"The Fluff"

So, I lost Fluff to some other place yesterday, Saturday, July 28th, about 5pm.
I had him 13 years since he was a cute little kitten.
White with peanut butter colored splotches, I named him Fluff-a-Nutter, after my favorite sandwich of marshmallow and peanut butter. His coloring reminded me of that.
He had many nick-names... "Fluff" "The Fluff" "The Fluffster" "McFluff the Shakespearean Cat" and "Fluff the one-nutted cat" (long story having to do with one of Fluff's nuts being up inside him, so he had to have full blown surgery to be fixed)
Besides my family, he has been the one to be with me through the past 13 years. He saw me through marriage, a house in Northfield, MA, divorce, grad school in Amherst, six different apartments in the Boston area, two years in Manchester, NH, a big move to a tiny cottage apartment on Ft. Myers Beach, FL, a rented house on Isles of Capri, two different sailboats, and many days and nights of being alone...
Mostly I remember him always wanting to be right next to me when I was home. He would be next to me if I cried. He would come if I called his name.
He was a stocky cat with scoliosis, so he couldn't jump like a normal cat. I remember the day in Northfield, MA, I had four cats at the time including the Fluff. the neighbor's crazy collie was out again and chasing the cats. the collie chased all four in a row around one of the corners of the house, me following after. I came around the corner to see that all cats, except the Fluff, had made the jump up onto the deck. The Fluff was hanging on for dear life by his front paws' nails. I grabbed him up into my arms, of course. He was my favorite.
Another of my favorite memories of the Fluff is when he and I lived in Watertown, MA, in a really cool apartment that was the downstairs half of a two-story house. Every day I would come home through the front door and Fluff would be waiting for me. I would come in, put down all my stuff, say hi to the Fluff, and we both would run across the whole apartment into my bedroom in the back. I would jump on the bed and Fluff would jump after me. I would roll him onto his back up next to me and rub his belly. he loved it. we did this day after day... it was our routine. a great routine at that. he was to me the best cat ever. i use to think he thought he was a dog, he was so loyal, and just wanted to be with me.
Two years ago I brought Peppermint Patty along to give some company to the Fluff. Not to mention that I wanted the Fluff to teach another cat how to be like him, because I knew, I would loose him some day...
When Patty was a kitten, she would play with the Fluff's tail, chasing it, grabbing it, biting it. All the while the Fluff would just lay there and flip his tail for her.
Last Saturday the two cats and I spent the entire afternoon cat napping. and this past week, I was so happy to be back on the boat with the cats after being gone dog-sitting. It was just the three of us. I was so happy and content with all I had, my cats next to me.
Fluff was the greatest cat I've ever known. I miss him miss him miss him terribly. I wish I could hold him one more time. The sailboat is not the same without him. I don't know what happens to us after we die and I have no idea if it's true that spirits don't like to be "trapped" but I'm going to be selfish and hope to God that Fluff is still with Patty and I because i can't imagine life without him. Last night out of the corner of my eye, I thought i saw him lying on the bed next to my feet. Patty and I were watching Ace Ventura Pet Detective in Fluff's honor. He was more than just a pet though, he was my true companion and best friend, always there for me when I needed him. He hardly ever complained. He was a good cat.
Good night Fluff-a-Nutter.