Bert

The world lost one of the sweetest and most lovable cats of all time this morning. Bert, or Big B as I liked to call him, lived a long and interesting life. From his early days living in the woods of Santa Cruz and literally running up and down vertical ladders to his glorious feasting with his dining buddy, Wendell, Bertkins was round and jolly and friendly with everyone he met. 

He came loaded with special features, like his magic white spot, his "cowardly lion" tail that had no feeling, his push-button spot between his shoulders that always prompted him to lie down, and, of course, his many, many extra toes. I think he had a total of 8 extra toes in all, maybe 10. It was like he had a second little mini-paw attached to his regular paw. 

Bert was brought up by my sister, Rachel, for many years until she moved to Germany. Then he spent many exciting years in a few homes in San Francisco until he ended up with us a few years ago. My cat, Toby, didn't take well to any new kitties in the house, but fortunately Narangkar's sister, Siriji, took Bert into her home and gave him lots of love. I am so happy and thankful that Siriji was able to provide Bert and comfortable home and lifestyle for his final years. 

Bert was about 15 or 16 years old and his health rapidly declined in a very short period. He was such a sweet and lovable guy. Despite being ill and not eating, he continued to purr and snuggle up until the very end. We called him Bertkiss, Bertimus, Bertleman, Big Bert, Chubbs, Big B, Bertkins, and sometimes The Lummox. We'll always love him and never forget him.