"CAT FIVE"

 Five. My sweet fuzzy buddy, Five. Farewell my dear friend!

I already miss your warm fur buzzing against my chest as we snooze together ignoring the television in the background.

We miss your insistent yowls for attention until we rise and pay attention to your needs in the morning And I miss your ferocious and simultaneous growling and purring as we "bug-tussle" while I try to pull on my socks sitting on the edge of the bed. 

 I don't know from where Kathy pulled the term "bug-tussle", but it somehow seemed appropriate, so bug-tussle it has remained.

I do not believe that I have ever experienced a kitty who was capable of expressing the two divergent emotions, purring and growling at the same moment. Friends who have witnessed one of our bug-tussles have expressed concern about the seemingly ferocious scene that they were seeing. Not realizing that none of your pointy bits were involved. There would be no bloodshed on my part, and no aggressiveness or resentment on your part upon the end of the encounter.

The loud and seemingly angry encounter would end with cuddles, more purrs, and nose to beard snuggling.

Beard snuggles. I recall that first time we met. Kathy and I were headed into our club on a cold, rainy November afternoon, when Kathy noticed you huddled by the doorway. I picked you up and stuffed your cold, wet, body into my jacket. You were so tiny, Five. It seemed like there was far more wet fur than kitten in my hands. Once we got settled at a table, and you began to dry out, Diane, our friend and server, brought over a container of half & half and a saucer for you. You were so hungry and happily slurped it up in no time at all. Then you climbed up my chest buried your cold little nose in my beard and, purring in contentment, fell sound asleep.

Little heart melter. Even as Kathy and I were talking about taking you to the shelter where Kathy volunteered from time to time, your purrs were buzzing deep into my heart. I only took a very short while before the conversation turned from taking your tiny butt to the pound, to how you would get along with the current queen of the Rancho, our aloof Maine Coon Aesha.

Need not have worried. After a dismissive sniff, Her Maj decided that something so small could be safely ignored.

At the time you agreed to join our little family, I had recently taken over the position of IT Administrator at the car dealer where I worked. Part of the job included bringing order to the servers for the buildings. As a result of which, I found myself buried in a tangled mess of "Category 5" cabling for much of my days. It seemed a no-brainer to name you Cat Five! Which inevitably was shortened to simply, Five.

Oh Five, I look forward to that happy day when I will be allowed to cross over the Rainbow Bridge and we will be able to bug-tussle and snuggle forever.

And I can once again enjoy your contented little furry nose purring in my beard.

Goodbye my friend.