It'll be a miracle if I can write this without tearing up. Butch Casablanca, our second oldest family member (Cleo's the eldest; then there's Margo and Charlotte, the monster doggies), has succumbed to old-age complications. He was 15 and is survived by his three sisters and doting dads, Jon and Ted.
Butch has written for a variety of animal magazines (this is not a joke) and was fiercely friendly and affectionate to all visitors to the Casablanca household. He also appeared regularly on Truth, Lies & Ted, the producer of which, Brian Walmsley, would often be several minutes late starting filming because he couldn't stop caressing his "Block," as he always called Butchie.
Butch was a rescue cat found by some firemen in a trash bin all those years ago. Some horrible freak had dumped the litter there. Thank God Butch and his family were eventually found because the 15 years he blessed me with really wouldn't have been quite as sweet otherwise. Butch would have liked that his obit be used as a plug for rescuing other unfortunate animals, so please do what you can, everybody.
OK, I'm bawling. So long, Butch. Nobody purred better.