17 Years with a Cat, Growing Up and Growing Old Together
Source: Lovemeow
She has spent the last 17 years with her best friend Spooky the cat. The kitten chose her one day when she was just a child and the two became inseparable friends.
“Spooky and I, at the very start.”
Two days (after my eighth birthday), I heard very loud meows coming from the bush behind our property. I searched and found a beautiful cat giving birth. My mother and I took her into our home and made a bed for her in my dresser drawer. Upon finding the cat’s owner, we were informed that the mother cat was unlikely to survive birth due to a heart condition, yet she had survived. The owner was so thankful that she allowed me to pick a kitten to keep as my own.
Deciding which kitten to share my life with wasn’t easy, but one little guy sat in my hands more content than the rest. This kitten didn’t struggle or cry, he seemed completely at peace with me.
And so it was then official: he chose me. I named him Spooky.
Read more: http://lovemeow.com/2015/12/17-years-with-cat-spooks/
= new reply since forum marked as read
My Tynan (best known as "Tiny"
is a big, fluffy gray boy, too. I'll miss him when he goes.
Beautiful sorry.
K&R!
OS
Max chose me, too. He lived to be 19, and I have never loved an animal so much, or been so close to one.
So long; in fact. that I won't be replacing them. I don't want them to outlive me. 
Where I lived before, not a year went by that I wasn't feeding a new stray.
I've buried 2 in the last twelve months. BT was a sweet male tabby rescued from under a neighbor's deck 16+ years ago, along with his 3 siblings. He ranks at the top, as far as my favorites go. I trained him to fetch a small ball, return it to me, and do a somersault. His record was 27 consecutive times. I still miss him. I hated that he got so sick I couldn't save him, as I had done several times before. He died the week before Christmas last year.
His mother, Scarlett died a few weeks later...she was probably 18.
I have 2 left of that litter, Noogie and Elvis Purrsley. along with 3 others. Elvis is failing a bit. He is deaf now, and I have to coax him to eat. His brother, Noogie seems to be doing ok.
Just 5 of my fur buddies left now...all rescues. That is the fewest I've had in almost 20 years. Makes me sad. My rescue days are over.
