Julius

2006 - 2021

Julius Delker, 15 (or thereabouts), died Jan. 27 in the arms of his mommy and daddy at ABQ Petcare. He had been suffering from kidney failure in recent weeks.

Julius was adopted by Kim Medaris (later Delker) on April 24, 2007, at Petsmart in Lafayette, Indiana, after an extensive search for the perfect cat. She first spotted him on the Saturday before, after she worked all day reporting on the Purdue Grand Prix. She saw the large, orange tabby boy and knew he was the one, but wasn’t sure about making the commitment because he was her first kitty. She visited him at least a couple more times before taking the plunge. He was so rambunctious when he got home, running endlessly from one end of the house to the other, and on the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator, that they both were up all night.

He was known for having a personality as fiery as his fur. He loved to swat and bite most people, but hissed only at vet visits and when in the company of children or babies.

Julius gained a daddy when Kim married Collin Delker on July 25, 2009. He loved his daddy, and through the years, grew to have a very strong bond with him, loving to sit on his lap.

Julius took his first cross-country trip in 2013 when the family moved to Albuquerque. It was a two-day trip (broken up by a stay in Salina, Kansas, at the in-laws’), and he sat in his litterbox in the huge carrier we got for him the entire time.

His favorite things were chicken (especially Crockpot and rotisserie), fish, turkey, feta cheese, olive oil, bread, white cheddar Cheetos Puffs, blueberry muffins, honey Mini Teddy Grahams, second breakfasts, sunny windows, drinking shower water and water out of the faucet, his favorite toys gray mousey and purple ball, snuggling in bed, giving purr-bites, sucking on Daddy’s shirt, Daddy cuddles, and Mommy kisses. He enjoyed watching the wildlife (deer, bobcats, birds and bunnies), chattering at birds, and was an expert fly and cricket hunter. His parents would regularly find legs of insects he caught strewn about the living room floor.

In June 2020, Julius caught his first mouse (actually, a shrew) that he proudly delivered to us downstairs one evening. After Julius incapacitated the creature, Daddy was able to remove it, and we followed Julius to the upstairs bathroom, where he showed us where the critter popped out (and we stuffed the hole with steel wool). No critters have emerged since.

Julius is survived by his parents and his grandparents, David and Shawn Delker of Salina, Kansas, and many admirers on Facebook.