I will never forget the day of Febuary 4th, 2004. The day I was walking Daniel home from elementry school. It was about 35 degrees that afternoon, and cold with snow still on the ground. I remember we were both wearing red gloves, and that we were about a block or so
from home, coming up the hill. I remember Daniel suddenly tugging on my arm and asking me if he could keep him. Evidently a very strong bond had taken place between the two of you before I was brought in on it. I remember turning around, and seeing a white and cream colored cat with lovely blue eyes, and one crumpled ear.
I remember looking into those intelligent blue
eyes and feeling an emotion stirring in my still grieving heart. It had been 4 months, and yet I
was still mourning hard over losing my
Bogus Khan. I remember telling Daniel that
if he followed us the rest of the way home
that we would talk about it.. You did. I
remember crossing that street, while you
stood there and started making the most
heartbreaking sorrowful cries I'd ever
heard. The 3rd time was it. I remember
turning around, looking at you, and telling
you, "Well alright, come on", and calling
to you as a mother cat calls to her kittens.
I remember how quickly you crossed the
street, and followed us up to the house.
I remember how you walked into our house
as if you belonged there and already knew
the place. I remember how you walked to
every one of Bogus's old spots and sniffed
them, as if merely getting familiar with them.
I remember how Thom came out of his room
after a nap, took one look at you and said
we could not keep you; that you belonged
to someone else. I remember how you ended
the whole argument quickly by jumping up
in his lap, placing one front paw on each
of his shoulders and washing the tears that
started streaming down his face. All the pleading
and/or arguing that Daniel could have made
would never have been as effective as the
way you ended it. I remember the can of
pink salmon that I opened, and how you
gobbbled that down as if it were cavier.
I remember how you showed off to us and
how playful you were, jumping up on the
rafters of the attatched garage, after you
started getting healthy again. And the
outrageously funny cat games you invented
and taught us. Like "jump at you" and "dashaway"

I remember how you saved Seven's sanity
and frankly, her life. She was mad with fear
and rage over the horrible way she had been
abused by that terrible girl(you know who I
mean.) I remember the way she became so
close to you, and how you two would chase
each other all over the house, espically at
night. You two would wake us up with all
that lumping, bumping, and thimping.
Thank you so much for bringing her
back to us, because not long after that, she
gave birth to the most beautiful litter of
kittens, three of which we still have.
I remember how your eyes got wide as
saucers when you figured out that she was
giving birth to her litter on Thom's bed. We
still laugh ourselves silly and probably will
to the day we each draw our last breath.

I remember the day that the kittens tried to
get nu nu from you and how you jumped
away with the most horrified look on your
face. I was all but rolling on the floor
laughing that day! I remember how well
you trained all the kittens in survival skills.
What a wonderful job you did.

I also remember the terrible night you came
home to us after getting shot. Thank you for
loving us and trusting us enough to come
home and give us a chance to try to save
your life. By that time, we had long since
realized that we had a super smart cat on
our hands, even more so after the daring
and clever escape you pulled on us only
one week home from the surgery to your
jaw. What other cat would have been able
to figure out how to turn off the box fan
sitting in the window, pull it forward, push
back the peice of plywood boarding that I
had wedged on either side of it, created
a v shape of space, be able to wiggle thru
it, and push out the screen all at the same
time, then jump into the back yard and sit
to laugh at me, then Thom when he came
out to capture you and bring you back in
side? If ever a cat could laugh at humans,
you sure as the dickens were laughing at
us that morning. If ever a cat had one
severe fault, it was your stubborness
about staying away from busy roads.
I remember that one afternoon, when
I was soaking in the polystock tank
pool, and accidently splashed water
on you when you came up to greet
me. You paid me back in spades as
you stalked over to the black sheet
I had drying on the line, backed up to
it, looked right at me, lifted your tail
and peed all over it, then strolled out
of the back yard at your own leisurely
pace. I don't think I had ever been
told off so completely. Bogus had the
art of feline insults down to a T, but
you took it to a whole new level. What
a stinker you could be when you wanted
to be!

It always frightened us every time you
vanished on us. I suppose I should have
known that the day would come when
you would vanish on us and it would be
the time that you would not come back
alive and cocky. Darling, I am so heart
broken that you died alone!
I would give my heart to have been
able to have been there to hold you
and help you to cross over to the
Bridge like I did with Bogus!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts
for all the love, laughter and companionship
that you gave to us during your short
time that you had with us.
Thank you for teaching us what real bravery
is. Thank you for helping us get Fire, Claw
and Babygirl to adulthood alive and all
in one piece. Please check in on them from
time to time, espically Babygirl. She's so
heartbroken.

We will light candles tonight in your honor
and remember......

We love you We love you We love you...

Your grieving family
10/24/2008