The Cat on the River Kwai

Not only does this cat look like my beloved Troy, he's as smart as Troy was too! Watch:

Dr. Catvorkian

When my beloved Troy was near the end of his life after a long battle with terminal stomach cancer four years ago, the last thing I could imagine doing was making him suffer through one more dreaded trip to the vet in his cat carrier. Troy and been in and out of the hospital several times leading up to the end, and I still tear up when I remember the time I picked him up after an extended stay at the Animal Medical Center on the Upper East Side and instead of riding in the taxi howling in terror as he always had -- he HATED cars -- he crawled out of his cage and laid limp with his head on my chest purring as he stared into my eyes. ("I thought I'd never see you again" his little face seemed to be saying. My heart nearly broke in two.) So when the day came when I realized Troy had to be put down, I was determined to have it done in Troy's home, so he could die peacefully and unafraid, and surrounded by the people and things he loved. (Michael, me and his stuffed Woodstock.) Come to find out yesterday I'm not the only one who felt this way. An article in The Washington Post by Steve Hendrix reports that in-home pet euthanasia is rapidly on the rise, with vets who perform the service finding no shortage of patients willing to pay the premium for a house call (usually double the fee for having it done in the office). Four years ago I was sort of embarrassed to talk about this topic -- and how I insisted that Michael take one more photo of me with my baby -- but hearing how much comfort it has brought others in the same situation, I'm not only still glad I did it, I want to recommend it to anyone else whose pet dreaded going to the vet as much as Troy did. The doctor and his assistant were as thoughtful and caring as any funeral directors I've ever encountered, and when I think of that sad day, I think mostly about how happy I am Troy died in his favorite spot on my bed. I miss that little critter. (Read Steve Hendrix's article HERE.)

They don't make 'em any sweeter than this big boy

Kitty Hawk

Got some fun news today -- an essay I wrote is featured in Fiona McKinney's "Heavenly Tails," which is described on Amazon as "a collection of heart-warming, inspiring stories written by people whose lives were forever changed simply by the presence of a cat." I haven't gotten my copy from my editor yet, but it sounds like the purrrfect gift for fans of felines to me. Check it out HERE.

The Gift of Love

It's taken me awhile to get myself emotionally ready to hang it, but my guy, Michael, surprised me with a framed edition of my Instinct magazine article about my late baby Troy. It's very special to me because it's both a memento of my first published personal essay -- and of my sweet cat. It's placed right above my desk in the bedroom (and within view from my bed), so I can see my furry friend every day and night. I miss the little critter, but with his photo hanging on the wall -- and his fur all over everything I own -- it's like I'll always have a piece of him (literally?!!) with me. Thank you, Easy Mikey! I love you ...

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.)

The Purr-Fect Friend

I'm not about to get into a dogs vs. cats argument online. But I will say that one of the major complaints dog lovers seem to have about felines is their supposed lack of loyalty. I've never experienced this, though. I got home from my long weekend in Washington a few hours ago and despite the fact that my little guy, Troy, had been staying with a friend while I was away, he clearly missed me. He's been following me around purring ever since. When I sat down at my laptop to start blogging he bypassed any of his normal sleeping areas to crawl up in the window sill directly to my right as to be as close to me as possible. They don't get much sweeter than this one. Here's an old photo I found of him at age 3 back in 1997, exactly 10 years younger than he is now.

Someone Had a Check-Up Today ...

He claims to be a cat, but Troy is all bunny to me. (He's holding his own, BTW.)

Critter Update

For those of you who have been sweet enough to ask about my kitty, Troy, I just wanted to let you know that against all odds he is alive and well. As he was sleeping in my favorite (pretzel) pose this afternoon, I just had to take a camera-phone pic of my little guy. He's been getting monthly steroid shots and is eating a lot and behaving 100 percent normally. The prognosis (lymphoma and pancreatitis) is obviously not good, but compared with how he was doing (a day away from being put down) back in April, just having him around is a real treasure. If you thought he was spoiled rotten before you don't even wanna know what kinds of things I've been doing since all of this transpired -- but I know you'd do the same thing too!

Baby Love

I got some very sad news about Troy this afternoon. He has a huge tumor in his belly and some pancreas problems, so treatment isn't much of an option for the little guy.

He's in the hospital right now and discharge hours are over for the day, so I'm hoping to go get him when I wake up tomorrow and have him spend the night (or two) with me before they put my baby down. He has not eaten in weeks and is probably not in a good way, but he's still affectionate as ever and I think I still want to be with him a little more, even if it's selfish. He's a very sweet boy.

Thanks to all of you who have sent your well-wishes. They're greatly appreciated. I love that while humans seem to disagree on so many topics, when it comes to pets it's unanimously unconditional love.

Read: LOVE ALLERGY / The Boyfriend or the Cat: Which Would You Choose?

I Did It

So right after I blogged about Troy a few hours ago Michael happened to call to see if I'd gotten home from work safely and to check in on our baby. I told him what I was thinking and although he was half-asleep and has to be up for work in the early a.m. hours, he jumped out of bed and headed uptown with me to the Animal Medical Center. I won't know which way this whole thing is going to turn out for another day or two (there are a lot of variables and exploratory surgery could be in the cards), but I can go to sleep knowing that Troy's in the best hands the city has to offer and that he is finally getting some long-delayed nourishment. I just couldn't wait another second and even though it will be hard not having Troy home tonight, I think I will sleep better knowing a plan is in motion.

Does this look like the face of a kitty who is on his way out? I think not :-)

8 1/2 Lives?

I'm sitting here with my kitty -- who (but for a few nibbles last Monday after a steroid shot) hasn't even in two weeks -- not knowing what to do. My vet thinks the end is near so I have an appointment for a 2nd opinion at a new vet this afternoon at 3 but part of me wants to jump in a cab right now (around midnight in the 212) and go to the 24-hour animal hospital on the Upper East Side, even though his condition is no better or worse (seemingly) than it was all week. The not-eating thing is undoubtedly very serious. But everyone says cats stop grooming when they're near death yet, as you can see, Troy is as fastidious as ever. My heart is broken and I'm so not sure what to do. How can people be parents of little human beings?

Emotional Roller Coaster

These last few weeks have included a number of extreme highs and lows. My friend Mary, along with her great sister Kristin, are in town and yesterday we all finally got together for lunch and an afternoon of shopping. We all met in college while working in the circulation department at the Arizona Republic/Phoenix Gazette back in the 1980s. They both wound up snagging and marrying the two hottest guys in the department (Rob and Rob) and have both gone on to have successful professional and family lives. (Oh, and they're both as gorgeous as ever.) It was so fun catching up with them. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. They're the kind of friends you don't see for years and the second you're together you pick right up where you left off.

Spending time with them was a welcome relief to the heartbreaking scene back on the homefront. As regular readers know, my kitty, Troy, has not been well for quite some time. Just when I wondered what could be worse than his vomiting after every meal along came his abrupt refusal to eat or drink at all. On Monday I took him to the vet only to have them run yet another set of costly tests that still revealed no explanation for Troy's condition. Troy's dropped nearly 5 pounds in recent weeks (a huge percentage of his total body weight) and I've just been beside myself as he has become increasingly lethargic and withdrawn. Despite the grim-sounding situation, the vet swore up and down that by looking at and examining Troy he would say nothing was wrong with him at all. (He even went so far to say the 13-year-old critter didn't look a day over 8, which made me smile.) The not-eating part is a very bad sign, but the vet said Troy's continuing to groom himself was a positive sign. He then suggested a two- to three-day hospitalization so they could observe Troy, but when I told him I was reluctant to go down that route again he said we could try a steroid shot, something that usually has a positive effect even if it's only short-term. Later that day Troy ate/drank again and just as my optimism was lifting, these past 48 hours he's gotten worse than ever. Michael was stunned last night seeing the vacant look on Troy's face and how completely changed he was. I was beginning to think he might die right then and there and we considered taking him to the emergency room on the Upper East Side. He'd smack his lips together like he was thirsty, yet he'd go nowhere near his water bowl. As the night wore on I continued trying every trick in the book (treats, turkey, tuna, baby food), when a bowl full of tuna water (his favorite) suddenly got him excited again. A second bowl got him going a little later, then I even noticed him drinking regular water and nibbling on his food. It was a sight for sore eyes, for sure, and I'm just praying it's the beginning of another turnaround. I know he's used a good 7 or 8 of his lives by now, but I'm just praying for a little more time with my baby.

Will Troy Get Lucky?

For those who are wondering, Troy is doing much better these days. After he was diagnosed with irritable cat bowel syndrome, they recommended giving him 5 mg of Pepcid (famotidine) with each meal. After months of fruitlessly trying to shove the pills in his mouth I began crushing it up in wet food to great effect. No sooner did I get my spoiled little guy back in top form shape (he turned 13 earlier this month, but you must admit he only looks about 10) did I see this poster in the cafeteria at work last night. His name is Lucky and his has run out -- his owner has become allergic to him (sound familiar?). Troy's never really been around other animals before (he saw a dog once and just stared at it in utter disbelief) so I'm hesitant to adopt a new cat. (Would it be fair to do to Troy in his golden years? At this point, I'm not so sure he wants any help destroying my leather sofa.) Still, something is telling me that I might not be able to resist Lucky's fluffy white fur and little pink nose.

'Love Allergy' by Kenneth M. Walsh (Instinct magazine)

So pardon me while I get all geeky telling you about some exciting news: I have my first personal essay published in the new issue of Instinct! (Since my career switched more toward editing, my most-recent bylines were for The Arizona Republic years ago.)"The Boyfriend or the Cat" details what happened when my then-boyfriend developed an allergy to Troy (that's the star himself on the right page). Although it's a silly little piece, it was quite a nightmare when the whole thing happened. (Anyone who reads this blog knows how that one turned out!)

(click to enlarge)

If you're interested in reading the piece, pick up a copy at your local newsstand. The extra pictures of J.P. are worth the price of admission -- although my favorite surprise from the issue is after the jump.

I wasn't even sure that the story was running in February, but because of all of the hoopla surrounding "Survivor" hunk J.P. Calderon's coming out, I ended up seeing a leaked photo of the cover last week and noticed my cover line. Thrilled, Michael and I spent the last week popping by every magazine store in Manhattan (to no avail) until we were nearly exhausted. Last night, Michael and my friend visiting from Chicago, Nina, showed up unexpectedly at my work with a copy they had just found in the West Village. It was really cute of them to be so spontaneous and surprise me like that. I was all teeth all night at work.

I'm Not Cut Out for Parenthood

The past two weeks have been very stressful for me. My baby, Troy, has (once again) been throwing up with every meal. The doctor had wanted to do an ultrasound back when this first started happening, but I switched Troy's diet and things were good for a while. When the puking started again (poor Troy didn't even get the bonus side effect of losing any weight), I finally relented. The GREAT news is there's nothing seriously wrong with my little critter (I cried like a baby when they told me -- how do people have children????). Not unlike all of the men in his family, he just has irritable bowel syndrome (!) ... The bad news is it was another $500 to still have no solution to his chronic vomiting, but I'm so relieved to know that he's "just old" (he turns 13 next month) that I figure I can deal with an occasional puke-covered duvet for a few more years ... he is my baby, after all. (His shaved belly is sooooooooooooooo cute!!!!)

When Will I Learn?

Thanks for all the well-wishes for Troy yesterday. It was a long and traumatic day for me my four-legged friend. Yet four hours of our time and $471.30 in X-rays, blood tests and all sorts of poking and prodding, we still have no new information about why he's throwing up so much. Now they want to do an ultrasound -- did I actually think seeing a veterinarian was going to be useful? Didn't I learn anything last time? I'm just happy my little guy is lying on the bed next to me tonight where he belongs. (I did find out he has cataracts --- sooooooo cute!!!)

   Previously:

Kitty E.R.

Baby Love

Water Bowl Half Full?

Page 1 Consider (11/16)

Prison Break: My friend thinks Shawn is "the hottest inmate EVER" ("and he embroiders!!"). I'm still trying to figure out why my friend is cruising prison Web sites ... (Meet-an-Inmate.com)

My Quarterback Vinny: Testaverde's not bad for 43 -- or 23. Let the Patriot games begin. (AP)

Nightmare on Bundy: Who knew O.J. Simpson was so creative? Somehow he is going to sit down for an interview in which he makes up details of how he would have killed his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ron Goldman. Where on earth will he get inspiration for this? (LAT)

Self-Hatred Runs Deep: Refresh my memory: Why do gays and lesbians continue to try to ingratiate themselves to organizations that condemn them? (WP)

Ask Amy WHAT? Who would have ever dreamed that we'd live to see a day when a newspaper advice column answers questions from kids who are concerned about their gay younger brother's hooker habits? (STLtoday)

Shanghai Surprise: James Blake is on a roll in China. (AP)

Bulimia Hits Home: On a more serious note: I'm taking my baby, Troy, to the vet later today. For the past month or two he has thrown up vitually everything he's eaten. I'm not sure if he's overheard me making cracks about people's weight or if there's something truly wrong with him. He seems perfectly normal otherwise -- and every person I know with a cat "of a certain age" says their cat throws up constantly too (my brother says a cat's digestive system is proof that there's no such thing as "intelligent design."). I'd be much more willing to buy the "Troy's just getting old" line if it didn't happen overnight (he was never one to throw up before). Keep a good thought for my little critter and I'll let you know the outcome tomorrow.

Cats Behaving Badly

In addition to showering me with presents, my friend Nina also thought to bring a little something for the guy who really runs my house -- Troy. Nina loves all animals but is somewhat allergic to cats, so she thought bringing one of those feathery things on a stick would be a good way to play with the little critter without touching him too much -- and then she brought the little diabetic a little something I wouldn't normally get him but would surely endear him to his Auntie Nina -- a container of Pounce treats. 

Needless to say, Troy was far more interested in my presents. We heard him knock the box of Maurice Lenell cookies off the kitchen table more than once -- and you can see that he needed something to wash 'em down with ...

Troy: Wild About Hairy

Ben Dodge is cute and all that, but my favorite hairy guy will always be my baby Troy, who is 12 years old but only looks 9.

Easter Troy

I hope you had a nice Easter Sunday. I'm pretty sure the Easter Bunny stopped by my house: he had big ears, a pink nose, long whiskers, and big white feet -- and he sure was cute.