I know what you are thinking: everyone loves animals, right? Right. Most people probably have the assumption that those who work with animals, like veterinarians, have a deeper love for animals than the average person. I would argue that this assumption is probably more than true.

For me, I knew that I wanted to work with animals from a very young age. I have my first cat, Max, to thank for this. He was the deciding factor that led me to become an animal science major.

Max is not your typical cat. I remember growing up wanting to give all my love to this cat but him not wanting any in return. This was the case for every member of my family and with any visitor. Now, this is anyone’s stereotypical belief for cats. It was not until several years after my family got our cat that he changed how he treated us.

Unfortunately, my father was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. This disease eventually left him unable to work, which meant that he was home the majority of the time. More than often, he was left home alone. I was always the first one to get home at the end of every day, which meant that I was often the first one to give my dad attention. However, I soon realized that this was not the case.

Every day when I would get home from school, I would notice the same unusual thing. My cat Max would be laying on my father’s chest taking a nap along with him. This was odd for me to see because I would always try to get my cat to sleep with me and he never would. Although he warmed up to my father, at the time he never adjusted to any other family member, including myself.

Not too long after this, my father passed away. Not only did my whole world flip upside down, but so did my view on animals. Ever since the passing of my father, my cat has been nothing but compassionate to my family and I. He never leaves anyone’s side and always begs for attention. He was there for my father when he needed a companion, and he is now here for my family and I, as if to say, “I am here for you, and you are never alone.”

It is safe to say that animals are smarter than we give them credit for. They may only be a part of our lives, but to them, we are their whole lives. So, thank you to my first cat for helping me realize that I want to be able to give back to animals like you by working to become a veterinarian to ensure that they have the chance to live their life to the fullest.