We've all been thinking of you so much these past few days, Carbon, with leaky eyes, fond memories, and many smiles. How you raced around at top speed while playing, played basketball with your toys and tag with the other cats, and how you would snuggle once a day with each of your purrents. About the bottlecaps that you stole off the counter as a kitten, your toy hoard under the couch when we moved, and your favorite battle buddy and mousie. Your battle buddy's still around, as well as the replacement one we got you when your other one got gnawed off the wand part. How you loved pipe cleaners, as evidenced by the top picture after your Catster Secret Santa gift from Winter. How you were afraid of kittens until they got old enough for you to consider them the same species! How you purred while sitting on friends' laps and sat on your stool for bites of whatever Mama Shawnee was cooking. How you were afraid that Lydia was going to swat you (and she did) when you misbehaved as a kitten, but you realized that she was the alpha cat and loved you anyway. How you studied things until you figured out how they worked: automatic litter boxes that you made mountains in and then admired your own handiwork, doorknobs that you opened by yourself, the wall furnace that you body-slammed as a kitten trying to make it stop running like your daddy did.
You were one crazy cat, and we'll always remember you for that. You were a love, when you allowed yourself to be loved on, and we'll always love you for that. There are so many stories that will be told for decades! It's hard to think that it's been a year already since you've been gone. Tabby still has days when she wanders around lost, remembering you. Most days are better for her now, but we see the look in her eyes every so often and know you're in her thoughts, as you are for us all. You were the best black cat in the world, and it's so fitting that Black Cat Appreciation Day is your day. We love you forever.
