He really was. My best friend. We had so many adventures together.

When my wife and I were getting serious, she said something like, "I'm not sure what to do about Snowball. I don't think he likes me." I said, "Are you serious? He loves you! Why do you think he curls up on you when you're laying on the couch? That cat might like you more than me." She had grown up with dogs and just didn't know cat language.

Snowball is gone, and a kitten we adopted late in Snowball's life has also passed away from medical issues (and that one hurts so much, too - poor thing was only 7 years old - at least Snowball got a normal cat lifespan). But we have three cats now, and a dog.