My Sister's Writing

Ginny wrote this about her cat "Fritz" - It brought a tear to my eye. I have a very talented sister. This isn't Fritz but it looks a little like him

Ginny Jackson
Creative Writing
Fall 2007
A Special Cat
Once upon a time there was a kitten born to help raise a child. He was an ordinary looking white cat with emerald eyes that glistened when he purred. The house he grew up in didn’t give him a lot to purr about though; it was dirty with lots of other cats and the owners rarely remembered to fill the food dish and water bowl. His days went by slowly until one day a family came to his house. Ginny, whose gray tabby cat had died the day before was miserable. Her mother hated to see her so sad and thought the best thing she could do was to get her another gray kitten. She answered a “free to good home” ad and she took Ginny to get a new cat. It was a cold and gray day when the white cat met Ginny. The little cat had cousins of all shapes and colors. Ginny’s older brother liked the white cat and wanted to get him. Ginny just wanted her gray tabby cat that had died. Finally through her tears she said, “Get the white cat” she didn’t care and her brother at least liked it.

The kitten had never been outside, ridden in a car or been around kids and he was scared. He did know about water and when he heard they were going to take him someplace to get a bath the next day, he decided to hide. He ran and hid behind a dresser where no one could reach him. He stayed there for two days until Ginny coaxed him out with some tuna fish. While he was hiding Ginny called him Ghosty, She decided she didn’t want him since he didn’t want to be around her. After he came back from being bathed and groomed she decided to name him a distinguished sounding name. Ginny had found a book at the library about baby names and “Fritz” meant peaceful chieftain. The white cat had a name, Fritz Montgomery Jackson. Fritz got over being afraid and decided that he was indeed a lucky cat. His new home was clean, cozy and had lots of places to explore and curl up on and best of all; his food dish and water bowl were never empty!

Ginny grew to love him and spent hours holding him. Her brother had gone back to college, her mom worked and her grandfather was the only one home and he wasn’t fun to be around. She cried into Fritz’s ears one day that she didn’t like school and being around the kids in her class. The kids teased her for not being very good at games. She was always chosen last to be on teams during recess. Fritz felt a special bond for Ginny and sensed whenever she had a bad day at school and needed attention from him. He could cheer her up by chasing yarn balls and playing hide and seek with her. She had a beautiful laugh and the family treated him like a king for giving her something to be happy about. One fall Fritz came down with pneumonia and had to take medicine and spend a week inside. Ginny only left him to go to school. With Ginny’s loving care he recovered.

Ginny turned away from people altogether and only felt safe in her own world that she created in her mind. Even her mother couldn’t get her to open up and share her thoughts. Fritz and his purrs and playful antics were able to work their magic with Ginny’s mind and little by little she came out of her world. Fritz proved he had the nine lives of a cat as he overcame various illnesses with the care Ginny gave him.

When he was 13 years old he became ill again. He knew it was his time for to die but he didn’t want to leave Ginny: he knew Ginny couldn’t handle life without him. He was operated on and spent another year with Ginny. During that year he watched as Ginny began to truly enjoy living again and being with people. She had made friends and kids didn’t tease her anymore. Ginny had healed from whatever had crippled her and driven her away from people. She was strong and on her way to becoming the woman she had been meant to be. She and Fritz Montgomery, who incidentally had grown into a very noble cat, had spent 14 1/2 years together.

Winter of 1978, Fritz quit eating and didn’t have the strength to use the litter box which made him feel even worse. Ginny knew she had to let him go and end his suffering. Her grandfather told her about “quality of life” and how she could give Fritz the gift of death and end his suffering. Fritz would go to a special place where he would be happy and wait for her. It was time for her “peaceful chieftain” to die She held him on her lap and he purred when they drove to the animal hospital where a veterinarian gave him a shot to help him pass from her arms to another world to wait for her. Fritz closed his eyes and went to sleep in Ginny’s arms He had finished the job he had started so many years ago when a lonely girl came into his life.
Fritz Montgomery Jackson
1964 – February 28, 1978