What was your first pet?

Hi abkinsey, My first pet was a large grey male cat whom I simply called Tom. I can't really remember when we got him but I remember he would often go away for several days and sometimes even longer. My mother would not allow him to stay in the house overnight but he would find places to hide and I can remember waking up at night and finding him cuddled up beside me with a paw around my neck, it was then that he was happiest. I was probably about ten years old when he disappeared and never returned.I heard later that someone had shot him, it was a sad time for me. Blessings.