As a baby kitten he reminded me of a tiny bear cub - hence the name Pooh. He was my Pooder Bear, my cuddler and my talker. Until the age of three he was fairly quite, but after Ti passed on he took over the traits of his older brother too. He talked and talked and talked and talked. It used to sound like he was yelling "MOM" when he wanted my attention. When you would call him he'd respond with this short musical meow that sounded like "yes?", and he definately had a "no!" meow in his vocabulary!

Pooh loved sunbeams, furnace vents and most especially, laps. Anyone who sat down did so so that he had a place to sit - well, in his opinion at least. You see, Pooh felt that humans were put on this earth to pay attention to him. He loved everyone and felt that they should just love him too. He had a difficult time learning to share laps with Diarmid. For a long long time they tried "one uping" each other in your lap. By the time they would get done you'd have animals wrapped around your neck. But, once they finally got used to the fact that the other wasn't about to leave the lap they began using each other's bodies as pillows. Was always lucky, Maxie would lay by your feet, or maybe on the arm of the recliner, but not in the lap - like there was any room!

As a younger cat he was known as "Pooh of the Jungle" when he would roam around the plants surrounding the pool in the back yard in Texas. When nightfall would arrive you could call for Pooh forever and he would not come out of whatever bush he was hiding under. So, I learned to turn on the automatic sprinklers - now that brought him running for the "dog door" to the sunroom. Eventually, just the clicking sound of turning the switch to the sprinklers brought him running for cover. The fence around the yard was solid wood and about 8-10 feet high, so at first he was safe out there. One day, of course, he figured out that he could jump the fence. I went into the yard to get him and there he was on the neighbors roof looking down at me. He had jumped to the top of our fence and then walked the fence across tot he neighbors fence and then to the roof. Once he figured out he could do that it meant that he had to be put on a lead if he wanted out. It was 20 feet long, but didn't please him at all.

Pooh wasn't pleased that I had to lock the screen door to the sunroom, so he began slicing the corner of the screen open with his claws and crawl out into the sunroom to get to the dog door. I put a 1/3 door height plexiglass piece on the bottom part of the door. This worked for about two days until he figured he could tear the screen above it. Then we went to 1/2 door height. He still managed to tear the screen open, but couldn't get out. I finally got tired of rescreening the door and had him declawed. I know people say not too, but were running out of options.Funny thing was that the house had at least 14 windows and he never touched those screens.

Pooh, like Ti and Maxie, was a housecat. On occasion he would try to sneak out, but you could easily catch him and put him back. He used to go nuts in the spring when the birds would line up 5 deep to get at the bird feeder. He would cackle away at them, pacing up and down in front of the window. Funny thing was that if he were actually outside at that time he'd be hiding since birds frightened him when he was outdoors.

For all his years he was the "big brother". Didn't matter to him whether his sibbling was dog or cat, he loved to be around them all. He was just my sweetie who made sure no one was ever alone! He would follow me from room to room just to make sure some times. And, if Diarmid was getting attention you know darn well that he would be there too making sure he got his "equal time". You could not pay attention to one without the other. When I would be home and not feeling well he was always at my side. If his sibblings were not feeling well he stayed with them. He was the "house guardian".

Pooh was with me for 19-1/2 years - rarely ever ill and still able to jump until days before he died. Pooh was active and talkative until just days before he passed on. In the morning of February 10th he was his usual self, but by evening he had gotten weak and just wanted to sleep. He was in no pain and kept lying in his favorite spots so I let him be. I wish we could all go that peacefully. I would rock him from time to time and he would purr and rock his head back and forth with the rhythm of the chair. On February 13, 1999 he passed on to the Rainbow Bridge. He was my oldest buddie, having been with me all these years. I miss him.

It has now been two and a half years without my "oldest buddy" at my side. The house was a little more quiet, and with Maxie joining him nine months later - - catless for over a year and a half. The new babies, Michael & Padraig make life "interesting" again. Thinking of Pooh makes me laugh and cry at the same time. He loved life and everyone that was in it. I've never met a cat quite like him and I'm not sure I ever will again. Michael is very much like Pooh - the talker, cuddler and trouble maker, but Pooh was extremely graceful and majestic -not exactly Mikey's qualities. I know that he is watching down from Heaven and telling the new boys what to do!

Umtil we meet again my little boy.....