July 1977 – October 1998
[via] “Henry was the cat’s cat. He was in charge. He feared no animal. He lived his life fully and excitedly. He treated people with disdain except members of the family, and even in that regard I was the only one who could pick him up and carry him around, in whose lap he would happily sleep, with whom he would dance (don’t ask) without complaint, and who shared the majority of his life.
“Even now I begin to cry as I sit here writing this.
“Henry was my friend. He took care of me when I was sick, and I him. He stayed with me always, whether happily (but loudly) taking a ride in the car or curling up on the couch to watch a movie. We were inseparable. He slept nowhere except with me. He tolerated the antics of no one as much as he did mine. He embodied the very independence that for so long I sought to understand from the world of men. He helped me understand the importance of quality of life and how it is far more important than quantity, regardless of whether that quantity be measured in years or loved ones or accomplishments or dollars. He loved and trusted me. He was family.
“Mom and I always believed Henry would outlive everyone in the family. He was our companion for more than two decades, so he certainly gave it his best shot. He had his ups and downs like every living thing, but he always came out strong on the other side. While it’s unusual for a cat to live as long as he did, it is not unheard of.”
Pronunciation: HEN ree
Namesake: Henry Higgins, the fictional character from Pygmalion (and, subsequently, “My Fair Lady”)
Full name: Henry Higgins Johnson Lanier Jaster Hogle ([via] “That was his full name, although we only called him Henry for expediency’s sake. We simply appended to his formal name the surname of every person with whom he spent a part of his life while on the journey to our home.”)
Breed: Domestic Short Hair (DSH)
Color: Black with a few strategic bits of white
Gender: Male
Birthdate: July, 1977
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