Oriole Park at Camden Yards

(otherwise known as Camden, Cam, Cammy-wammy, or that f*&%n cat - as in, 'I can't believe the f&%$n cat wants to go out at 3 a.m.' or 'Why is that f*&%n cat eating a mouse at the foot of our bed at 1 a.m.') died today due to feline vaccine-associated sarcoma. I think he was 13, but Sal will probably tell me he was only 12. I usually get that wrong. [Edit: After doing some very complicated math (as in 2008 minus 1993), we calculated that Camden was actually 15. Apparently Sal thought that Camden was afflicted by a condition that affects many women as well, where you get to a certain age and stop counting.]

After fake-graduating from college, Sal decided it was a good idea to violate her lease and get a cat. We were dating at the time, so I offered help her pick one, being the cat expert that I am. When we arrived at Bristol's local pet store, there were only two cats left from the same litter. When Sal picked up one, the other would cry, so I convinced her that she could not split up these brothers. And so, Camden and Malcolm were now part of the family.

Of the two, Cam was always the cool one, Malcolm the special needs brother that no one mentioned. We moved around quite a bit during his life, and everywhere we went, Camden ruled the neighborhood - cats and dogs both. He never ran from a fight that I saw, and always had that look about him, as if nothing could ever rattle him.

At home, he was lovable and cuddly, but a pain in the ass. At night, he didn't bother to lay next to us, or at the foot of the bed - he would lay on top of us. Legs, back, chest, it didn't matter. He had no concept of personal space, sometimes sitting on Sal's chest, nose to nose with her as she slept, purring furiously. And he drooled.

Through the cancer, the check-ups, the shots, and the surgeries, Camden always kept his cool. He was unanimously named the vet's best patient for never complaining (or biting). Once diagnosed, he lasted longer than any of us thought he would, and I'd say that while the cancer did take him early, he had a pretty darn good life.

He was a great cat and friend, and we'll miss him.


Cam getting his catnip on.