Inari

Those of you who have a pet, and especially those who have a cat, will understand when I say that I love my cat so much it hurts. But it is a pain that I willingly embrace. During the long days when I lay in bed reading or working on the computer, she sleeps curled up on my lap, and her gentle snoring calms my savage breast. She wakes up, yawns widely exposing her sharp canines, and stretches up the length of my body. She then sits on my chest, her hind legs tucked underneath her, and no matter what I am doing, I stop and give her my undivided attention, scratching her all about the head, underneath her chin which she juts out causing her long, horrible whiskers to bristle, and all the way down her back and tail. As she purrs softly, I kiss the top of her head and cheeks, even though it disturbs her sense of propriety. When she is done, and of course it is always her decision, she jumps down off the bed, nibbles her kibble, takes a drink of water, uses the litterbox and makes her rounds about the house. During the long nights when I lay on my side and stare at the clock, she sleeps curled up in the crook of my lap and I deeply massage the scruff of her neck until I fall back to sleep.

I have my wife to thank for my cat. In 2004 we were separated while I worked out my issues with alcoholism. We know now that I was self-medicating, but I did not drink well. My wife decided that she needed a cat back in her life, so she picked out a black and white kitten with a black mask that would turn out to suit her personality to a tee. When my wife and I started to get to know each other again, and I came to visit her, she introduced me to Inari, named after the Japanese cat goddess, and it was love at first sight. We bonded immediately and came to adore each other. It was the kitten's reaction to me that convinced my wife that I was on the road to recovery and that I was once again becoming the man she fell in love with.

Inari and I are empathically linked. All I have to do is think about her and wherever she is sleeping or prowling, she will very soon jump up on me. She has nursed me back to health through cancer and spinal cord surgery, and continues to care for me through neurological disease and paralysis. We know when each other are not feeling well, physically or emotionally, and she uses her natural Reiki abilities to make me feel better. Our relationship is founded on kindness, trust, respect and consistency. The moment my wife and I begin to display affection, she is right there between us, sticking her face in ours and reminding me unsubtly where my true loyalties (had better) lay.

Although at nine years of age she is in the prime of her life, sometimes I think about losing her and the thought is more than I can bear. When I am in great pain, and plead with God to take me, I think about the commitment I have made to this innocent creature until the anguish passes. I do not feed her or clean her litterbox, yet she loves me unconditionally. All she asks of me in return is that I do the same.

P.S. My wife says she's a punk who has me wrapped around her little claw.

Shellie: In 2008, Steve was in surgery for seven hours. When the nurse came into the waiting room to tell me I could go in to see him, she looked at me and said, "You're not Japanese." I said, "Nooo. Why would you think that?" The nurse replied, "Because ever since he opened his eyes, he's been asking for Inari. We thought he was asking for his wife." "No," I said. "He was asking for his cat."