Well here goes - hope I do you justice my handsome boy. Missing you like crazy
It was 15 years ago I went to the local CP shelter to see if they had 2 boy cats for me to adopt. Yes they said they had 3 brothers that had been dumped in cardboard box - one had already been adopted - so the lady brought me to your pen. You were out from your hiding spot like a shot and checked me over - your brother stayed well hidden. Looked at the other cats they had and went back to your pen - out like a shot again and tapped the ball on the scratching post towards me. Then you disappeared back into your hidey hole but not for long cos you brought your brother out to show me. Well donations given, adoption forms signed and home we went.
I called you Sam and your brother Thomas. You both being around 6 months were soon up to mischief but would go to your basket to chill out where you would cuddle up with Thomas and give him a good clean. That 1st time you were both allowed out was scary as you both went at 100 miles an hour it seemed around the cul-de-sac and seemed to be on springs jumping up and down on the central green. You always allowed naughty but loveable Thomas to take centre stage content that he would cuddle up to you in the end. Did you know I wonder that we would lose him that Xmas to untreatable pulmonary oedema.
Back to CP to get you a new friend and came home with Timmy - so called because he was tiny and timid. The vet thought he was not quite the full shilling so he soon got the nickname Dimmy Timmy but you loved him all the same. When he was in the kitchen all scared you kept managing to get the door open to see him, you taught him how to play and purr. I will never forget the day I came home - the kitchen door open and Timmy nowhere to be seen. You were found standing over him on my bed
but you were just giving him a clean. You were like bookends cuddled up together all the time.
Chelsea the wild child arrived a few years later - 6 months old and pregnant. She showed you due respect and introduced her babies to you first. Always given her a wide berth as she was a bit too fiesty for you. So my little family complete - 2 poofs and a tart
Then we lost Timmy and I became your substitute - only the one female in your life.
My Sam, called that because of those enormous ears that you grew into and that Siamese yowl you had, you grew and grew to a 7-7.5kg gentle giant. Everyday you patrolled the cul-de-sac to check your territory was in order. On occasion you would come across an inteloper and would use your physical presence to get the message across - only fighting if they threw the "1st punch" Think secretly you wanted to give them a good clean.
The vet would despair of us both as they tried to reduce you to "top end 6.5kg cat" and you would end up going up to 8.5kgs and then we would stop the dry food and get you back to normal. You stayed that weight until recently - my big strong boy.
I never minded the pawprint bruises I got as you clambered to get on my lap. How you would put your paw to my face (claws in) and nip my nose. And when you wanted strokes to try to lift my hand with your paw. How every night you would arrive on my bed for cuddles before we went to sleep.
Missed you last night "bubs" and will love you forever.
