I made research about his illness, trying to make him feel better. He lasted one week more.

Yesterday, March 3, 2012.. I had to take him to the vet and put him to sleep. The saddest decision ever in my life. Now I'm here, writing this and sharing Piccolo's story to the world. My angel.

-Emily León


"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France