Farewell Sammy

My parents had to put our family cat, Sammy, down today. He lived a very full life and weathered three differently crazy family dogs. Actually, his first name was Goldie when we first got him because we thought he was a girl. When the vet told us otherwise, my mom suggested that we name him Sammy because Sammy Davis Jr. had just died and he had been in a movie called The Golden Boy. (I can't actually find that documented anywhere, but its family lore now, so it matters not.)

Sammy and I had a touch-and-go relationship. Mostly, I wanted to love on him and he wanted nothing to do with me. While this is a trait that most cats have in common when it comes to me, Sammy was somewhat justified in wanting to stay away from me. One morning when I was in high school, Sammy kept climbing in my drawers as I was trying to get dressed. I thought I'd teach him a lesson by shutting him in the drawer for a few minutes. Needless to say, I forgot to open the drawer again. And not only was I gone to school all day, but I spent the night at a friends house. Sammy wailed so loud that he woke my mom up about 3am and she rescued him. He held that grudge for a very long time. Rightly so.

Sammy loved catching birds, rodents and squirrels. Like all cats, he loved boxes and soft places to sleep. Sammy did not like riding in the car, but he loved exploring outside. Sammy was a good cat.

Goodbye Sammy. You will be missed.