Rest in peace, my Cookie Monster

My last remaining childhood pet died this past week. He was a good kitty, and I'll miss him.

My family insisted on naming him Gabby, but I named him Cookie Monster. Eventually I gave in and started calling him Gabby too. But really, I think his true name was and will always be Cookie Monster. After all, he showed a definite preference for me :) Granted, it could have been that I always fed him tuna and always petted him just the way he likes and never touched his ears, nose, or feet, which he abhors. And we got him just after I grew out of that "Let's dress the kitty up!" phase. So he never had to wear dollbaby dresses or bonnets.

Gabby was very sweet, but easily crossed and very stubborn. He went to battle over the whole not being allowed on the counter rule, and I do believe he won. He had a loud purr and loved to sit on your lap. He was also a skilled hunter, bringing us many special furry gifts from his nights out.

We got him on Christmas Eve. We'd just lost another family pet, Snuggles, and there was a hole in our hearts. While no kitty could ever replace Snuggles, Gabby quickly eased our pain with his crazy kitten antics. He loved to play, and played so hard that we thought our sweet little kitten must be sick when he finally crashed. We soon learned that this was just Gabby: pure energy until he was just too tired to move.

Gabby, you'll always have a special place in my heart, and I miss you.