...last year, our beloved Felix was laid to rest after a battle with Feline Leukemia. If you own a cat, please get s/he tested for this disease. There is no cure, but it can be prevented. Have your cats vaccinated. If they do have the disease, keep them indoors and away from other cats to give them a fighting chance for however long they may have left to live. No cat should have to go through what Felix went through. So please, take care of your pets.

We still miss you Felix and will always love you.

Today's another example of Felix' endless patience with me and my insistence of photographing him with toys. This picture was taken in January of last year, a week before he was put to sleep. We knew we didn't have much time left with our little Felix Chococat, so I wanted to get this picture taken as it was something I always wanted to do, but hadn't gotten around to yet. He was very patient in allowing me to pose Optimus Prime as though he were petting Felix. Felix didn't mind R2 at all, since R2 just stood there. He did fidget a little, but remained none the less. I think the picture came out well, a testimony of his love for his daddy and patience with daddy's hobbies.

Today's picture comes from two days before Christmas 2002. Felix loved to stretch out on the floor to get our attention and then, when we least expected it, he'd attack. He was trixy that way.

One of the things I enjoyed about Felix was the extent in which he allowed me to harass him. I took a number of pictures with him and my toys and here's one of them. Felix would fall asleep or just be sitting somewhere and I'd grab some random toy, put it by him, and snap a picture. Sometimes, he sniffed the toy, but mostly I think he was thinking, "Oh great, another picture with some plastic man I'm not allowed to chew on." He was a good sport about it every time.

Felix loved our couch. As you can see in the picture, he would melt into it and sleep there for hours. We sit down, get up, sit down again, and he would just stay there. Another thing he did that I really miss is they way he'd lay on my chest. I would come home from work and sit on our couch to relax in a non-posture-friendly slouch. The last couple years he was around, Felix would climb up on my chest and just lay there. It was very comforting and relaxing, especially if I had a bad day. I would ignore the phone ringing and let the answering machine pick up the calls just so I wouldn't disturb him, well, most of the time. I'd like to think that if I'd let him, he'd stay there on my chest the rest of the day.

Today, I want to share one of my favorite pictures of Felix. He loved bags and boxes, even if he didn't fit in them well, if at all. Here he is trying to squeeze into the box of my since-sold-to-someone-else Transformers Alternators Side Swipe. What a silly kitty.

It snowed today, finally, after predicting snow to fall since Friday. We have a couple inches here and all around the area schools are closing, people are panicking, cars are hitting each other. I think the people in this state would probably die if they lived in Minnesota or Michigan or New York when it snowed. This little treat today I like to think is from Felix. He may have been afraid of the stuff, but I think he knew on some level that I loved it.

So, after the misses left to work, brave soul that she is, I took some of my Star Wars figures out for a photo shoot of my own segment of Order 66.

On the Outer Rim planet of Raspect-Aki, a small band of Jedi and Clones sweep the snowfield for Separatists when the newly self-appointed Emperor issues Order 66 to Commander Keller and his crack Clones; Dewey, Cheetchu, and How. Padawan Alie Gorana is the first to fall and her Master, A'Sharad Hett, quickly retrieves her lightsaber to face his new foes. Bultar Swan and Arana Koffi also quickly turn to confront the Clones. Who will win? Find out in Marvel Comics!!!

Thanks for a little fun in the snow, Felix.

It was a year ago that we learned that Felix was dying from his Feline Leukemia. Fluid was building up in his body, collapsing his lungs. At that time, we didn't know we would only have one more week with him. It doesn't feel like it's been a year. We still miss him a lot.

Today, we donated our Oldsmobile to the Humane Society. They picked it up about an hour ago. It will go to an auction and hopefully someone will buy it and give it a few more years of use. The Oldsmobile was in our family for over 10 years. My parents owned it up until 2002 when they passed it down to us after buying a new car for themselves. Three days later, someone tried to steal it and messed up the driver's side lock, so we had an alarm installed. Over the last few years, it had it's share of problems. A neighbor kid hit the rear passenger side of it and denied it, but ended up paying for the damages anyway. The driver's side window motor burned out and so the window doesn't roll down anymore. Etc., etc., etc.

So, this donation is in your name, Felix. We love and miss you.

Tonight, as I wait for my wife to return from a Terry Brooks signing (he writes fantasy novels in case you didn't know), I find myself looking at our postage collage of Felix, our cat who passed away this past February. I have so many happy memories of our little Baby Kitty and it's still hard when I realize he's gone.

Lately, there have been times when we come home from shopping or wherever and I have this feeling that he'll be at the front door when we get home, trying to get outside. Sometimes, there will be something folded just right on our bed in the spot where he liked to lay, at my wife's feet, that will look like him in the dark. I'll turn on the light and all that's there is a pair of shorts or a crumpled shirt. I miss watching my wife play chase around the apartment with him and the way he'd lay on my chest when I got home from work and plop down on the couch. He'd lay there for hours if I'd let him. Sometimes I did.

He had a funny way of stretching out on the floor, wanting attention. But, when you'd go to scritch his belly, he'd scratch at you lightly. You see, it was a trap and he got us every time. I miss playing rough with him and getting "love scratches" on my hands and arms. I loved that he'd let me take pictures of him with my toys. He'd lay somewhere and I'd put a Transformer or a Star Wars by him and he'd just let it be. He loved the figures with firing projectiles. Those always got his attention and sometimes he'd chase after those 3" safety missiles. Shaking the treat jar from anywhere in the apartment got him running towards you. He knew he was gonna get the good stuff.

I miss you, Felix. I always will.

At around 11am this morning, Felix was put to sleep to end his life-long battle with Feline Leukemia that had really taken it's toll on the little guy the past few weeks. About an hour or so before our appointment, we received a Peace Lilly from our friend Steve and his wife. I believe Felix enjoyed the plant as he laid in his bed with his favorite toys, next to the Lilly. We miss him terribly so, but at least he's in a better place now, free of pain. I imagine he's romping through the fields of Heaven, chasing bugs, mice, and birds. Rest in peace, Felix. We'll always love you and never forget all the joy you brought us.

Last Saturday, we took our cat Felix to the vet because his appetite wasn't what it used to be and he was breathing hard. His Feline Leukemia, which he's had since I first took him in back in 2000, has finally reared it's ugly head and fluid was building up in his lower abdomen. This fluid compressed his lungs to 1/8 their size. The vet was able to drain the fluid and told us that it would buy him a few days or weeks and that there was no way of knowing how much time we'd have.

Though Felix seemed to improve after the first two days, he's all but stopped eating now and barely drinks any water. We've tried feeding him chicken, turkey, liver, and a variety of treats. All of which seemed to interest him, but he didn't partake. So, tomorrow morning we're going to have him put to sleep to end his suffering. I wish there was another way. But that's the problem with wishes, they don't come true.

So, here's to seven years of love and fun that Felix brought us. You will be missed, Felix. We love you.