Sammy at 8

Any cat owner has to bravely face the fact that your feline friend has a life expectancy of 15-20 years. At age eight our current pal Sammy is firmly into middle age. However even as an old timer, he still has quite a bit of life in him.
He's a big cat. Always a wide body type, Sammy probably weighs 18 lbs and frankly he could stand to lose a few. However he carries it well enough and still looks pretty good.
His coat remains silky soft and because he was gray to begin with he hasn't begun to show signs of age. He's a step or two slower and he enjoys his naps a bit more but don't we all.
He's very quiet - never meows unless he wants his dinner. Even then it's a tiny "mew". His best feature is an incredibly loud and deep purr that seems to get better every year. He can turn it on in an instant and keep going for half an hour.
He's kind and even tempered and loves to be with people. As I write this he's sitting at my feet, and that wonderful purr just started up again.