On the two year anniversary of putting down my beloved Sapphire, I have to put down her husband, Topaz. He was my first cat and will always be my favorite. He taught me how to love cats, and he was as devoted to me as I was to him. He deserves to have a better ending, not in pain as he is, but some things just happen.
Topaz also liked to run underneath parked cars and play chase me from car to car. That was his favorite game in Lumberton.
After about a year, Mom and I moved into Beaumont. It was at this apartment complex that we got Sapphire. She'd been abandoned and was in the manager's office, making a ruckas. I told the manager that if she would let us void the two pet rule, I'd take care of the noise. Sapphire immediately became part of the family, and she and Topaz bonded. The wrastling Topaz would do with Sake, he'd now do with Sapphire. We had them trained, so if you started saying, "Kill the cat. Kill that damned cat!" they'd start playing together. Or Topaz would start it on his own. He's start innocently enough, by grooming her. Lick, lick. Another lick to the face, then a slight nibble. Nibble, nibble...then lunge and away they'd go. They never had their claws out for this.
It was in Beaumont that Topaz gave me my first big kitty scare. One night I was getting ready for bed, and my Spidey sense started tingling...where was Topaz? I hadn't seen him in a bit. He must've snuck out when we let the dog in/out. I was going all over the area, shaking his treat can and calling for him. Our friends joined the search. Tommy got him just as Topaz was trying to go over a fence. I doubt I'd've ever got him back if he'd been successful.
When I left Texas I packed up the two cats and headed for Colorado, to rent a basement from a house while getting the doctorate. They very much liked their housing. There were stairs to play on, cupboards to open (I had to put baby safety latches on them to keep Topaz out), and Disneyland, the storage room full of boxes and shelves. There were also spiders to play with in the shower, and a window to look out of to see when Mom would come home. They'd be in the window (having to launch themselves up from the back of a chair) when I'd come in the front door and be on the table by the time I came downstairs.
It was at this time that I was inspired to walk more. There were plenty of places to shop, etc, within walking distance of where I lived. I bought a used baby stroller and tied two leashes inside it. I would put kitty harneses on the two and hook them into the stroller for walks. They loved it! They got to be outside, sniffing around, and be safe. I'd take them to the bank and Mailboxes Etc. The lady who owned that place absolutely loved my cats. She was originally from South America and told me their Spanish names "Saphiro" and "Topazio". I'd get chewed out if I didn't bring the cats.
It was from here that I made a couple of Christmas trips up to see dad in Montana, just outside of Billings. A couple of times I brought the cats, and they would stay in the upstairs. Dad would board off the stairs to keep his dogs away from them. However, sometimes while watching TV, we'd see Topaz creeping through the kitchen. Once the dogs saw, then all hell would break loose, and the cat would go flying back upstairs.
At some point, the owner of the house put it up for sale, so I moved across town to a very small apartment. That's when Moonshine became part of the family. Not long after that, Mom decided to come to Colorado from Texas, so I found us one side of a duplex that would allow for my three cats and her cat and dog.
Adjusting to all this change was not good to Topaz. Specifically, Moonshine was not good to Topaz. He terrorized him regularly, I'm guessing trying to establish himself as the dominant male cat. Boy, it was working; I can remember hearing Topaz shriek like a woman when cornered. Moonshine was soon declawed and neutered, but he still liked being "Thug". Then one day I was brushing Moonshine on the couch, going after a snarl. Mooner wasn't happy and hissed at me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of orange fur, and Topaz was on him, beating the snot out of him. From that day on, Topaz never shrieked. Yes, he was still tormented, but I think he realized that day, as did Moonshine, that Topaz was and always would be the dominant male.
After a time, I needed to leave Colorado. So I packed up again and headed to Pennsylvania for a one year teaching gig, hoping to also finish my dissertation while there. I lived on the main level of a house, me and the three cats. They had kitty downers for the trip, and Topaz was a trooper. There wasn't a lot to play with for him in PA; he did like the landlady, though. She lived in the basement and would look after them when I was away. One Thanksgiving I came home to find a plate of turkey scraps on the living room floor. She'd brought it up for them to all share. Topaz was also spoiled by her home grown catnip. Did he ever love catnip! He would climb up onto a ledge on his cat castle (built by Dale and I in Texas) and wait for the nip. He'd roll in it, and often then go find Sapphire to play with.
After Pennsylvania we all shuffled off to South Dakota, to a second story apartment. Here he had a balcony, and boy did he love his balcony. They'd put chicken wire around it to keep the cats safe. Here they continued to play, to love on Mom, and just be good cats. I remember taking a picture of them watching TV when the news was on during 9-11. That was weird; it was like they could tell something bad had happened.
It was here that Topaz had some dental work done. He's never had good teeth, and he needed some pulled. When he came home, he wouldn't eat. He didn't eat the next day, either. He wanted to, as he would put his head in the dish, then back away. I was so upset. I took him in, and we had to force feed him. Eventually he ate again; the vet's thought was that he didn't like the sensation of food on his gums where before he'd had teeth. He scared me good, there.
A couple of times from here I would take the cats with me over Christmas to Mom's, as she was now living in River Falls, WI, where my other brother, Corey, lives with his family. I'd leave the cats with her as I'd spend part of break elsewhere. Topaz was a model cat during these times and Sapphire was the troublemaker. Leave it to Topaz to be good.
The cats' lives vastly improved when I bought a house in Sioux Falls. Dad screened in the front porch with a pet-friendly screening, and heaven on earth was created. No matter the weather or time of year, the cats could enjoy the outdoors safely. Topaz spent hours out there. He and Mooner would fight over the cat bed out there. He'd sit on a cat climbing post and chitter at the birds in the feeder, less than two feet from him. He'd sit out there and watch me mow the yard. He even trained me to let him out. I had the carpets removed and the wood floor underneath redone. Three cats plus carpet is not a good combination. I had a knick-knack shelf by the door. Topaz would knock over one of those decorative marble balls onto my new floor. I'd go pick it up and scold him. Well, he'd just walk the one step by the door to the porch and gee Mom, since you're here, will you let me out? I did. It didn't take long for him to swat at a ball and then zip right to the door. I knew I'd been had.
The solution came at Christmas. Someone gave me a door knob decoration that hangs on and has a bell. I took each cat to it, grabbed their paw and rang the bell with it, then put the cat out. Boom...lesson over. When Christmas was done, I hung a bell toy around the door knob. They all used it; ring the bell, get to go out. Stand on the porch furniture and look in the picture window, get let back in.
At some point, I started letting the cats play outside proper, with direct parental supervision. Once I let Moonshine out to chase a little ground squirrel/gopher, and he caught it. Then I caught him. As I made him let it go, I saw this flash of orange out of the corner of my eye. I thought Topaz was going to get the gopher. Oh no; Topaz laid into Moonshine. I had to pull them apart and toss Topaz in the porch. I brought Moonshine in the back door, set him down, and Topaz cleaned his clock again. Just for fun, Sapphire joined in. I had to put Mooner in the bedroom until dinner time to cool everyone off.
But the cats absolutely loved outdoor play time. There was a rockgarden in the neighbor's yard, and they would wander and sniff in there. Topaz loved to run, and he'd run back and forth along this area. Sometimes I'd lose track of a cat, and it was usually Topaz. He'd be all over, sniffing, then sprinting back home when scolded.
By now, we had all sorts of comfortable routines. Topaz shared just about every meal with me. His favorite foods were chicken, tuna, turkey, pork, hamburger...you get the idea. He loved to lick canned spaghetti cans. Go figure. He loved milk, yogurt, and ice cream, too. He'd slap at my cereal bowl if I wasn't sharing enough. There was one time in Colorado when I had a friend from college visit, and John had poured himself a really tall glass of milk and set it on the table. When I next looked, Topaz was helping himself to a really long drink. I quietly set the cat on the floor and didn't say anything to John.
Topaz also slept with me every night. There was always a race between the cats to see who would get on my chest first in bed. It was ususally Sapphire or Moonshine who'd win, but Topaz was always there. He was the first to get treats in the morning, every morning. He had 5 o'clock snack time. Almost every day, between 4:50-5:10, he'd wake from his late afternoon nap and want treats. He got them without fail.
Topaz loved to play with rubber bouncy balls, like superballs. We'd play soccer together, him batting the ball to me, me kicking it back to him. When I'd hit the deck with a flashlight and stick to fetch all the toys from under the furniture, he'd be right alongside me, looking for the toys. Sometimes he'd knock 'em back under as soon as I'd pull them out.
He was also great at leaping after the feather toy. That boy had hops! I'd get him just panting. In Colorado our favorite game involved the plastic milk rings that are part of the seal. I'd have a basket of them by my bed, and I'd throw them one at a time. He'd leap and bat it in mid air, then maybe push it a couple of times, then look at me expectantly, waiting for me to throw the next one. After Sapphire died and he didn't have anyone to wrestle with, I'd rub a fuzzy mouse with catnip and toss it on the bed. He'd throw it around, pouncing and leaping. Sometimes he'd wrestle with me. I'd get him on his back, grab his chest (being sure I had a long sleeve shirt on), and rock him back and forth. He'd wrap his paws around my arm and rabbit kick me with his back legs. Then I'd pull all the blankets over him and pinch at him. He'd bat at my hand, then fall asleep. When he was younger he loved to play bedmouse, were I'd put my hand under the covers and wiggle it. He'd pounce all over the moving bed mouse. We also had a cat castle game. He'd be up on a ledge, and I'd toss a plastic jack toy to him. He'd slap it down and I would try to catch it. It was a good reaction drill for the both of us.
He loved to sleep on my clothes. Clean clothes in the basket, dirty clothes on the floor, he didn't care. Sometimes I'd leave stuff out, just so he could nap on them.
Topaz was always the best snuggler, too. He'd wrap his paws around my neck and lick. He'd let me hold him like a baby and dance with him (he's very good at being a swing dance partner, especially when I was taking a class). He loved to be brushed and got pretty good at taking a bath. We had a little stick, when I was taking a shower, if I saw him come into the bathroom, I'd say, "I see London,, I see France, I see Topaz's underpants!." Then I'd say his reply, "Mama, I don't wear underpants!"
But he'd be in the bathroom for his drink. He never liked drinking out of a dish; he drank out of the running faucet. He'd always learn, no matter where we lived, where to park himself so I'd see he wanted a drink. He learned my contact lens washing routine, that he could sit on the edge of the sink, and when I unstopped the sink, then it was okay for him to step into it for his bedtime drink.
It was during this time that I was helping the music department at school by being a practice student for a student music teacher. She was to teach me some piano. She freaked me out when she started talking about a recital. Not wanting to look stupid for playing something too simple or look stupid for messing up on something too difficult, I decided to write my own piece. I called it "Ode to Topaz" and the tune was to mimic his morning routine. I played it perfectly and it was listed in the recital program.
While in South Dakota Topaz made many friends. The guys next door loved to watch them, and I had numerous really good cat sitters: Jenna, Trish, Sara, Morgan, and Joni. I needed the sitters more for Sapphire than the others, but he was friendly with them all.
Topaz did not like the move to Wisconsin. During the drive I had to pull over after 30 minutes and call the vet for advice because he was carrying on so much. She said to give him 30 more minutes and re-evaluate. He was fine until about 10:30 PM, when I was lost in Fond du Lac. Overall, the two boys (Sapphire had passed on by this time) had to spend the better part of two weeks homeless, living in people's basements or in the on-campus apartment. Once they had their furniture in their home, it took them less than 10 minutes to settle down.
Topaz liked his new home. He liked looking out the window at the birds at the feeder, and he liked laying by the front door screen. Apparently the previous owners had a small dog who laid in the same spot, so Topaz got to see some of that dog's old friends. The sidewalk in front of the house is a high foot path traffic area, so there's always plenty of woof-woofs to see.
I got the bright idea to screen in my back patio and make it cat friendly with sitting perches. The handyman did a spectacular job on it, and it didn't take long for the boys to learn how to use the cat door. Of course I put the bell up again, too.
In the fall I noticed that Topaz wasn't playing as much, if at all. He didn't jump on the cat castle asking for catnip. I took it as old age. I noticed a warty growth on his chest, and it got markedly bigger by winter. He also wasn't eating kibble, so I took him to the vet for dental work. That was successfully completed, and he seemed happier. Then I noticed a large internal lump on his neck. I thought it may have been related to where they drew blood for the pre-dental blood work. Then I felt a really big lump on the other side of his neck. His behavior was also different; he was very clingy. He was on my computer or on my paperwork when I was trying to work, to the point of being a pest. He wasn't coming to bed, either. He was laying on my dresser, instead. I took him back to the vet Friday, Feb 12th, and he had a hard time getting a biopsy sample because of all the blood in the lymph node. This weekend he's steadily declined. He doesn't want to be held or touched. He barely eats, and he spent all of Sunday hiding in the basement, and all of last night hiding in my closet (I barricaded him in the room). He ate some tuna this morning, not much, though. His appointment at the vet is at 3:45.
I will miss you, Topaz, miss you very much. You were my best, most consistent friend for over sixteen years. You loved me when I was sad, you kept me company when I was lonely. You made me laugh and feel good. I love you.
I got Topaz in 1994, when Mom and I found him begging outside the Red Onion resteraunt in Lumberton, Texas. I canvassed the neighborhood, checking to see if anyone had lost this scrawny boy. We asked my brother, Todd, to see if anyone at his work wanted a cat. Mom and I had two dogs already, and we were not allowed to have three pets in the apartment. Finally, the apartment manager said she would take the cat. However, she would let him out at night, and one morning I awoke to find Topaz sitting on my outside window ledge, watching me sleep. Yep, that was the last night he ever had to sleep outside. We made the 'trade', as Whiskers was old and failing in health.
He was young enough then to have the kitten crazies. He'd race around the apartment. Oh, I also learned from him, that when giving a cat a flea bath (boy was he covered!), one does not get into the tub with the cat. That was when he got his nickname, too. I was trying to soothe him during his first bath, and it came out. It stuck.
Topaz also liked to run underneath parked cars and play chase me from car to car. That was his favorite game in Lumberton.
After about a year, Mom and I moved into Beaumont. It was at this apartment complex that we got Sapphire. She'd been abandoned and was in the manager's office, making a ruckas. I told the manager that if she would let us void the two pet rule, I'd take care of the noise. Sapphire immediately became part of the family, and she and Topaz bonded. The wrastling Topaz would do with Sake, he'd now do with Sapphire. We had them trained, so if you started saying, "Kill the cat. Kill that damned cat!" they'd start playing together. Or Topaz would start it on his own. He's start innocently enough, by grooming her. Lick, lick. Another lick to the face, then a slight nibble. Nibble, nibble...then lunge and away they'd go. They never had their claws out for this.
It was in Beaumont that Topaz gave me my first big kitty scare. One night I was getting ready for bed, and my Spidey sense started tingling...where was Topaz? I hadn't seen him in a bit. He must've snuck out when we let the dog in/out. I was going all over the area, shaking his treat can and calling for him. Our friends joined the search. Tommy got him just as Topaz was trying to go over a fence. I doubt I'd've ever got him back if he'd been successful.
When I left Texas I packed up the two cats and headed for Colorado, to rent a basement from a house while getting the doctorate. They very much liked their housing. There were stairs to play on, cupboards to open (I had to put baby safety latches on them to keep Topaz out), and Disneyland, the storage room full of boxes and shelves. There were also spiders to play with in the shower, and a window to look out of to see when Mom would come home. They'd be in the window (having to launch themselves up from the back of a chair) when I'd come in the front door and be on the table by the time I came downstairs.
It was at this time that I was inspired to walk more. There were plenty of places to shop, etc, within walking distance of where I lived. I bought a used baby stroller and tied two leashes inside it. I would put kitty harneses on the two and hook them into the stroller for walks. They loved it! They got to be outside, sniffing around, and be safe. I'd take them to the bank and Mailboxes Etc. The lady who owned that place absolutely loved my cats. She was originally from South America and told me their Spanish names "Saphiro" and "Topazio". I'd get chewed out if I didn't bring the cats.
It was from here that I made a couple of Christmas trips up to see dad in Montana, just outside of Billings. A couple of times I brought the cats, and they would stay in the upstairs. Dad would board off the stairs to keep his dogs away from them. However, sometimes while watching TV, we'd see Topaz creeping through the kitchen. Once the dogs saw, then all hell would break loose, and the cat would go flying back upstairs.
At some point, the owner of the house put it up for sale, so I moved across town to a very small apartment. That's when Moonshine became part of the family. Not long after that, Mom decided to come to Colorado from Texas, so I found us one side of a duplex that would allow for my three cats and her cat and dog.
Adjusting to all this change was not good to Topaz. Specifically, Moonshine was not good to Topaz. He terrorized him regularly, I'm guessing trying to establish himself as the dominant male cat. Boy, it was working; I can remember hearing Topaz shriek like a woman when cornered. Moonshine was soon declawed and neutered, but he still liked being "Thug". Then one day I was brushing Moonshine on the couch, going after a snarl. Mooner wasn't happy and hissed at me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of orange fur, and Topaz was on him, beating the snot out of him. From that day on, Topaz never shrieked. Yes, he was still tormented, but I think he realized that day, as did Moonshine, that Topaz was and always would be the dominant male.
After a time, I needed to leave Colorado. So I packed up again and headed to Pennsylvania for a one year teaching gig, hoping to also finish my dissertation while there. I lived on the main level of a house, me and the three cats. They had kitty downers for the trip, and Topaz was a trooper. There wasn't a lot to play with for him in PA; he did like the landlady, though. She lived in the basement and would look after them when I was away. One Thanksgiving I came home to find a plate of turkey scraps on the living room floor. She'd brought it up for them to all share. Topaz was also spoiled by her home grown catnip. Did he ever love catnip! He would climb up onto a ledge on his cat castle (built by Dale and I in Texas) and wait for the nip. He'd roll in it, and often then go find Sapphire to play with.
After Pennsylvania we all shuffled off to South Dakota, to a second story apartment. Here he had a balcony, and boy did he love his balcony. They'd put chicken wire around it to keep the cats safe. Here they continued to play, to love on Mom, and just be good cats. I remember taking a picture of them watching TV when the news was on during 9-11. That was weird; it was like they could tell something bad had happened.
It was here that Topaz had some dental work done. He's never had good teeth, and he needed some pulled. When he came home, he wouldn't eat. He didn't eat the next day, either. He wanted to, as he would put his head in the dish, then back away. I was so upset. I took him in, and we had to force feed him. Eventually he ate again; the vet's thought was that he didn't like the sensation of food on his gums where before he'd had teeth. He scared me good, there.
A couple of times from here I would take the cats with me over Christmas to Mom's, as she was now living in River Falls, WI, where my other brother, Corey, lives with his family. I'd leave the cats with her as I'd spend part of break elsewhere. Topaz was a model cat during these times and Sapphire was the troublemaker. Leave it to Topaz to be good.
The cats' lives vastly improved when I bought a house in Sioux Falls. Dad screened in the front porch with a pet-friendly screening, and heaven on earth was created. No matter the weather or time of year, the cats could enjoy the outdoors safely. Topaz spent hours out there. He and Mooner would fight over the cat bed out there. He'd sit on a cat climbing post and chitter at the birds in the feeder, less than two feet from him. He'd sit out there and watch me mow the yard. He even trained me to let him out. I had the carpets removed and the wood floor underneath redone. Three cats plus carpet is not a good combination. I had a knick-knack shelf by the door. Topaz would knock over one of those decorative marble balls onto my new floor. I'd go pick it up and scold him. Well, he'd just walk the one step by the door to the porch and gee Mom, since you're here, will you let me out? I did. It didn't take long for him to swat at a ball and then zip right to the door. I knew I'd been had.
The solution came at Christmas. Someone gave me a door knob decoration that hangs on and has a bell. I took each cat to it, grabbed their paw and rang the bell with it, then put the cat out. Boom...lesson over. When Christmas was done, I hung a bell toy around the door knob. They all used it; ring the bell, get to go out. Stand on the porch furniture and look in the picture window, get let back in.
At some point, I started letting the cats play outside proper, with direct parental supervision. Once I let Moonshine out to chase a little ground squirrel/gopher, and he caught it. Then I caught him. As I made him let it go, I saw this flash of orange out of the corner of my eye. I thought Topaz was going to get the gopher. Oh no; Topaz laid into Moonshine. I had to pull them apart and toss Topaz in the porch. I brought Moonshine in the back door, set him down, and Topaz cleaned his clock again. Just for fun, Sapphire joined in. I had to put Mooner in the bedroom until dinner time to cool everyone off.
But the cats absolutely loved outdoor play time. There was a rockgarden in the neighbor's yard, and they would wander and sniff in there. Topaz loved to run, and he'd run back and forth along this area. Sometimes I'd lose track of a cat, and it was usually Topaz. He'd be all over, sniffing, then sprinting back home when scolded.
By now, we had all sorts of comfortable routines. Topaz shared just about every meal with me. His favorite foods were chicken, tuna, turkey, pork, hamburger...you get the idea. He loved to lick canned spaghetti cans. Go figure. He loved milk, yogurt, and ice cream, too. He'd slap at my cereal bowl if I wasn't sharing enough. There was one time in Colorado when I had a friend from college visit, and John had poured himself a really tall glass of milk and set it on the table. When I next looked, Topaz was helping himself to a really long drink. I quietly set the cat on the floor and didn't say anything to John.
Topaz also slept with me every night. There was always a race between the cats to see who would get on my chest first in bed. It was ususally Sapphire or Moonshine who'd win, but Topaz was always there. He was the first to get treats in the morning, every morning. He had 5 o'clock snack time. Almost every day, between 4:50-5:10, he'd wake from his late afternoon nap and want treats. He got them without fail.
Topaz loved to play with rubber bouncy balls, like superballs. We'd play soccer together, him batting the ball to me, me kicking it back to him. When I'd hit the deck with a flashlight and stick to fetch all the toys from under the furniture, he'd be right alongside me, looking for the toys. Sometimes he'd knock 'em back under as soon as I'd pull them out.
He was also great at leaping after the feather toy. That boy had hops! I'd get him just panting. In Colorado our favorite game involved the plastic milk rings that are part of the seal. I'd have a basket of them by my bed, and I'd throw them one at a time. He'd leap and bat it in mid air, then maybe push it a couple of times, then look at me expectantly, waiting for me to throw the next one. After Sapphire died and he didn't have anyone to wrestle with, I'd rub a fuzzy mouse with catnip and toss it on the bed. He'd throw it around, pouncing and leaping. Sometimes he'd wrestle with me. I'd get him on his back, grab his chest (being sure I had a long sleeve shirt on), and rock him back and forth. He'd wrap his paws around my arm and rabbit kick me with his back legs. Then I'd pull all the blankets over him and pinch at him. He'd bat at my hand, then fall asleep. When he was younger he loved to play bedmouse, were I'd put my hand under the covers and wiggle it. He'd pounce all over the moving bed mouse. We also had a cat castle game. He'd be up on a ledge, and I'd toss a plastic jack toy to him. He'd slap it down and I would try to catch it. It was a good reaction drill for the both of us.
He loved to sleep on my clothes. Clean clothes in the basket, dirty clothes on the floor, he didn't care. Sometimes I'd leave stuff out, just so he could nap on them.
Topaz was always the best snuggler, too. He'd wrap his paws around my neck and lick. He'd let me hold him like a baby and dance with him (he's very good at being a swing dance partner, especially when I was taking a class). He loved to be brushed and got pretty good at taking a bath. We had a little stick, when I was taking a shower, if I saw him come into the bathroom, I'd say, "I see London,, I see France, I see Topaz's underpants!." Then I'd say his reply, "Mama, I don't wear underpants!"
But he'd be in the bathroom for his drink. He never liked drinking out of a dish; he drank out of the running faucet. He'd always learn, no matter where we lived, where to park himself so I'd see he wanted a drink. He learned my contact lens washing routine, that he could sit on the edge of the sink, and when I unstopped the sink, then it was okay for him to step into it for his bedtime drink.
It was during this time that I was helping the music department at school by being a practice student for a student music teacher. She was to teach me some piano. She freaked me out when she started talking about a recital. Not wanting to look stupid for playing something too simple or look stupid for messing up on something too difficult, I decided to write my own piece. I called it "Ode to Topaz" and the tune was to mimic his morning routine. I played it perfectly and it was listed in the recital program.
While in South Dakota Topaz made many friends. The guys next door loved to watch them, and I had numerous really good cat sitters: Jenna, Trish, Sara, Morgan, and Joni. I needed the sitters more for Sapphire than the others, but he was friendly with them all.
Topaz did not like the move to Wisconsin. During the drive I had to pull over after 30 minutes and call the vet for advice because he was carrying on so much. She said to give him 30 more minutes and re-evaluate. He was fine until about 10:30 PM, when I was lost in Fond du Lac. Overall, the two boys (Sapphire had passed on by this time) had to spend the better part of two weeks homeless, living in people's basements or in the on-campus apartment. Once they had their furniture in their home, it took them less than 10 minutes to settle down.
Topaz liked his new home. He liked looking out the window at the birds at the feeder, and he liked laying by the front door screen. Apparently the previous owners had a small dog who laid in the same spot, so Topaz got to see some of that dog's old friends. The sidewalk in front of the house is a high foot path traffic area, so there's always plenty of woof-woofs to see.
I got the bright idea to screen in my back patio and make it cat friendly with sitting perches. The handyman did a spectacular job on it, and it didn't take long for the boys to learn how to use the cat door. Of course I put the bell up again, too.
In the fall I noticed that Topaz wasn't playing as much, if at all. He didn't jump on the cat castle asking for catnip. I took it as old age. I noticed a warty growth on his chest, and it got markedly bigger by winter. He also wasn't eating kibble, so I took him to the vet for dental work. That was successfully completed, and he seemed happier. Then I noticed a large internal lump on his neck. I thought it may have been related to where they drew blood for the pre-dental blood work. Then I felt a really big lump on the other side of his neck. His behavior was also different; he was very clingy. He was on my computer or on my paperwork when I was trying to work, to the point of being a pest. He wasn't coming to bed, either. He was laying on my dresser, instead. I took him back to the vet Friday, Feb 12th, and he had a hard time getting a biopsy sample because of all the blood in the lymph node. This weekend he's steadily declined. He doesn't want to be held or touched. He barely eats, and he spent all of Sunday hiding in the basement, and all of last night hiding in my closet (I barricaded him in the room). He ate some tuna this morning, not much, though. His appointment at the vet is at 3:45.
I will miss you, Topaz, miss you very much. You were my best, most consistent friend for over sixteen years. You loved me when I was sad, you kept me company when I was lonely. You made me laugh and feel good. I love you.
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