Io Nagai

January 1986 ~ June 2004

Io came to us some 18 years ago, in March of 1986 we think. He was a little puff-ball of black on white, and cute as could be - we fell in love with him at the SPCA. He was our daughter Diana's kitten - she named him Io, from the Latin meaning Yureka...!

One of my earliest memories of him was his little head sticking out of the breast pocket of my daughter's shirt in the bright sun up in Tilden Park. He loved to lay in your lap and sleep, or romp around your feet chasing the dancing end of a piece of string. Like all creatures young, he was full of energy, and in this state was a whirlwind blowing through your life causing such turmoil in your mind. In those opposite moments of repose, he touched your heart with his stretching feline recline...

When several years later an orange puff-ball followed me home during one of my early morning runs, Diana asked if we couldn't keep him - since he was so young, and in such good health and well-fed, I thought we should make an effort to find his owner, and if after a reasonable time we had heard nothing, we could keep him. We went around the neighborhood posting "Found - Orange Kitten - call us..." signs, and after a couple of weeks of no word, decided our home could well be his. We named him Nermal, after the nemisis kitten in the comic strip, Garfield, because he had that effect on Io...
Io was really bummed when Diana left for the University of Colorado in Boulder - of course we became in loco parentis, which in Latin means we were crazy to do it. When Diana returned periodically from college, Io renewed his relationship with her - I think he resigned himself to our being his primary care-givers, and rued the day he lost his true Mommy...

Over the years our neighbor cared for Io when we went on any extended vacation. He always let us know he was not a happy camper when we returned - while happy to see us, he extracted his due in his aloofness, and in taking his own sweet time in coming to us. Like the good parents that we were, we spent added time with him, and he came around...

Io in some ways was very much like his parents, us - a self-styled introvert, cautious around new comers, and especially absent whenever young children entered the house. Well, the latter he didn't learn from us. A curious thing happened over time, though - he became more mellow with age, as sometimes happens with his human counterparts, and increasingly allowed children to be around and pet him without slipping out the back door. Venice and Casey loved him, and he in his own way loved them back, letting them maul him lovingly.
On the day I drove Io to the vet's for his final session - I had the following conversation with him in the car...

Me: We're going to the vet's, and I'll be saying goodbye...

Io: Yeah, I know...

Me: I'm feeling pretty sad, Io...

Io: Yeah, I know - but don't - we've had a pretty good ride these 18 years, a blast, really. There's nothing to be sad about...

Me: Still...

Io: No, don't - I appreciate how you've taken such good care of me, especially these past couple of years - it's the pits when the physical starts to betray you, but you've been there for me. It hasn't been easy, I know, and I do appreciate it...

Me: I wish we could have done more, especially in the last couple of weeks...

Io: No, that's OK - I understand, really. It's embarrassing and frustrating to lose control like that. And, besides, it's time. The arthritis in my hips is getting worse, and the pain is starting to build up - it's a pain in the - well, you know...

Me: Yeah, I know about arthritis...

Io: So, tell me what's going to be happening...

Me: Well, I don't know for sure, but I think the vet will give you something to relax you. You'll get really woozy, but it'll be a nice safe-feeling soothing kind of thing. Then, he'll give you another medication, and things will slowly go to dark. The next thing you know you'll see Nermal - I'm sure he's been anxiously awaiting your arrival. I suspect he'll have some fresh water for you...

Io: Hey, it won't be so bad, so don't go all sad on me now - I don't need that. Besides, the up side is that you won't have to clean that old litter box again...

Me: Yeah, but, I'll miss hearing your nails clicking on the floor - I'll miss caring for you...

Io: So, just don't stop caring about me...

Me: You got it, guy...


Fade to tears...