Bye-bye Buddy Bear

After several years battling increasingly frequent episodes of severe constipation, we had to let Buddy go in December. He was our first all-American cat, who we adopted shortly after we moved to Sonora. 

A diabetic, he put up with being poked with an insulin needle twice a day for 15 years.  He was a gentle soul. He'd walk up to me on the kitchen counter and if I leaned down, he'd rub his forehead against mine.

As the most senior member of the cat clan he took is job keeping the others in order very seriously. Whenever there was a fracas between any of the other cats, he'd run to break it up.  Like most of our cats, he'd come when called, though he made it clear that it was on his terms. 

Keep on taking charge Buddy. You were a commanding presence in the family and I'll miss you.