All of my cats are great. The best EVER.

But Slick is extra special. She has been my faithful companion for 18 years, and she is truly the greatest cat in the world.

Slick has been with me through the loss of our other feline companions, Bub and the original Beezie. She has been with me through relationships that did not last. She was with me when I went to Texas to bring my mother back to Ohio, and she was with me through the challenge of coping with my mother’s Alzheimer’s Disease.

She has been with me through different jobs, a career change, the eventual death of my mother, and other events that both challenged and enriched our lives.

It is hard for me to imagine that such a fun and loving animal came very close to a shortened life due to abandonment before she ever had a chance to bring her immense love to someone.

Slick was found along a riverbed when she was about 3 months old. She was rescued by state wildlife officers who were engaged in a wildlife rescue on the Tuscarawas River. An oil pipeline had ruptured and sullied the waters, threatening the wildlife that lived along the river. I was a volunteer with the rescue effort, and was surprised to find that the officers had rescued a domestic animal.

Slick has tortoise shell markings, which were mistaken for oil by the officers back then. She did not have oil on her, however, she did have an injured paw, which decreased her odds for survival if she had been taken to a shelter. So this wonderful cat came home with me, and what joy she has brought to my life. (Read more about her rescue story here.)

Slick is in the waning years of her life, now. She was diagnosed with chronic renal failure 2 years ago, and her illness has taken a turn for the worse this week. She is not keeping enough fluids in her body, so the vet says I need to give her subcutaneous fluids daily.

I am not looking for a miracle, and I am not looking to perform heroics with her. If I can keep her reasonably healthy and comfortable, though, while she lives out her remaining days, I will do what I can.

Anyone who has pets that are receiving intensive veterinary care knows that this does not come cheap. In order to finance her care, I plan to offer some special deals and arrangements to sell artwork rapidly. Stay tuned.

I am sharing this story now, because it is affecting me deeply, and I feel the need to share with others who have felt similar feelings towards their pets’ care.

I also am sharing this story because many cats have never had the opportunity to love and be loved as Slick has had. Many cats that were abandoned like her make it to shelters, but never find homes.

In my mind, that means that both cats and people have missed out on one of the greatest experiences to be had – the loving relationship between a human being and a cat.

Petfinder has a campaign right now to promote the adoption of cats by encouraging those of us who enjoy cats to proclaim that we are proud cat parents. I am a cat parent to 5 wonderful cats.

Again, all 5 are special to me. Today, more than ever, though, I am proud to say I am a cat parent to Slick, as I cherish every moment that I have left with the Greatest Cat in the World.

Are you a cat parent? See how you can proclaim it and share it in a way that helps cats get adopted here. If you are not yet a cat parent, what’s holding you back?
I remember the state when your wish doesn’t match your opportunities. Men, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I always looked with pity at the men who bought the pills along with condoms.

There are many wonderful cats waiting to make your life as special as Slick has made mine.