A stuffed cat may just be another stuffed animal toy for kids and doesn't
mean much to some people. However, my stuffed cat has been my best
companion for most of my life and has a special place in my heart. We have
been through a lot together. You see, I have always loved cats
ever since I can remember. To me they are the most adorable animals. I
still remember how I used to feed stray cats and keep them when I was
little, even to my parents' dismay.
However, as I grew up, circumstances didn't always allow me to have a real
cat as a pet. Hence, a stuffed cat toy was the best substitute.In some ways,
a stuffed animal cat is even better than a live one because it stays clean,
doesn't damage the furniture, and nobody (especially my sister) is
allergic to it :)
However, I didn't actually have a stuffed cat until I was a little older.
Right after I finished elementary school I left my home country and came
to the US to live with my aunt. Although I was sad, my parents thought it
was the best thing considering the unstable economy and political climate
at home back then.
They promised to come visit me at least once a year. Although my aunt
took good care of me, I greatly missed my parents, especially my dad, since
I had always been a daddy's girl. So, I was really excited when they came
to visit the following year around Christmastime.
One day my dad took me out shopping for a Christmas present. He wanted
me to get something special that would always remind me of him and make me
feel close to him even when we were far apart physically. So, I got to
choose that one special present. It didn't take me long to decide. My most
important present would be a stuffed cat! Finding one wasn't that
difficult either.
We happened to walk by a toy store similar to
Build-A-Bear Workshop (although not quite as fancy) in the shopping
mall, and I told dad that I wanted to create my own stuffed animal cat. So
we went in and I chose the material, which was an orange tabby cat, then
went through all the fun process of making a stuffed toy - in this case a
very special Christmas gift from my beloved father. I was so happy and
excited when it was finished. I gave both dad and the new stuffed cat a big kiss and a huge hug,
signifying that we would always be together no matter what.
I named the stuffed cat OC (spelled Ocee), short for Orange Cat :) From
then on he was always by my side, except when I was at school. I would
take him out to play, ride on my bicycle, go out shopping, an do other fun
things during the day. At night I would always cuddle him in bed. Whenever
I was feeling sad, I would run into the woods with my stuffed cat toy just to
get away, or hide in my room and cry while I hugged him. I held on to that
stuffed cat when I needed my dad, and it brought me a small amount of
comfort.
One time I had an accident at the ice-skating rink and broke my ankle. I
had to stay in the hospital for a few days while the good doctors tried to
fix it. It was a pretty painful experience both physically and
emotionally. To make matters worse, I really missed my stuffed cat when I
woke up and didn't find him by my side. Fortunately, my aunt knew me too
well. The first time she and my cousins came visit, they brought my
stuffed cat along. You can imagine how glad I was to see him. I almost
jumped out of bed and broke my other ankle, ha ha!As I grew up I loved
to travel. By the time I was 20, I had been to many different places
around the world. Wherever I went, my stuffed cat came along. Depending on
the circumstances, I would either carefully pack him in the suitcase or
carry him in my arm and have him sit with me on the plane. Either way, Ocee would
always be close to me, as close as I would like my dad to be. That stuffed
cat is a seasoned traveler just like me :)
Fast forward ten years... Both my parents have passed away. I'm now
happily married. And my stuffed cat...? Well, he is retired. He looks worn
out and fragile from many years of adventure. I don't want to cause him
any irreparable damage, so I don't play with him anymore. He no longer sleeps or
travels with me. My husband has taken his place. However, the stuffed cat
sits in a special chair in our bedroom that I bought just for him.
I have many other toys and stuffed animals from my childhood. Among them are
a few other stuffed cat toys which other people gave me. I have a niece
who also likes cats, so I gave one of the stuffed animal cats to her. I have packed
the rest
of them in a box, and given away some, but Ocee the stuffed cat will always sit in his
special chair.
Since I love cats, I have quite a few cat figurines all
over the house, but none of them is as precious as the stuffed cat toy
that
dad bought me on that special day twenty years ago. Aiden my husband also loves toys. Besides his
toy soldiers that he
keeps in the bedroom (to protect us, he says, ha ha!), he also has a Teddy
bear that he cherishes who sits right next to my stuffed cat. They look
adorable together!
To this day I still miss my dad, and the memories live on. The stuffed
cat brings back warm and loving thoughts of my father, about trust and
comfort, about my childhood that will live on forever. It's amazing what a
toy can do.
Related Links
Traditional Wooden Toy
Toys For Christmas
