Bear looks like he could be the much larger great grandnephew of Samantha, the Late Empress of Cats. She brought joy into my life from 1988 until 2003. She appeared to be enormous, but there was actually a very fine-boned little girl hiding under that flowing black coat. There was a similar contrast between what at first appeared to be a very haughty diva and the sweetly gentle companion who she turned out to be. Like Bear with his human, she knew when I wasn't feeling well. Her "purr therapy" got me through scarlet fever, multiple dental abscesses, and a host of other problems.

Black cats aren't "bad luck". They do have an extra dose of mystery about them, and one mystery that I'll never figure out is why (after centuries of maltreatment by humans) they can be such loyal and loving companions.

I envy this handsome gentleman's humans for having him in their lives. He's definitely a very special guy.