Ozzie was a feral field cat for the first 9 months of his life. When I brought him home his adjustment period was the shortest I’veever experienced in an animal. It was like he knew he was where he belonged. He was nervous for a moment. He had just lost his eye and his eye had abscessed, so when I went to pet him around 3 days after he came home, his abscess burst against my hand and I panicked he was dying. Looked like a horror scene had erupted all over my bedroom floor. He was overjoyed! His eye had apparently itched and from that moment I was the person who “saved” him. He was my absolute baby. I used to roll my eyes at the phrase used towards an animal, but he was. He followed me around the yard, the house, everywhere. My little shadow. He would do everything at his own pace and was constantly sick, but that was part of his charm. We swore he would outlive us all. My kids used to pick him up and say “I have your son!” And run with him. Steal him away. He didn’t care. He was so happy and loving. I never once saw him turn a violent hand to anyone or anything. He must’ve been the worst field cat having to hunt for his food because he was not coordinated at all. There is a massive hole in my life that I didn’t know he had moved into. My boy was taken from us by a driver right in front of our house who hit him and kept going. Didn’t so much as pause. A few passersby stopped as I started screaming in the middle of the road and helped us bring him to safety. Even in the end he was bringing unlikely people together.

Ozzie loved the sun and being up in small spaces. Any open cabinet, shelf, dresser drawer, anything he could fit his body in was a bed. He would be the most gentle sir when he would steal your food. He would sit next to your plate and wait for you to share before reaching to tap what he wanted. Then he would oh so gingerly take the food off your plate and eat with you. I have video of him stealing my food. Eating loaves of bread straight in the grocery bag. Dancing with me on the patio. Asmodeous was his full name, and he was the most unique and vibrant cat I’ve ever been graced with. Death needs to hold that boy close because I’ll be coming for him when it’s my time.