We lost our Sully today.

He was a GREAT cat. Had this strange ability to make people like him, even as he was one “grumpy ol’ man” much of the time.

He at least went peacefully

I discovered him sick on Saturday night after coming home from being out all day. I knew in my heart he’d not make it, and I felt totally helpless within that fact.

My goal became just to keep him calm and comfortable. I don’t think I even expected him to make it 24 hours, but I think he was waiting for Craig to get home. He was really Craig’s cat, even if I had him for seven years.

Craig got home Monday morning, and he agreed… Sully wasn’t going to make it through the night. If he did somehow, we’d take him immediately the next day and just have him put down.

We continued to give him his space, letting nature take its course. It wasn’t long at all, and I happened to peek in at him at the exact moment he took his last breath.

I am glad he was at home, comfortable, with family when he passed as opposed to in a vets office — a place he hated with a passion.

Which brings me down memory lane…

Sully was 23 lbs. Yes, he was fat and needed to go on a diet, but a lot of that was muscle, too. He LIKED it when you’d pet him roughly. It would elicit big purrs and eyes slammed shut in joy.

But he was also a tough guy. My vet in Texas would actually mention him to new employees! I would laugh so hard when I’d come in for something and I’d get, “Oh so THAT’S Sully. Uhm. Okay. I’ll be right back.”

It would take three people to hold him down to trim his claws!! Muzzles, etc. had to be used!

The bizarre thing? Craig never had ANY problems with him. Like I said, he was more Craig’s cat than mine… Craig could just do things with him that NO ONE else could do. Not even me. Or maybe more like especially me!

My last visit to the vet with him was almost a total wash. He fought off the vet from doing all she wanted to do with him! And I was no help, no matter how I tried to hold him and keep him calm for her. Evidence of how strong-willed he was.

But Sully absolutely adored Craig. In fact he’d know when Craig was on the phone with me, and he’d come running full speed to sit beside me… as if it got him closer to Craig. He’d regularly lay on the couch between us, insistent on touching us both somehow.

Sully was very territorial, eliciting a deep growl when something wasn’t right. He’d alert me to someone at the door much like a dog would!

He was also loyal. He never forgot my parents, whose home he lived in for most of his life. When they’d come to visit me, he’d perk up and try to lead my mom to the food bowl like he used to do.

I loved taking pictures of him. He had a regal quality, even as he was a total goofball. We would get the biggest laughs from some of his antics!

I remember when we got our other cat, he ran away! It was hilarious to see this huge, tough cat, RUN from a tiny kitten! It didn’t take too long, though, for the two of them to both become the best of friends. Brothers.

We’re all going to miss him horribly. He seemed so healthy, and my biggest worries were his allergies and the potential of feline diabetes. I kept him up on all his vaccines through the years, and he was my kid… our kid. I’ll miss his being a roaming speed bump, and his need to try to drink out of the shower while we were still in it. I’ll miss him wrestling with Bailey, and his coming to sleep between me and Craig at night.

Rest in peace Sully, you will forever be missed. Pets come and go, but certain ones leave an indelible mark on your heart. Sully was one of those pets.