Dear Wyatt,

Dear Wyatt,

It’s impossible to sum up 20 years and 4 months of life with you in a single letter. When you arrived with your brother Oliver, you were the “throw in”- someone to keep him company. For the first few years, you seemed to be in the background, content with whatever love you were shown. At times you seemed even averse to attention given your skittish, frightened nature.

As you grew, it became evident that your brother Oliver was Mommy’s cat. I decided someone had to be special to you too. I began a concerted effort to become special to you. I “protected” you from Oliver. I would find you and drag you from your hiding places to spend time with you. Slowly you and I developed a relationship like Mommy and Oliver have.

Though you were thin, delicate and almost underweight, you were a fighter. You had a much higher pain tolerance than your brother. Even though you would lose almost every fight with him, when he was asleep at night, you used to attack by biting his neck when he was asleep and then running. You battled us to the point of exhaustion when we bathed you. You also battled whatever health issues you had and always bounced back with minimal care from the vet.

Life seems hollow without you here. You should be in the chair next to me as we watch TV, you should be laying next to me in bed, you should be on the living room couch or running into the office to jump in your scratching post. Being brushed was your absolute favorite activity. You would claw us on the desk, meow at us, anything to have us brush you. I miss your low meow that sounded like a little lamb, I miss your sweet gaze, I miss you bumping me at night with your forehead. I miss most everything about you. Mommy, Oliver and Grandma miss you too.

You were with me during some of my most difficult moments and some of my best as well. We grew to love each other unconditionally and more completely than I ever imagined. You were always there for me. Thank you for teaching me so much about love, patience, kindness, devotion and courage. Please know we did our best for you.

The decision to put you down was one of the most difficult things we have ever had to do, but I hope you understand it was the right decision. You could no longer walk and that’s no life for a cat. Now you are free to run, climb, jump and do whatever else cats do in Heaven. Goodbye for now. Wyatt, I will see you again one day. I will always love, treasure and remember you.

LOVE, Daddy

Love,

Daddy