Colonel Briggs: 2008–2025
I've lived with and cared for many animals over the years, but Colonel Briggs was the first pet I actively introduced into my life. By that I mean he was the first pet of my adult years — I chose him. When K and I started dating, she already had a cat (Das Meowie) and a dog (Sequoia). I loved them as I loved all the pets I grew up with, probably more.
In November 2008, during a family trip to my aunt's horse farm in Northeast, Maryland, I found a litter of feral kittens in one of the barns. There was a little orange and white guy who captured my heart and I decided to bring him back to Michigan. At the time, K had a demanding holiday job and couldn't come on this trip. Without asking consent, I brought home a new kitten — I don't recommend this in a relationship, but I've learned a lot since then. Anyway, she quickly fell in love with him and Briggs was adopted into our little family.
His name, Colonel Briggs, was something of an accident. We thought we were naming him after Don S. Davis' character in Twin Peaks, but when we later rewatched the first season, we realized we had misremembered his rank — the character is Major Briggs. A Colonel is actually two ranks higher than a Major, so really it was a promotion.
Our Briggs proved to be a curious, sassy goofball with heaps of charisma and a joyful, independent spirit. He had a soft butterscotch and cream coat, flecked yellow-green eyes, and a pink nose. His tail was ringed like a ginger raccoon and he would casually dip it in the bath while keeping K company on the edge of the tub. They held long conversations together there — the bathroom may have been his favorite place. Like many cats, he loved new bedsheet day and rolled around on his back, swiping at the incoming top sheet. He also loved naps under the covers and could often be located by the distinctive lump he made.
Briggs was with me for the making of my last three albums, beginning with The New Britton Sound, which was recorded in his first home, Brablec Farms. He was my studio assistant, my companion, my solace in hard times and my joy in happy ones. He got K and I through the pandemic. When my job suddenly turned remote in March 2020, I set up a tent (the Mind Palace) in the basement and used it as my office. Briggs joined me in there and kept my camp chair warm when I took breaks. He loved to cuddle real close, snort-purring right into your face. He was such a joy to be with.
As much as I adored him, his bond with K was even tighter. When we split up in 2021, I knew Briggs and his brother Esteban needed to stay with her, so I brought Islay, our sweet dog, to Ypsilanti to begin our new life. It was hard, but it was the right decision and because K and I have remained so close, I knew I'd see him whenever I wanted to. And I did.
Even though I didn't live with Briggs during his final years, he was always in my heart and just down the road for visits. K cherished him and they remained inseparable right until the end. She was a fantastic cat mom. Over the past year he suffered from common old cat ailments which finally caught up with him this weekend. Yesterday, we made the hardest decision and helped our sweet boy transition into the next life. We were all together at the end, present in love, appreciation, and grief.
I've done my best here, but words can only express so much. Briggs was almost 17 and by all standards had an amazing life. Still, I’m completely heart-broken. I wish he could have lived forever, but brevity is what gives life potentcy and meaning. It's why I'm crying my eyes out writing a eulogy for my beloved cat. If loss is the dark side of loving, it's also the necessary consequence of having a full heart.
Thank you, sweet Briggs. You made my heart so full.