In loving memory of Colby, or "Co-by"

We adopted Cheddar and Colby (orange tabby brothers) on Nov 22nd, 2003 - our 8 month anniversary. We were told they were about 6 months old so we made their birthday be May 22nd, since the 22nd seemed to be a common number for us! They were really shy and skittish at first - hiding under the bed a lot. We worked with them to get them more comfortable with us, giving them treats whenever we got home so they would learn to come out when we came in the door, and gathering them at night for "family cuddle hour" on the couch while we would watch a movie. Dow usually had Cheddar and I usually caught Colby. Eventually, they each kind of became "our" cats although of course we love them both! Two weeks ago we realized it had been 5 years since we adopted them! They have come a long way! They still hide some when others come over, esp. Colby, but they are totally comfortable with us and Cheddar doesn't even mind Zoey. Although, the one she really wants to pet and play with is Colby. He will let her pat him if one of us is holding her, I guess he feels more safe that way!

Colby would sleep at my feet every night, or curled up in the crook of my knees or sometimes even on my back. He loved winter when we got the fleece blanket out! If I tried to read in bed he would constantly head butt my hand until I put the book down and pet him. And he always cracked us up when he would do his "stretchy Colby face." I wish we had been able to capture it on film, he would stand up from sleeping and arch his back as he stretched, as most cats do, but he made the funniest face while he did it! He loved to "knead" my belly, and when I got pregnant with Zoey I kept warning him eventually my belly might get to big for him, but nope! Up until the day I went to the hospital, he would still lay on my belly, kneading! Those of you who followed my "belly pictures" when I was pregnant with Zoey might remember that Colby was in the picture with my belly every single week! He's been doing the same with this pregnancy as well. Before we got a flat screen monitor, you could be sure Colby would be warming himself on the computer monitor while you worked! He was always willing to "help" me scrapbook - and you better be careful when you pulled out the kitchen chair closest to the back door - he was often asleep on it. Although he sometimes woke us up in the night with the sound of his crunching on my dried roses or clawing the carpet, he was a wonderful, affectionate cat!

We are not sure what happened to him, but when we got home late tonight he was no longer alive. He seemed fine today, in fact, Zoey spent the day/night with Babs and Pops, so Dow and I were catching up on our Netflix this afternoon, and Colby took his usual place on my lap, where I got lots of good scratches and cuddles in. I will miss my kitty a lot, and I'm sure Cheddar will miss his cuddle buddy too.

Colby's on the left, Cheddar on the right: