Tom-Tom

by Tricia
(Santa Teresa, NM)

My cat is named Thomas, Tom or Tom-Tom and I got him in 2001. He came to me when he was around 9 weeks. He was accompanied by his brother who I named Jerry. Tom is a short haired and Jerry was long haired. Sadly, Jerry died in 2005. I always thought of how cute they looked because of their "tuxedos". I actually didn't know they were indeed called Tuxedo Cats until I was at Petsmart in 2005 and came across a book about Tuxedo Cats.

I always new there was something different about Tom. I was 5 months pregnant when I got Tom and he has always been protective of my daughter. She was the only child who could poke and tug at him. I would come home to find him sleeping in her bassinet, and at night if he heard her make a noise he would climb over me to look into her bassinet. I noticed that he would literally growl if he heard a noise from outside. And since, every night he sleeps at the foot of my bed looking down the hallway. If I get out of bed and leave the room he stays a couple feet in front of me. Or, if it's late at night he will come out to the living room and meow and sit with me until I go to bed.

Tom liked to be left alone for the most part, that is until he was neutered. And he does like to be the center of attention when we have get-togethers.

Tom is about to turn 11 years old. And I love him as if he were one of my kids.