I used to be so close and comfortable with my cats (when I lived with my folks)....since then I have only owned two cats and it has been a while without one....I do not have any cat where I have a strong connection....it is something that is missing...but my dog is very cat aggressive, so it will have to wait.
My cats were George, Tabby (Tabitha), Daisy, Tiger (One-Eye, Beauty, Precious) when I was growing up. Also Mitzy was in there for several years...and an outdoor feral cat we named Gloria that slept in a dresser drawer (made into a warm bed) in our garage.
My wife and I took Daisy as our own when my mom moved and wanted her house to be cat-free (for people with allergies). Daisy was the only remaining cat. She was my wife's first ever cat and now my wife is a cat person. Although she has only ev er had two cats.