Groucho was adopted from a St. Louis-area shelter when he was about 18 month old. He was 17 years old when he passed away in February 2007. An Oriental Shorthair, Groucho loved heat. His favorite place to sleep was in a sunny window. At night, he curled up next to me under the covers of my bed. He was an active, talkative cat. When I practiced reading out loud, he would pace the floor howling and complaining until I quit talking.

If I had the audacity to speak to someone on the telephone, he would jump from the floor to my shoulder to make sure he was the center of my attention, as if that was ever in doubt. Groucho was the best companion cat I have ever had.