Our family was adopted 13 years ago by the best cat ever. This cat was the most human animal we have ever had the pleasure to have in our family...I know that sounds weird, but I swear...he was so much a part of us/one of us...and he communicated with us daily in his way.
Unlike Jake (who we rescued) Hunter adopted us. He showed up on our doorstep one day and wouldn't leave, just stared in through the glass door. Three days later, and still threatening my kids not to feed, or touch, or talk to "that cat!" he was still there. When the weather man said take in your pets, it is going to be dangerously cold out...I caved and brought him in... just to the basement...and we were all to ignore him...of course that didn't work and he became our best bud. When the kids were little he used to go from bed to bed and tuck each one in by laying there until they fell asleep. Started with the youngest at 8:00, the middle guy at 8:30, and the oldest at 9, then finally he would go up to Rob and "talk" to him....Meowing over and over ... telling him off basically...that it was time for him to go to bed. He would curl up and purr when he finally listened. When I went to bed he would come and lay on me and purr. He stayed on our bed when we went to sleep. At dinner time we had a seat at the table for him. He would jump up into the chair and he would look from person to person as the conversation happened, like watching a tennis match he followed each move. He would be insulted and let us know that we had forgotten to add him into the conversation if we ignored him for too long. When we did talk to him he would look all regal and refuse to answer. It was too funny. When Rob was outside he would follow him around (I think he was part dog too.) and would sit on the dock while Rob was there fishing. A man and his cat fishing...it had to be seen to be believed. This cat knew when you weren't feeling well. He followed you around until you would go and lay down...then he laid right next to you and didn't move an inch until you got up. It's was the most wonderful thing, he goes right to whoever isn't doing well and takes care of them. When Bobby got his surgery I couldn't keep him out of his room! I tried to at first, afraid he would jump up on the bed and hurt Bobby, but anytime I opened the door he would sneak in and gently get up on the bed and lay with him. He was such a sweetheart. When Mat left home to be out on his own Hunter would go to his room every night and look for him. He did that for over a year, sleeping on his bed right up until we emptied Mat's room. He loved Mat so much, and really missed him. Mat is back for a while, and Hunter has been sick for about three months now. He had been going into Mat's room and sleeping on his bed for most of the day and night. (It is Bobby's old room, and Mat is in it...he felt safe and loved.) We had been through a lot with this cat. He was hit by a car about 8 years ago and we had a cat orthopedic surgeon operate on him to re-attach his leg to his hip and to bob his squished tail (this is when the boys and their friends affectionately gave him the nick-name "Mr. Nubs"), Rob called him the Gold Plated Cat for a while. The thing was, he was part of our family, and we would do anything (even go $1000 in debt) to keep him a part of it. We loved him as much as we loved each other. Can a cat be part dog part human and part cat? This one could. He was that and more. I think he was two or three when he adopted us, and he gave us 13 years of love and affection, undivided attention, comfort and joy. We will miss him greatly. Rest in peace my friend, enjoy your tail and playing with Cookie in Heaven ... you two always got along so well.
