shamokin – 1997-2012
I was saddened this morning to hear that our family’s feline elder statesman, Shamokin (seen above with his representative curmudgeonly expression) passed quietly last night, asleep on his favorite chair.
He came into our family as a small kitten, whose eyes took up roughly 80 percent of his head, shortly after we adopted Calypso, and the two of them were pretty much inseparable for the next fourteen years (and he suffered a months-long depression after her passing last year, and was never quite the same after the loss of his long time companion). He was devoted to my lovely wife, who filled the “mom” role for him as a kitten (I suspect he was a bit younger than advertized, and wasn’t quite fully weaned when we got him), and on through his life.
He was a bit more aloof than other cats I’ve shared space with, but was always pleasant, if not always affectionate to me – he was the very definition of a “one person cat”, and that person was Colleen. Still, he was always good for a refined and noble greeting, and occasionally stooped to making use of the lap and petting services of someone as lowly as myself.
As a kitten, he trained himself to fetch. He also, for some reason unknown to the universe, was very fond of toaster waffles. If he heard the toaster ejecting an Eggo, he was immediately present and persistent in demanding his rightful tribute.
I’ll miss his dignified and occasionally haughtly presence. He was a fine pet.
What a good and long life he’s had with you! I know you’ll miss him.
September 18th, 2012 at 9:22 AMI’m sorry Chuck. I know you guys really loved him.
September 18th, 2012 at 4:04 PM