From the very first time Scooby & I met, I knew there was something very different about him.
As we first drove home, and I worried about not having a carrier in my truck for him, I simply placed him in the truck, and hoped for the best.
He was right at home being free in that truck, and never a nuisance by getting between me & controls (brakes, gas, etc.).
We continued to drive together like that for 16 glorious years.
Scooby was always a bit clingy, and always wanted to be near my side.
I had a full-sized shower at my house with sliding glass doors, with like a 2″ ledge on the top frame holding those shower doors.
Scooby would jump, from the vanity sink to the top of that shower door ledge, whenever I showered, and just lay there on that small 2″ ledge, so that he could be right next to me while I showered.
Monkey See – Monkey Do…
I loved playing with my kitty. Since he was so clingy and always followed me around the house, I used to get a lead, hide behind wall corners, then jump out & surprise him as he approached. Then we would start play-wrestling.
But Scooby loved imitating me, and starting doing the exact same to me.
He too began hiding behind corners, would wait for me to approach, then jump out & surprise me (often wrapping his paws around my ankles, as if to “get” me). My letting out a fake shriek in surprise seemed to make him even happier over his “attack” on me.
Those sneak attacks would then lead to some serious rough play.
Cruizin’ With Scooby – My CoPilot.
I used to travel by truck weekly, often hundreds of miles each week. And my Scooby loved riding in the truck with me.
There are pictures of Scooby with me in the truck, wrapped around my neck, looking out the window as we drive.
I had to be cautious when Scooby & I would be walking, since any open car door presented an opportunity for him to go on a ride. Scooby would often try or successfully jump into cars.
Our daily walks.
Scooby and I would do at least 4-6 walks outside, every single day – morning, noon & evening. Whether in the country, the suburbs or in town, Scooby was smart enough to know how to have fun outside on our walks, and how to stay safe.
No leash or harness, but Scooby would faithfully stay by my side.
One of my biggest challenges when I first met my Scooby was his constant desire to go outside, as he was born & raised as a kitten outside, and loved being outside.
Since I didn’t want Scooby out alone, our compromise was our daily supervised walks.
Scooby could go outside as long as he stayed within my sight & reach.
And Scooby would mostly “heel” right next to me as we walked, always keeping eyes on his surroundings, but always keeping eyes on me at the same time.
Scooby would never let me get too far behind him, if he saw me lagging he would wait for me to catch up.
I absolutely loved the way Scooby would look up at me as we walked, and seeing the sheer joy of walking outside in his eyes.
I’ll admit to it, I loved showing-off Scooby during our walks outside. People loved watching, often in amazement, as Scooby walked side-by-side with me, never straying. At intersections I would simply ask Scooby to wait until it was safe, then when all traffic was gone, I’d start crossing and Scooby would safely follow.
Most asked if they could pet him, which he loved. In neighborhoods, drivers would often slow down or pull over to comment on what an amazing guy Scooby was as they watched us walk together.
There are leash/at-large laws where we last lived, but the cops would not only not bother us on our walks outside, but many would stop & comment how amazing it was that Scooby was so well behaved.
Scooby snuggles.
Along with his habit of being clingy, my Scooby loved touching me. Being next to me wasn’t enough, he had to be physically touching me.
Laying on top of me, or sometimes just placing a paw on me.
And I loved it.
Though I often called Scooby a “special needs” kitty due to his desire for my constant attention & touch, truth is I needed Scooby, he was the center of my universe.
Our routine at bed time included him joining me in bed like 10 mins after me, giving me time to fall asleep and not disturb him.
Scooby would then jump into the bed, which would be my cue to turn on my side, to allow him to snuggle right up against me. My arm would then go over his body, like I was snuggling a teddy bear.
One of my pet/nicknames for Scooby was “Bear” (vars. Scoo-Bear, Beary) because he was like a living teddy bear, warm, fluffy, snuggly.
If that initial jump didn’t wake me or get me to turn, Scooby would then proceed to gently paw my shoulder, in order to wake me.
I would often tease Scooby and continue to be asleep & not turn over, and chuckle silently as Scooby would then escalate his attempts to wake me, just so I would turn over to snuggle with him.
After a while Scooby would start jumping, from one side of the bed to the other, to wake me up, to snuggle. Pawing one shoulder, jumping then pawing the other. Eventually resorting to face licking if I didn’t comply.
But I could never resist too long, as I loved Scooby snuggles.
He would purr and we would both fall asleep.
When I would turn onto the other side in the middle of the night, Scooby would get up, walk to that other side, and snuggle again.
In the Winter, as I tend to keep my places colder, Scooby would not only go through our snuggle routine, but in addition I would have to lift the comforter, to allow Scooby to crawl under it, then snuggle with me safe, warm & happy under that blanket.
Scooby was like my own living heating pad, he was so warm & comforting
Scooby snuggles are one of the things I loved most, and one of the things I continue to miss most (his snuggles were always so comforting during troubling moods).
I loved falling asleep with Scooby in my arms, I loved waking up with Scooby in my arms.
He was the fluffiest, softest, warmest and most comfortable buddy. And he always smelled great.
We loved being together.
Couch Napping Buddies.
Doing a lot of work outside, and in order to break from the extreme heat, I would often start work early. That would allow me time to take a break & short nap in the afternoon.
I would lie down on a couch, and Scooby would jump up on my chest, I would pet him & he would purr.
Then, when he was ready to nap he would tilt & slide his body towards the back of the couch, wedging himself in the space where my body met the couch, my arms would go over him, then we could nap, with Scooby purring until he fell asleep.
Monkey Boy.
One of my pet/nicknames for Scooby was Monkey Boy.
As a kitten, rather than walking on the ground to get around the house, Scooby loved & preferred jumping from one piece of furniture to another piece of furniture to get around.
Scooby was always ready to play, and always looking to make “monkey” play of most anything.
Guard Cat.
I noticed that Scooby had the strangest habit of growling, seemingly out of the blue. One moment he would be fine, the next his ears perked-up & him growling.
One day I happened to be looking out the window when Scooby started growling and I saw a couple of coyotes. Those coyotes, foxes, etc. were what Scooby was sensing.
Corn!
Scooby loved fresh corn on the cob. It was one of his favorite foods.
In early Summer I was thrilled when some of the best corn (mostly Colorado) would become available.
I would go home, and simply start to shuck one ear of corn, which would be all it took for Scooby to run over, and start meowing in anticipation of that sweet corn.
I would always have to give Scooby the first bit, by slicing off kernels from the top 2″ or so. then slice more when he finished that.
Working With Scooby
Two things that Scooby loved the most – being with me and being outside.
Much of my work was done outside, and Scooby could often see me working outside as he sat inside, which didn’t make him happy (since he wanted to be out with me). Scooby would often stand at the screen door & call for me.
So most anytime I was doing something that would also allow me to keep an eye on Scooby, he would join me at work.
He especially loved as I worked my compost piles, as he could hunt for critters.
My Genius Boy
Scooby knew….
Scooby was the smartest guy I’ve ever known, he knew & understood things I could never comprehend in him. I was always fascinated & curious at what Scooby was thinking at times. I often felt bad that I sometimes couldn’t figure out what Scooby was thinking/needing.
Regardless where we lived, everywhere we lived began with Scooby-proofing, meaning finding all the loose windows, doors, panels, etc., anything that Scooby could figure out how to move, maneuver, manipulate, etc.
Scooby would watch as I did most anything, in order to learn & mimic later.
Doors had to be locked/latched, windows had to be secured (Scooby knew how to open windows & pop screens out), etc.
Scooby would watch me work door knobs, latches & such and try to work them himself.
But it also meant I could talk to Scooby about things, and he sure seemed to understand.
It took me a while, but I finally learned that when Scooby & I were having problems getting along, I could just talk to him about it, ask him to do his part, and things would always get better.
In fact, the last few years of our relationship were amongst the best because of his ability to listen, understand & learn (learn better how to tolerate me).
In fact my whole curiousities and concepts of knowledge, awareness, feelings, intelligent thought, the supposed “hierarchy of species”, and such have been radically transformed thanks to natural wonder that was Scooby.
I’ve read way too much from people that claim that animals don’t really engage in intelligent thought, but act more on instinct, and to them I say you’ve likely never observed my Scooby.
One of the things I loved about our walks was giving Scooby control over where we went, and I loved watching as we came to a fork, or corner, etc., and seeing Scooby scope out the surroundings of each, in what sure seemed calculated reasoning.
Every night as we were snuggling I would tell Scooby how proud I was of him, because he was so smart, so loving, so happy, so playful, such a great friend & companion, warm, fluffy, snugly.
I always told he that he was my perfect little boy.
Scooby was the greatest being I’ve ever known.
Meeting my Scooby was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
Living with my Scooby and being graced by his presence for 16 years was the best thing to ever happen to me.
I loved my life with my Scooby.
I don’t pretend to understand how this existence works, but there was some wort of special, unique bond that Scooby & I shared between each other.
A bond I’ve never had with anyone else.
And he left me way too early.
My heart, spirit and soul have all been crushed & irreparably damaged with the loss of my beloved Scooby, my best buddy, my soul brother, my closest companion of 16 years, and quite simply the greatest being I’ve ever known.
anon0sean 