Troy, Star of Funny Stories, Is Dead at 13

Baby Love: Packed and ready to go in 1994

Troy, whose four-legged high jinks and absurd love of luggage made him the star of countless stories, died Aug. 28 at his Manhattan apartment. He was 13. The cause was complications of lymphoma, said his father, Kenneth Walsh.

After moving to New York from his native Washington, D.C., in the late '90s, Troy became a star on the Manhattan party circuit. His frisky and very public violations of a Woodstock stuffed animal both shocked and delighted his admirers. Troy had previously starred as the villainous home wrecker in the real-life telenovela "Un Gato, Dos Hermanos" and later gained national recognition when a story about his effect on his two dads' relationship ("Love Allergy") appeared in the February 2007 issue of Instinct magazine.

In addition to being a plushie, Troy loved the wrappers and stickers across the top of new compact discs, all things tuna, having his belly rubbed (but only for as long as he wanted it done -- watch out, after) and rolling around on pieces of luggage, any shape or size. For reasons that remain unclear, Troy was terrified of any type of plastic bag.

Troy was born Feb. 8, 1994, to a stray cat mom in the Washington Animal Rescue League. By early April he was so cute that he and his four siblings were moved to the Pet of the Week display window where he was discovered. But despite his adorable pink nose and deluxe stripes, his father recalls that Troy wasn't even his first pick:

"Having grown up with a Siamese cat, I was instantly drawn to Troy's cream-colored sibling. We took (the cream cat) into the visiting room but Rafael (Kenneth's boyfriend at the time) kept saying he liked the 'more active' cat who was pounding his paw on the glass trying to make us notice him." Notice him they did and after another family showed a sudden interest in Troy, Rafael became highly protective of the little critter and nearly knocked the competition down to get him and declared, "He's ours!" Troy went home with them that day and was randomly named as his fathers shouted out names that they thought would be fun to call out. Kenneth liked "T" names because his childhood cat was named Tweet.

"Everyone who ever met Troy immediately fell in love with him," Kenneth recalled. "He was a very good boy. Without Troy here this house is not a home. I'm truly heartbroken."

In addition to his father, Kenneth, Troy is survived by his stepfather, Bernard Michael Smith of New York; two uncles, Bill Walsh of Washington, and Terence Walsh of Chandler, Ariz.; an aunt, Jennfier Jaurigue of Chandler, Ariz. grandparents Molly and Gary Chilinski of Phoenix, and cousins Gordie and Guga of Washington; Mack of Chandler; and Guinness of Chandler.

(Editor's note: Yesterday was one of the worst days I can recall.)