R.I.P. Timmy aka "FatCat" aka "Garfield"

Timmy was hit by a car this morning in front of our house. He spent the night sleeping on my arm, as he often does, and in the morning, he was gone. He will be remembered by everyone who knew him as the most trusting and affectionate cat they'd ever met. He will be remembered by me as the single most perceptive animal I have ever owned. If something was wrong, Timmy would always be there. If my mom and I had a fight, he wouldn't flee from the raised voices like the other cats did; he would come straight to me to comfort me. So it was with everything. If I was sad, he would be in my lap. If I was sick, he would lay nearby, only leaving my side briefly while I recovered. If I happened to be sitting in my computer chair with nothing in my lap, he would be sure to fill that space for me (though he contended with Neffi for that spot quite often). He was a very tenacious cat. Did you know he once walked from Bluff Point to Dresden (roughly 15 miles!) to get back to the family he loved when he was given away to a new family? He originally lived with my friend Kassondra at a country house with probably hundreds of other cats. They gave him away to a family on Bluff Point, but for whatever reason, he decided it was time to go back to his birthplace. After miles of walking and much lost weight, Timmy found himself on a street in Dresden and ran up to the first person he saw: me! I was surprised at this friendly cat, because most Dresden cats are afraid of everything (and with good reason too), but Timmy was friendly and talkative without a trace of fear. I brought him in and fed him french fries and, much to my mother's dismay, bonded with him instantly. My friend Kassi and I were very close at that point and she was at my house when the cat appeared. She recognized him by his markings and his teeth as the cat they gave away several weeks ago. Timmy lived with us in Dresden and moved with us to the farmhouse in Second Milo last winter. During that time, he revealed his passion for food, his love for play (though Kassi contended he was almost as old as Smokey) and managed to be at odds with every other cat in the house- until Ivan. Ivan and Timmy could play for hours. I was happy to see him getting along with someone for a change. When Neffertiti came into the picture, however, the boys fought harder than ever for her. Since then, Timmy had been somewhat of an outcast from the pack. He acted out in his later years- possibly out of frustration, possibly out of jealousy at the surge of kittens that came with Neffi's first litter. He drove my mother's boyfriend Mark to his wits end, but he was always there for me. No matter what was going on, Timmy always had time for a snuggle, and I know I'm never going to have another cat like him. Good night, fat prince. I love you forever.