My friend Singollo left me on November 1, 2001. I don't know where he is, but I know if he could have come home he would have. I miss him so very much. He was only eleven years old.
He was the smartest cat I've ever met. He was the type of cat that if his toy went under a door, he would try to reach it with his paw and bring it out. And if he was outside when the weather was nice, he could tell which window was open and he would sit under it and meow to be let in. And he talked to me and made more sense than many people I know. He knew that if he was hurt that I wanted to help him. He wasn't afraid of the vet, even though he was happy to leave there. And he's the only cat I have ever known that would let me give him a bath if he needed it. Stood right there in the tub and let me spray him.
He was kind, friendly and affectionate to everyone. When someone new would come to the door, he wouldn't run away, he would just keep his distance and size them up. Once he decided that person was OK, he would come and say hello. Likewise, he was tolerant of everyone, probably more so than he should have been. There are people he met who deserved a sharp claw to the hand, but Singollo did not behave that way. And he was brave without being stupid. If he needed to run, he would do so; if he could stand his ground, he would do that also.
Singollo was also curious as a cat should be, purred happily, loved a good warm lap and knew how to tear up a good scratching post - but not the furniture. He would greet me when I came home. And every morning when I got out of the shower, he was waiting for me on the toilet. And when it was breakfast or supper time, he would not let me forget it. At night he curled up next to me.
I miss him so much. I really loved that cat. The things I would gladly give up to have him back with me.
Singollo and I came together back in the summer of 1990, about 10 weeks after he was born. He was a fun kitten to have around. I lived in a small, one-bedroom apartment back then and he was a perfect roommate. Unfortunately, all the fleas he brought with him weren't so perfect. He was a beautiful kitten.
He was a wonderful friend and an excellent companion. I would try to take him with me whenever possible, such as on vacations to my Mom's house in Michigan. He was an excellent traveler and he loved to sit in the car window and watch the world go by. And he was leash trained, although walking a cat on a leash was very slow. He was also excellent at keeping me company when I was working on the computer or reading. But at over 15 pounds, my legs would often fall asleep and I would have to shift around, so he could never get any sleep in my lap. That wouldn't stop him from trying though.
Singollo was at my wedding and he outlasted my marriage.
When Melyanna came to live with us the two of them became good friends. Because Melyanna was just a tiny kitten when she arrived, Singollo took her into his care. Kind of like father/daughter. When she was young they used to play and sleep together. He was ever so gentle with her and showed her what life as a cat was supposed to be like. Melyanna put some of the kitten back into Singollo when she first arrived. But as Melyanna got older, she became more independent.
And next came Loreley. After accepting Melyanna into the household, another kitten was no effort at all. He was ever loving and patient, and so he put up with Loreley's silliness.
Singollo wasn't as playful as he was when Melyanna arrived, but he still had plenty left in him when he played with Loreley. Singollo played with her quite a bit, although he also got really annoyed with her because the only time she would slow down was when she was sleeping. It was so fun to watch Loreley play with Singollo. Singollo was a very large cat, weighing in at over 15 pounds; Loreley is small by any standard. When Loreley would run and jump on Singollo it was quite the sight to see this little black thing stuck on the back of this larger gray thing. Loreley would try to get her paws around Singollo's neck, but just couldn't do it! She would slide off, and Singollo would turn around and attack. And Singollo's tail was one of Loreley's favorite toys. Singollo knew it, too. Regardless of whether Singollo was on the floor, on the cat perch or even in my lap, if Loreley saw his tail flitting back and forth, she would jump on it.
The only thing that kept Singollo from ruling the world was the fact that he couldn't turn doorknobs without a little human help.
There is simply no cat better than Singollo.
The name Singollo comes from JRR Tolkien's The Silmarillion and is the name of one of the great elven kings of the First Age, also known as Thingol. He was the father of Luthien Tinuviel. If you recall, it was Luthien who, with her mortal love Beren, wrested one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth. Singollo is from the Quenyan language and means "gray cloak." (Thingol, the more common form, is from Sindarin.)
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LORELEY | MELYANNA | SINGOLLO | MORGOTH
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This page was last updated in January 2002.