The Great & Beloved Ninja Larry, 2009 - 2015

    A little more than 15 years ago my oldest sister brought me a cat. A kitten, actually, a small black kitten.

   The kitten had been one of a litter that was born in a barn on a farm just south of La Junta, and apparently my sister knew the farmers and also, apparently, my sister felt strongly that I needed this kitten.

   See, the previous cat that had shared my home, Moe, had passed away a few months before, and, well, I've always had cats and dogs living together, except not at that time.

   At that time it was just Cami the Britney Spaniel, and truth be told, the house needed a cat.

   You know, for balance.

   It took a few days for Cami to get used to the kitten, and vice versa, but eventually they became friends.

   If I recall, they became friends before a name was even bestowed upon the kitten. That name of course was Ninja Larry.

   Not a lot of thought was put into the name, it's just the little kitten was stealthy and wrapped in black, and kinda looked like a "Larry".

   Ninja Larry grew up and got big, all the while being friendly to almost everyone he met, unless they were a mouse, or a rabbit, or a slow bird, or even a garter snake. 

   Eventually, he got real big, over twenty pounds, and he developed some serious skills and abilities. Not only could he climb up and down trees, he could also jump up on the roof (at the low eave, near the porch), and he could jump down from the roof (same location).

   He also became quite the neighborly cat, walking down the street and into neighbors garages and homes, just as carefree as can be. My neighborhood is one in which most everyone knows everyone, and everyone got to know and love Larry.

   At our neighborhood gatherings, it was not unusual for Ninja Larry to be greeted far more enthusiastically than I ever was.

   Ninja Larry was, like the cat he succeeded, the sort of cat that people who claimed not to like cats would say, "But I like this cat, this cat is cool."

   Larry was cool, and friendly, and affectionate, and fearless, and an excellent mouser, just about everything one could desire in a cat.

   And now Larry has passed into the great beyond and I will miss him.