One day during September 1994 my cat had kittens. She cleaned them, fed them and taught them how to hunt. When the kittens were first born there were five of them. They were very tiny and very cute. Buddy looked like a tiger and there were three other kittens that looked like him but had an orange spot on their heads.

When they finally grew old enough, we started to give them away. One went to my grandma and one went to my friend, Tommy.

There were three kittens left so we put them outside one day to play. When I came home from school the three kittens were gone!

I ran all over and couldn't find them. I cried and cried. The next day when I got home from school there was still no sign of the kittens. When I fed them that night two came back, but not Buddy. I cried while I walked around in the dark calling for the small kitten.

Then I heard from the darkest part of the yard "MEOW!" I ran toward the continuous little squeaks. I yelled "Buddy!" My heart jumped. In release I started to cry because I was so happy to see my little baby. After that he only went out when I went out.

He ran right behind me up and down the driveway like he didn¹t want to lose me. That's how he got his name. The other two kittens were given to the pet shop, but we kept Buddy.

As he grew his playmate and constant companion was my dog. Buddy thinks the dog is his mother. He follows her around waiting for her to lay down. When she does, she has to get right back up again because he bothers her. My mom got tired of seeing the dog keep getting up and down and the cat picking on the dog so she bought me a litter box for him, and I keep him in my room.

I give him the plastic things that hold the milk cap on. He sits on them and flips them up in the air and swats them at my dog. She tries to play with them too, but she is too big.

Buddy has grown into a big cat but he still acts like a kitten and follows me around. Buddy has found a home in my room, family, and heart forever.