Mail was the first cat I had as an adult and he was the smartest, chillest, and most all-around awesome cat ever. He played fetch like a master. He begged by staring intently at you and purring. He convinced the neighbors to support his catnip habit. He had an unerring sense of who to trust (far better than I did at that age). He got me through some of the toughest times of my life.

After Mali died I made a needlepoint of him, because you can’t pet a picture. He hangs on the wall in my bedroom and still brings me comfort.