L'il Puddin' ... or just "Puddie," for short, was born in the streets of Memphis and traveled with $peck and Howard to Ohio under heavy sedation (well ... only Puddie was under sedation). That was over five years ago when she was less than a year old. It took some time for her to shake those wild street-like tendencies. Now, she is an affectionate, loveable lap cat.
 
 

As young as she was, compared to $peck, Puddie seemed to know how sick he was at times ! She always backed away from the food dish, allowing him to eat first. She loved helping him groom himself, and though she is quite a little player, she always respected his need for quiet rest.
 
 

Puddie was right there at our side, watching attentively, when $pecky gasped his last breath in Howard's arms at 11:30 PM, September 6, 1998. The look in her eyes at that moment gave us every reason to believe she knew - she knew her little ailing friend was finally free of the body that pained him for so long. She, too, grieves for him still, and once in a great while she seems to call out for him as she did when he was here. For all we know - somehow - he is answering her.
 

Stormy Bear was Di's cat and is a lot bigger than he looks here. At 20+ pounds, and being jet black with green eyes, he LOOKS like a bear. Yet, he is not only gentle and playful, he has the whimpiest little mew you ever heard.
 
 

Stormy Bear enjoys a vigorous wrestling match with Puddie, yet he, too, was very respectful of $peck's delicate medical condition. He watched over $peck like a big brother although he was and remains the baby of the family.
 
 

Stormy Bear is a hero ! Far from communicative, and often leading people to believe he is not the most intelligent of creatures, he actually saved $peck's life once. $peck was going through one of his insulin shock episodes and floundering around the kitchen, downstairs, totally blind. Bear ran upstairs and would not stop bothering Di until she came down to see what was wrong. It was one of those times we were lucky to be able to rush $peck to the vet and get his sugar level regulated.