Thursday, August 8, 2013

Long Overdue Henry Pics


Henry's been a little camera-shy lately. I can't remember the last time I posted a picture of him! Which doesn't make any sense since I am OBSESSED with this cat.

Anyway, he curled up next to me when I had my laptop out and I couldn't resist turning on Photobooth and documenting our love.

I've never met a cat like Henry. He is the cuddliest thing, and he follows me around like a puppy. He's not a lap cat, but he's all about spooning in bed. Do your cats do stuff like this?
I always like to tell Henry the story of how we met (Jeff groans every time I start this story, apparently I tell it a bit too often for his taste). It happened at the Petco in Union Square, just over 4 years ago. There's a great adoption group there called KittyKind. A cab driver had just recently brought in two little grey kittens that were living on the street. Henry was a mess--besides the fact that he was malnourished and had an eye infection, he had been sleeping in his litter box (hey, I didn't say he was the brightest cat around) and he stunk to high heaven. I walked by his crate and he stuck his paw out at me. When I picked him up, he nestled into my chest and I was a goner. The rescue volunteers told me he was a girl, and I declared I would name him Eleanor. Some closer inspection revealed that he was a little boy--they asked if I minded. I didn't care what this cat was, he was coming home with us.


I think about his brother from time to time--he was identical to Henry and just as sweet. Is he just like Henry now? (If so, we really should have taken them both. But hopefully somewhere else in New York a lucky person is cuddling with an identical grey cat.)

Happy cuddling!

64 comments:

  1. There is something wonderful about grey kitties...Moochi is our second grey cat and they are just so warm and friendly!

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    1. I came to say the same thing!! AND -- one of my cats (although not my sweet grey one) is named Mochi! Funny funny.

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  2. He is adorable whata pair you make and that story makes me weep how can people abandon these special creatures???
    Lucky Henry to have you and lucky you to have henry???
    Hope you dont mind but have just linked to your post on the simplicity 1609 dress
    Bestest to you and yours.... and Henry of course!
    Daisy j xxx

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  3. I adopted my Zoey from a Petsmart in Virginia almost 4 years ago. She is my little love bug!! She was put up for adoption when her owners had to move and could not take her. They seemed like good people who loved her, and really wanted to find her a good home. Luckily she found me : ) Her papers said she was a cuddly cat who loved to be babied. They were not joking! She is the most affectionate cat I have ever known. She really hates to be alone. Lord forbid I leave her home alone for any length of time. You would think the world had ended. Life definitely feels more complete having her with me.

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  4. When we adopted our three kitties as feral kittens, we were originally only going to adopt two. The foster mom was elated that we were going to take all three and keep them together, and I'm glad we did. They all have their own personalities: our girl cat likes the snuggle the dog, our two boys are probably the snuggliest (one of them loves to drape himself over you when you're sitting down). They're not the best sewing helpers, but when they're not trying to get into my stuff, they're sleeping on/under a chair in my sewing room, to keep me company :)

    Henry looks like a real sweetie :)

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  5. I have two rescues (boys), both grey. The one forgets how to cat occasionally (he plays fetch). But the other (who looks remarkably like Henry) is a super snuggler. If you're on the couch, he's quite content to sit near/next to you (but might drape himself if you stay there long enough) but at night he cuddles up to me just like Henry in those pictures. Both follow me around like lost sheep.

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  6. I wonder if it is the name 'Henry'? My Henry is a cuddlebug too. And yes, I am obsessed with him. He adopted me when I visited a rescue shelter. He was a bit older than most of the others and was imperfect (hernia). Over my husband and kids' objections (they wanted a young perfect one) we brought him home. Turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made as he has been an amazing companion, cancer/chemo buddy and confidant.

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    1. Unfortunately, it probably isn't Henries in general - my grey Henry is not a cuddler. He doesn't mind me spooning up to him when he's sleeping, but he doesn't search out cuddles. He's more an explorer than a hugger (but he's my favourite out of his family).

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  7. My boy Comet loves to cuddle up between me and my partner. He is also really close to my son who is 6 and cuddles up to him too and is extra tolerant of my enthusiastic 2 year old daughter.
    The only time he drives me nuts is when he sits on the ironing board!

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  8. I adopted my beloved from that same KittyKind in Union Square! He was about 7 years old and according to the rescue volunteers, he'd been the head of a feral colony of cats. When I took him out of the crate, he wrapped his paws around my neck and put his head on my shoulder like a baby. How could we not fall in love? He's curled up on my feet as I type this and I can't imagine life without my beautiful boy.

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  9. aww no, i just adopted a cat in February. My first very own kitty. We moved into a new house the 31st of January and there was a bad mouse problem. i decided the only solution was a cat. My boyfriend was a bit hesitant about it. he is not a fan of cats. So i decided to go to a shelter. The ladies there told me max (which we renamed jim) was a feral cat that came in. both his brother and sister had been adopted out all ready. I was kind of won over by the fact that they said he didn't mind being picked up. like your Henry, jim is not really a lap cat but loves to spoon and follows me around the house as well. he has brought much joy to the household and my boyfriend can't believe how doglike he is. i am now one of those weird cat owners that constantly talks about their cat. words cannot describe how much i love my jim.

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  10. awe! My previous cat, Edgar, was a great cuddler. He'd spoon me every night. My current kitty, Jay, is a little more independent/don't hold me type. But he sleeps on my legs at night and on rare occasions he wants to be cuddled. Love your Henry pics--makes me miss Edgar.

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  11. I love him! He looks like a plush kittie! So so so cute.

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  12. My husband said no more cats after losing two in close succession and me walking around for days with a swollen face from crying. I agreed, but two years later he called me to the computer and showed me a picture of a cat in an adoption center two hundred miles away. He told me he was giving me a cat for Mother's Day. This cat. Why? He liked her face. We picked up Nora a few weeks later and she has made our lives so much fuller. I can't believe someone sent such a cool cat to the pound. Thank goodness for rescue agencies!

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  13. Heehee! I love to tell my cat Newt the story of how her mum (Cookie, a stray in our back-yard) started to have her while cuddling on my lap! It's really amazing to watch your new kitten be born!!! And now we have them both in our family :)

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  14. I am the proud mum of 9 adopted kitties!!! 3 turn 14 this week...I have their mum and grandmama...who are 15 and 16!! They were both feral ...now are lap cats!! Gus who is 9 and then kaboki and pilgrim who are 14... Last one vinnie...still an outdoor boy but has a heated outdoor kittie house!!!
    Kaboki is the kitty like yours..sleeps with me even gets in the shower!! He looks exactly like your fella!!!
    Love them all.......xx

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  15. I had a kitty named Thaddeus that looked so much like Henry. Our vet told me he was part Russian Blue, but who knows for sure! He sure was a talker, and so very smart. He also was more like a dog than a cat, and was my best friend for years and years. I still miss him although I have other furry people that I love with all of my heart. There will never be another like him, but isn't that the way all of our furry people are to us?

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  16. My cat is just like this. He follows me everywhere, comes when I call him, plays fetch. He sleeps on my shoulder. I have a cat trap (aka a cardboard box) on my desk so he can hang out while I'm working. He's got the most personality of any cast I've ever had. His only downside is that he chews on things. He's chewed up a lot of knitting needles, chewed up a pair of my husband's glasses, and has even managed to destroy a remote.

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  17. Seriously, those pictures couldn't be any sweeter. Henry makes my heart melt. I've got a real cuddlebug of a kitty too :)

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  18. All of my pets (dogs and cats) are rescue. My favorite kitty, Arnold, has been with me a year. He sounds very similar to your Henry in personality. Everyone should have a kitty like that. Arnold is the only survivor of his litter, abandoned in a field and living on road kill. He is one special kittyman!

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  19. I have a grey cat too and he is cute and silly. He loves the dog more than us and is always cuddling up to him!!!

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  20. the cable guy found my cat under my house when he was a kitten, just a few weeks old. He is not at all cuddly, if fact he's kind of pissy! I still love him though.

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  21. My kitten Alexander the Great is all for cuddels and spooning! Ouh and washing my hair! I hope that will never ever change!

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  22. KITTY!!!

    We adopted our first "baby" from a shelter, too. Tycho really changed our lives and is so special. He's not much for cuddling, but is great for gentle face-taps and licks when he is ready for breakfast. He demands treats and belly rubs regularly and likes to talk to us. Your Henry sounds wonderful and is such a lucky kitty!

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  23. Uhg, he's SO CUTE! All of my animals are rescues and I swear they're more affectionate. Like they know that you saved them. There's not too many things more rewarding than rescuing animals :)

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  24. Oh look at him! <3 Very glad to see Henry making an appearance again!
    My kitten Isis is a rescue cat too. I found her through a group called Happy Paws in Brisbane Australia, when I went to look at her she was skinny and blue eyed, only a baby. I had been told over the phone she was very shy and skitish, amazingly within minutes of me being in her foster home, she came out from hiding and curled up on my lap. Love at first sight! She is the most affectionate and purry cat I've ever met; like Henry she doesn't like being picked up, but loves to cuddle in bed. She's a wonderful sewing assistant too ;)

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  25. i have a orange tabby who has slept on my head most nights since he came in off the street. Small Kidd is a cuddler, and also apparently made of play doh, since he can be smooshed and molded into shapes.

    i also have a demon cat who looks cuddly and sweet and has laid claim to my ankles... sadly this sometimes means as a cat toy.

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  26. Kitty love is the BEST!!!! I have a love story about my (now passed away) fuzzy soul mate too, and I probably told it too often as well but when you find true love, it must be shared :)

    Henry is gorgeous, and that third pic of you guys is absolutely heartbreakingly precious :) xo

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  27. I've gotten two kitties from Kitty Kind! One was a scraggly sickly scaredy black boy who loved to wrestle with Taco (my street rescue) Sadly, he died under anesthesia for a UTI, shortly after he started getting healthy and coming out of his shell...I still get choked up when I think about him :(

    The other is our little Bird. She's a little short on brains, but she TOTALLY makes up for it in personality - she chirps and plays fetch, patrols for invisible bed trolls and is a world class flopper. In other words, best kitty-cat EVER. Except for her farts....those aren't very cool at all.

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  28. Ha . . . what a cute story! I'm not really a cat person but good for you for adopting through rescue!

    Anyways, hilarious coincidence . . . my name is Eleanor and my brother's name is Henry, we're both in our 20's and our names are getting a lot more popular for human babies these days than they were when we were born . . .

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  29. Awwwww, so adorable. We have a black rescue-stray kitty and a white rescue-shelter kitty, so our next one ought to be grey, right?

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  30. loved reading your moments with your gorgeous grey cat. she is beautiful and I know that 'space' with cats and miss it! No kitty in my life just now, just wee dogs that make my life full and entertaining. But I miss the feline energy around the house. Your pics capture the intensity of these moments. Living in Borneo at moment, not the best place for cats, too many wild Borneo cats around. Hey btw love your blog. I'm new to blogging and only just started my sewing blog. if anyone has a moment to check on my few posts I'm sewrmaciwi.wordpress.com. Not even sure how to get followers yet, blah!

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  31. Our two boys are both rescued cats and I could not think of a world without them. Tiger is my cat; will try and sit on my arms when I am typing to the point where I have to send him on his way. He now has a little mat beside my laptop to sleep on. Newton is Pete's cat and must be near him all the time; again to the point of distraction.

    Cat love is the best and only a cat owner could understand this.

    stephanie

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  32. I share my home with two kitties! Markie is my tabby cat, he is a rather large boy, and very curious. He is always doing things he knows he is not suppose to do, like recently curling up in the refrigerator when I left the door open a little to long. Guess that will teach me to keep that door closed. One day a partial feral cat showed up on our doorstep, we opened the door and she ran to the food bowl, ate quickly and then went to the door to be let out. This same pattern went on for a few days, but the more she came to the house the longer she would stay inside. She wasn't bothered by our two other cats that are indoor kitties. Finally one morning she appeared much earlier than usual and with her she brought a tiny tabby kitten, the eyes were not yet open, She brought the kitten in and layed it at my feet, went to the food bowl, ate and then layed down and nursed her kitten. And then as usual she left. She came back every day several times a day, always nursing her kitten whom we had named Markie, eating and leaving. As time passed and Markie grew she stayed longer, laying on the couch, watching over her kitten and allowing us to pet her. My youngest daughter named her Downy. After three months passed and she no longer wanted anything to do with her offspring we decided to take her to the Vet and have her spayed so we would not have anymore surprises brought to us. She adapted well to coming and going as she saw fit. She allowed us to pet and snuggle her sometimes. Then one day she no longer came home, and unfortunately one of my daughters found her in the road above our neighborhood. What a sad day it was. Markie is now five years old and rules the house.

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  33. I love those pictures - I have a multitude of "selfies" of me and Frankie my 7yr old black and white cat. He is also more of a puppie than cat most of the time. There is an advertisment campaign by the telephone company O2 here in England called "Be more Dog" - thats him to a Tee (look it up on You tube - hilarious!"

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  34. Yes to the "no lap but spooning" haha! my cat (mr. minkleton) loves to be the little spoon :) and he follows me from room to room, he's more like a dog in some ways. henry has sucha cute face, like a bear or a panther!

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  35. Awww, such a wonderful story... And Henry is really a handsome guy. I grew up with cats, some were sweet, others were just little devils. I'm living on the country-side, so they all were free to go and come back whenever they wanted. Unfortunately, all were killed by cards. Still hurts me, even though so many years passed since then. Mostly people who were driving too fast. Now that I have a house of my own, I detected I'm extremely allergic to cats, dogs, guinea pigs.... But whenever I see a beautiful cat like Henry and hear stories like yours, I am amazed.

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  36. Maybe Jeff just wants equal coverage. Perhaps you need to tell the story of how you found and adopted him more often?

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  37. Oh he's SO gorgeous, his fur looks really dense and soft. We're looking after a friends cat at the moment and she's similar in that she doesn't like being picked up but will climb all over you in bed!

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  38. He looks like a Russian Blue. They are, if you get from a breeder, pricy cats. My daughter adopted one that had been abandoned and Bodhi is needy and likes to cuddle, but only on his terms. I'm thinking it is a trait of the breed.

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  39. Hearing about your cat love makes me feel a little less crazy.....i love my kitties too : )

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  40. Funny you just posted this story because we just adopted two new kittens ;) They are the sweetest! They are a bit of a mess with earmites of course. My three kids have grown up with my two cats and finally have the chance to have kittens since we finally lost the last of my two cats :( but your story about Henry reminded me about my Samantha because when I found and adopted her she had fleas and earmites and worms, etc. but I felt sorry for her and needed to give her a happy home and because of it she was the most loyal wonderful cat ever. Not the best for my kids though...she lived until she was 21 years old and was a bit grumpy. My persian Sydney just died at age 18, and he was the most amazing cat for my kids...he let them carry him around like a rag doll. It was very heartbreaking and difficult to lose him, but it was also nice to finally have the chance to give my kids their own kittens to grow up with :)

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  41. So that's why you enjoy the pink hair! It's a better background for Henry to contrast against. ;)

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  42. So wonderful to share sewing and cats with everyone! Love my big orange tabby boy who follows me like a dog, talks like a person, and is the best cuddler I know! Also a shelter cat, my boy wouldn't let me leave him there, he had to come home!

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  43. I live with a gorgeous shorthair gray cat named Paco, who doesn't have any affection for me at all. However he doesn't hate me, and that is really quite an achievement. He's very vocal with a flat quacking meow, that usually entices us to follow him to the door, his dish, or the rug where he allows us to worship him occasionally.

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  44. So precious!! You are both very lucky to have each other. :)

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  45. OMG! Henry is adorable! I have a kitty, but he is semi feral and not at all cuddly. Such a shame, I would love to be able to fuss him.

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  46. Aww that's so cute the two of you together! I've had several cats and they all had different ways to cuddle. One slept on my belly if I was sleeping on my back, and a spooner when I was sleeping on my side (and under the duvet). Another insisted on sleeping the other way around (his paws towards me), and another only at my feet (on the duvet). Since the ones I have now keep me awake they are banned from the bedroom.

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  47. awwwwww! What a great happy ending for Henry! Both my kitties and my little dog are rescue animals and I love them so much that sometimes I think my heart will break, it is so full.

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  48. I used to have a snuggly kitty who loved to sleep in my arms like a teddy bear. He would follow me around and come when you called him. His name was Simon and I had him for 17 years and lost him in 2010. I still miss him very much.

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  49. so busted ;-) I bet Henry had no idea his cuddlines was being documented. Adorable!

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  50. My kitteh is a defo spooner too! He's also fond of lying on his back with all four pawsies in the air if I happen to be sitting on the sofa or asleep on my back! He's just about to turn 1 and is the cutest snugglepuss imaginable. His mum is a Siamese so he's also a super chatty boy and very intelligent to boot (and hence extremely cheeky!).

    Your Henry is a beautiful boy and so darned cute. Us kitteh mums who have snuggle pusses are so lucky!

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  51. Oh, muffin! My cats are huge spooners - Barra climbs into bed as soon as I do, and then bats at me until my arm is free so he can lie on it, beside my face. And then Lulu comes in and squishes herself between me and Barra.

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  52. I must say - more furrball pics the better. I love the photo bombs too!

    I love rescuing animals. We live on a farm and have one 9 year old cat that we got from my MIL's feral collection before they really went nuts. She did have one or two outside cats that were fairly tame and Shadow was one of them. Her sister took off on us 3 days after we had them spayed. We also have a Siamese cat who got dumped out at our place that now lives with us. He lurked out around the cattle for a few weeks and slowly got skinnier and skinner until Thanksgiving weekend about five years ago, when we finally coaxed him in with some cat food. We weren't sure how friendly he was, but have figured out that he used to be a house cat. DH is allergic, so our cats live in the garage (terrible mousers - the last time I found a mouse that was still alive, I took it out in the rubbermaid tote it had fallen into and tossed it towards Felixx - he picked up his petticoats and ran away like a little girl). Our cats have always had dogs in their life and when my dog Shiloh passed away, we rescued a dog. Felixx is very reserved when it comes to newcomers, but he was out within seconds, giving Penny tail hugs. It was like he was telling her that we were good people and would take care of her very well. I still think he KNEW that she was a rescue like him and wanted to comfort her. She's an awesome dog even if I have to hold her hand when we go somewhere in the truck. It's like we're dating.

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  54. haha nice. my husband and I adopted a kitten from a local kill shelter and we were also told that "he" was a "she" until he cut his lower lip 3 weeks after we adopted him and the tech at the vet emergency office looked at me funny when I held him up to show her his cut and apparently his bits. his name is still nellie.

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  55. Oh my gosh, we had a cat named Henry who looked JUST like that! He was sooo soft, so sweet, and protective of my kids when they were little babies. He was a lap kitty, though, something my husband misses. He, too, was a rescue, we adopted him from a chicken wire cage in the back of a furniture store! The lady that owned the store was a volunteer with the animal shelter and always had a couple cats in the store. Our Henry hadn't yet made it out to the sales floor! :-) He lived a good long life, but we still miss him.
    Lynn

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  56. Awww. These pictures just made my day :)

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  57. my cat Whimsy and I cuddle like that all the time...she has this look of adoration when she looks at me that is so sweet! not sure what I did to deserve it, but I'll take it lol! I actually have 3 Whimsy, Peanut and Roxy (my little rescue from the neighbor's shed when she was 4 weeks old last summer), but Whimsy is the oldest and has done extremely well when her sisters came about! She's the best!! <3

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  58. I saw your cat and thought, that looks like my son's cat who is named Henry , too. He adopted him from the Animal shelter on 91or 92 nd in 2009. If perchance he is the same cat, rest assured he is in a very good home and is much loved.

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  59. LOve your Henry! Total grey cats are the BEST. I had my Merlin for 15 years and he was so cool and cuddely and gorgeous and kind and perfect in every way. I had a pure grey cat before him and I know Merlin was that cat reincarnated. These are the best pics ever! Of course he was meant to be with you. He loves you so much..
    Cat

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  60. I have a grey cat that is hug addict too. Gary is is name.

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