Blackberry

In Loving Memory of Blackberry
2009 – 2025

Blackberry, beloved companion, snack enthusiast, and certified toe-biter, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025. He was surrounded by the people (and dog) who loved him most: Andrew, Thomas, Catherine, and Tawny the Dog. He was 15 years old, wise beyond his years, and deeply loved every single day of his life.

Adopted at age nine from the Kelowna SPCA, Blackberry was originally destined to be an office cat at a winery. It didn’t take long for him to make a name for himself—after leaving a freshly-killed bird in the accountant’s office, he was politely evicted. Andrew brought him home shortly after, which, truthfully, was the plan all along.

Blackberry—known to friends and fans as Beebs, BB, Mugs, Mr. Mugs, Beans, Baby Beans, Bugs, Baby Bear, Black Bear, Muffin Man, and Little Love Bug—was equal parts gentle soul and snack predator. He had a sixth sense for toast and could materialize from the deepest nap the moment the toaster popped. He loved butter, stroopwaffles, and above all else, Kittles. Each morning he’d wake Andrew for breakfast, then nip his toes during the first bathroom trip of the day. It was tradition.

Though not a fan of the travel, Blackberry deeply loved his time on Pender Island. The rugged, salty beauty of the BC coast seemed to speak to something in him. He would explore the property with quiet authority, drink fresh water from his favourite moss-covered rock, and dine like a king on freshly caught Dungeness crab. Those island days were some of his happiest, and he wore them like a crown.

He was a faithful office mate and couch goblin, always close by but never needy. Every morning he’d follow Andrew to work, perch beside his desk, and gently tap his arm for treats, which he received without question. At night, Blackberry would curl up close, the warm punctuation to every day. In the mornings, he gave full-body hugs like he invented them.

Blackberry was also—fittingly—a diehard Carolina Panthers fan. The black and silver suited him, and his quiet loyalty inspired Andrew to join the fandom too. Sundays were for naps, snacks, and football, and BB never missed a game—though he often slept through the third quarter.

He leaves behind the kind of grief that only comes when someone mattered that much. He will be missed in every quiet room, every warm patch of sun, every small ritual where his absence now echoes.

Blackberry lived with love, dignity, humour, and charm. He was home. He still is.