Tito

I know that when I set out to make this blog, it was supposed to be a tech blog. A place where I gave my opinions on the latest trends. However, today I need to diverge from my usual posts, which if you have noticed have been scarce lately. Today my best friend and cat would have turned 19, I say he would have because he passed away on the 28th of February. I haven’t been able to talk about it before, and I’ve barely told anyone. I think the idea of him not being around anymore is something so painful it hurts to even glimpse at it. However, he deserves a memento, in the hope dear reader, that you may be able to remember him with me and keep him alive. So please, allow me to take a trip down memory lane.

I met Tito 19 years ago and I still remember it like if it was yesterday. I was in school back then and I didn’t have a lot of friends (I’ve never been very good at making friends to be honest). I was going through a bit of a difficult moment because I was picked on by other people constantly. One day my cousin appeared with a cat in my house, saying we should adopt it. Of course, deciding to take in a cat is not something you can do on a whim (specially if you are an over thinker like me), so we declined. Although, the thought built up and we completely regretted it and tried to get him back. He was part of some new born kittens I was told were looking for a home, but he had already found a family, when I was told that when I arrived I was so sad. But as you probably know, fate (if you believe in it) works in mysterious ways, and among the many cats left there was one who was suffering a lot because his brothers barely left him anything to eat and didn’t want him near. He was smaller than the rest, very slim because of lack of food, and very scared, but there was a special glow in his eyes, something I couldn’t resist, he was just like me. I picked him up and he looked at me and drew as close as he could to me, it was pure love at first sight. I’ve never been someone to have clear ideas, but that moment I knew it was him, that as long as we had each other neither of us would be alone.

Over the years he became a more amazing friend that I could have dreamt. No matter how bad my day was, what I was going through or what happened, he was always there for me. He would lay on my homework and play with me as I did it, sleep on my lap while I worked and play together tirelessly. My best work has been done when he was with me, I’ve coded endless apps and systems with him. We used to spend the summers in the countryside, and that was where he was happiest. There was something magical about seeing him going out to the garden every day with the same gaze a kid has the first time he sees something amazing. Over the last years, I was able to work from home and spend more time here with him, and that is something I cherish every second now that I’m here without him.

One of the things I cling on more to remember him is his favourite toy, a plush fish he used to carry everywhere. Whenever he wanted attention he would carry it in his mouth and meow. He was very dog like, because you could throw him the toy and he would bring it back to you.

The end was very difficult, it was like seeing a candle that had once been so bright wither and burn out. Feeling that I won’t be able to hug him or play with him anymore is a tsunami of pain, because I feel more alone than ever. So, if you still have your friends nearby, cherish them as much as you can, because as much as I thought this would never happen, having to live without them is a nightmare.

I hope Tito joins someone very special for me wherever he is. Tito, thank you for giving me everything, for being the best friend and brother I could dream of, and for choosing me all these years. As long as I live, you and I will be together, I’ll never forget you.

Thank you for reading.