This photo of Hugh is nearly three years old and the old tom’s been gone a year a half now, but his popularity lives on — in photos and videoclips. This picture of Hugh just got its 50th fave, and has now been viewed 2,900 times on Flickr. He’s the Elvis of the Cat World, catnipping his way into immortality.

An urn with some of Hugh’s ashes is sitting on a shelf in my bedroom, safely near the wall where Xena can’t knock it over in her wanderings. (The rest were scattered in Sep ‘06 where David’s lie, at Rhinebeck, NY.)

Sometimes Beano has a look that reminds me of Hugh since he’s a tuxedo cat, too, but their markings are quite different and Hugh was twice the size of Beano and lost part of one ear (battle scar? nah, infection). Their personalities are also rather dissimilar, but both very sweet and affectionate.

Left: Beano, Right: Hugh

I’m still feeling a profound sadness over how Beano and Xena came into my life, but now that they’re here I’d say their presence (and the fact that they’re a furry connection to Arliin) has warmed up the House of Fielding, a housewarming not felt since the days of Mister Hugh.