It was Halloween. I was in a hurry trying to finish all my veterinary house calls so I could get home in time to take my step daughter for trick or treating. We had such fun finding a costume for her and getting ready to go house to house in the neighborhood. This year she would be a princess- her favorite. She and I decorated the trees in the yard with ghosts made of styrofoam balls and ripped up sheets. Pumpkins lined the drive. Each year we had a pumpkin carving party where we would invite all the neighborhood children to come for snacks and carving pumpkins. I was always amazed how the children would bring their little tools and get to carving. It was impossible to pick just one best carving when all the children carved such beautiful and creative pumpkins.
This Halloween I was driving down a busy street in Cleveland, Ohio trying to remember directions to my next house call when I spotted a small white furry thing running in and out of the street. I pulled over, stopped my truck, and left it running in the curb lane of the street. I began chasing that small white furry object in and out of store fronts and under cars for a few blocks when I finally caught that little kitten. He was actually grey and white. No mother or owner was in sight, so I held him close to me and retrieved my truck and proceeded to complete my last house call. I told him he was going to get hit by a car running around like that and we really couldn’t have that! The little guy may not have known who I was- and was to become – but he clung to me as tightly as he could.
They were never surprised at home when I found another animal to add to our bunch. He was frightened at first, but when he warmed up – WOW- was he a handful. He ran from room to room looking for the next item of paper, cloth, toys, or anything he could play with. When I sat on the floor playing board games with my step daughter, he would run up to me, place his paws on my shoulder, and hit me over and over. Cutest thing ever. I named him Dynomite. It fit him.
When he grew, he followed me everywhere. Each day I walked the dogs on the property we lived on and he came along. He acted more like a dog than a cat. This was fine when we walked together, but when I needed to go to the barn, I could not have him follow me. I was afraid he could be injured by one of the young horses I was training. To avoid him seeing me, I would sneak out the front door and walk around the block to the barn. He did not see me.
I think of Dynomite each Halloween and how he came to be mine. It is a great time of year, but I always encourage my pet owners to protect their black cats at this time of year. Most owners already know this.
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