WW: Goodbye Sweet Friend

Typically, I stick to the Wordless Wednesdays but this week is definitely not so wordless.  One of our cats, Braden, was hit by a car and killed this weekend.  He was supposed to be an inside cat only but started sneaking out so we just gave in. Our cats are family, not merely pets, so this Wednesday is all about our sweet, happy, handsome, fresh, cuddly, mitten pawed, completely loved and adored snuggle cat.   I apologize for the sad topic but Braden LOVED attention from everyone and we want everyone to see what a wonderful little love bug he was.

H actually brought Braden home with his brother, Owen, as a surprise 8 years ago (well, next month).  They were litter mates and inseparable little cuties and the person who had them wanted them find a home together.  They were so adorable when they snuggled!  They still snuggled to the end.  Owen makes me the saddest because he has no idea what happened to his brother and sits by the screen door and the window looking for Braden. :(
(please excuse my terrible and quickly thrown together collages)

Braden had these adorable big ears and mitten paws and looked so sweet and innocent. He was so smiley.  Little did we know what we were in for!

Braden quickly earned the name Fresh Fresh.  We called him Fresh so often that he learned to respond to that rather than his actual name.  He started by attacking toes under the blanket at night with his little dagger claws and moved on from there.  Part of it was that he was a super smart and curious cat.  The rest of it was just that he was born mischievous. He loved drains and was fascinated by how they worked.  Any time we would drain the tub, the sink would gurgle and he'd run back and forth staring down the drains. It was that curiosity about drains that led him to fall into the toilet.  He didn't mind because he actually liked water.  He also got himself trapped in the (empty) washer, trapped up in the wall, and stuck in the Christmas Tree.  There are so many more things but I can't remember anything right now.

Braden decided to be a Christmas ornament

He also had the infuriating habit of sitting on tables.  He loved to sit that he edge and drape his paws or head over the side.  This was one habit he never broke.  He grew out of a lot of his freshness...attacking everything that moved, attacking feet, climbing everything in sight but never that.

One thing he always was was a lovebug.  He loved to snuggle and be hugged.  He loved to ride on your back and either snuggle your face or sit his butt right on your head, unfortunately.  Sweetest cat ever, though!  He'd run to you with a cute kitty smile any time you called his name.  He loved to play with any toy with us but especially feathers on a stick.  He could chase that thing forever with paws flailing.  Mostly he just loved to be around us.  Cuddling, playing, napping and purring his super loud motor purr.

happily sleeping with H

top: me & fresh, H and fresh napping, H and Fresh snuggling.  bottom: back ride!, attacking the screen, Mr. No cuddles

He adored Mr. No from the second we brought No home.  He'd lay on the blanket during tummy time, snuggle up for naps, play with him.  Braden loved his Mr. No and Mr. No loved him.  Poor No really doesn't understand what has happened to his friend.  He thinks we can fix him or magically bring him back.  Breaks my heart every time.

See how much he loved his Mr. No!

There are so many more things I could say about how sweet and fun and lovable he was and how his wonderfully sweet but fresh ways captured our hearts.  But all I really need to say is: Goodbye Sweet Friend. We will always love you, miss you so so much and will never, ever forget you.