What happens to lost pets?

1

I once had a pet who faded away.

We called him Hobbes.

Hobbes was a cat.

We were not sure what kind of cat Hobbes was, but we loved him anyway.

He was good.

No, he was great.

He opened the doors, and could swim in the pool.

He was 18 when he faded away.

I like to think he was training for a battle when he fell in the pool. 

In case the dogs came too close to our house.

He was practicing in case he was thrown in the water.

But that was not so.

He was blind.

Once, he did not come when we opened the can.

He usually came when we opening the can.

I like to think he was training himself to ignore the can, if he was in a battle.

But that was not so.

He was deaf.

One day, he did not sleep in his bed.

I like to think he was training himself to sleep wherever he could.

But that was not so.

He was blind.

One day he did not wake up from his nap.

I like to think he was in hibernation.

But that was not so.

He was gone.

Hobbes was a good cat.

No.

Hobbes was a great cat.

I like to think he was a warrior,

and his loud meows were territorial calls, warning us the dogs were near.

But that was not so.

He was just sad.

He was sad he could not go outside.

He was sad he would leave us soon.

He was sad he would fade away.

But that was not so.

He was a great cat.

He did not suffer.

He did not hurt.

He did not get put down as a baby.

Because we saved him.

And he saved us.

And that was so.