In Memory of Houdini

August 4, 2010 at 9:17 PM (Memorable Moments, Pets)

Today the second cat to ever enter my life, Houdini, died.  He was 20 years old and I was only 9 years old when we brought him home as a kitten.  Houdini was a great cat.  He was all country.  One of his trademarks was that he could never make up his mind about being outside or inside.  He would come inside for 5 minutes and then meow at the door wanting to be let out.  It was a constant dance of letting him in and out, in and out, in and out.  He was tough.  He’d show up all the time with cuts, sores, and chunks of his ear missing. Gross, but true.

Houdini was always very fond of my stepdad and when he passed away, Houdini did a great job of keeping my mom company in the painful months that followed.  When I was in NC just a few weeks ago I felt like it could be the last time that I saw him alive so I made sure to spend extra time with him.  He was losing weight and I could just tell that it wouldn’t be much longer.  Normally he didn’t like to be picked up and held a lot but he was much more patient with me on the last visit.  I’ll treasure those last moments.

I’ll miss you Houdini.  It won’t be the same when I return to NC soon.

Houdini and I in 1998

Houdini, Mom, and Angela in 1998

Robert and Houdini in 1998

Houdini Laying in the Sun (year unknown)

Houdini in 2006

Houdini in 2006