Fluffy was a black and white purebred ragdoll, a rare and exotic breed of cat, whom my grandparents found wandering the streets around Thanksgiving of 1986. At the time, they had two cats already: a Siamese named Samantha and a tabby named Boots. They did not immediately take Fluffy in as they figured she already had an owner, so they just gave her some milk. However, the cat kept returning until they finally decided to let her into their house. My brother and sister named her Fluffy, and in the first several years of her life, she was a 'fraidy cat and would run when most people got near her. Sam didn't live a lot longer after Fluffy's arrival and so a small sibling rivalry developed between Fluffy and Boots. Boots, having already been there before Fluffy arrived, was the dominant of the two. However, the two did not quarrel constantly and would often be seen sleeping together. In 1990, my grandparents adopted a dog named Lucky, and in 1994 or so, the family was joined by a chihuahua named Vicky. For the most part, the house was dominated by Boots and Lucky. This changed in February of 1997 when Boots was killed. It was around that time that Fluffy, now the only remaining cat, stepped up and became a social pet. Her favorite person seemed to be my grandfather, as she would always sit in his lap as he watched television. She was a very gentle and loving pet and was especially loved by the younger of my two cousins, who would pick Fluffy up and carry her around and Fluffy would do little more than meow. When Lucky died in February of 2003, Fluffy continued to enjoy being the dominant pet, as Vicky, who was rather antisocial for the most part, stayed in her bed most of the time, which lasted until her death in December of 2004. At that point, Fluffy was the only pet and, despite her old age, was able to get around well for a long time. In fact, it was not until my grandfather's death in August of 2005 that Fluffy really began to show her age. My grandmother moved into a new house after my grandfather's funeral and she continued to take care of Fluffy until October 19, 2005 when Fluffy went into a sleep from which she would not awaken. Unlike Sam, Boots, Lucky, and Vicky before her, Fluffy was not euthanized; rather, she just slowly faded away. My cousin, who was 6 at the time of Fluffy's death, was upset but did not cry. When she visited the spot in my grandmother's backyard where my uncle had burried Fluffy, she placed an artificial flower onto the mound, forever marking Fluffy's final resting place. I sometimes imagine her being up in heaven lying in my grandfather's lap, with Sam, Boots, Lucky, and Vicky all nearby.