A San Rafael real estate attorney with a passion for felines left the bulk of his $1 million estate to the Marin Humane Society for the care of cats.

When 63-year-old Brian Russell Kirchoff of San Rafael died after suffering a heart attack in 2013, he left a six-page handwritten will delegating administration of his estate to county probate officials.

Following the sale of his Alpine Street home, along with his Porsche and other assets, and payment of all debts, the document says that “any cash proceeds left shall be donated to the Marin Humane Society for the express benefit and use of their cat fund for the benefit of all the cats which come into their care.”

The society can expect a check in September for $589,427, according to county finance chief Roy Given, who acts as the county’s public administrator. The payment is in addition to a $400,000 IRA account handled separately by an insurance firm that will be split by the society and the Asian Art Museum.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen that kind of money go to an organization on behalf of cats,” Given said.

“We are thrilled,” said John Reese, chief operating officer of the society, calling it among the highest bequests in recent years. “We live in an enlightened community that gives graciously,” he added.

Holly Haugh, general counsel of the Trust for Public Land in San Francisco, worked with Kirchoff when he was an attorney there from 2000 to 2007 and described him as an excellent lawyer and “a great guy.” She added his cat bequest was right in character.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” she said. “He had a passion for cats.”

Kirchoff was a bachelor but liked to call himself “Cat Daddy” when talking about his two beloved cats, Chelsea and Tarka. The animals are now at Brighthaven, a Santa Rosa animal sanctuary which got $20,000 from estate administrators to care for them.

His will indicated that if his cats died before he did, their ashes could be found at his home, and should be mingled with his own, for placement in a special urn along with two cat figurines.

Kirchoff, a world traveler, specified that his collection of Asian art and collectibles be given to staffers at Kamikaze Sushi in San Rafael, where he was a regular customer who dropped by so often he kept a special pair of chopsticks there. Radio gear went to the Marin Amateur Radio Society.

Kirchoff was the only child of the late Gilma and William Kirchoff, a San Rafael parks employee. He was born in Marin, attended San Rafael High School and earned a master’s degree in political science from San Francisco State University. He was a 1979 graduate of the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.

“He lived the life he wanted, telling friends, ‘Time is luck,'” according to a May 2013 death notice in the Independent Journal.

A memorial celebration was held at the old Pinky’s Pizza in San Rafael’s Montecito Shopping Center, a favorite haunt, and friends were advised to send memorial contributions to the humane society — for the care of cats.