Bentley was my show cat, my celebrity and my best friend.  We traveled to many cat shows and he won several times "THE BEST OF THE BEST" ribbons, trophies, money and beautiful pictures to hang on my walls.  When he was two years old, he appeared in the centerfold of "CAT FANCY" in an article entitled "ODDLY MARKED CATS".  He was a van-patterned Maine Coon wannabe with a face that was one half white and one half black and sported a matching magnificent black plume tail.  One eye looked like he was wearing eyeliner.  Also, he appeared in an article written by me entitled "BENTLEY:  AN AMERICAN PLUME TAIL" which appeared in the 1993 edition of "I LOVE CATS".  Lastly, he appeared in two articles in John Guevin's anthologies: 'UNCOMMON CATS" and "MORE UNCOMMON CATS".  He was very playful and commical and would sing in his trilling voice.  On May 23, 2005, I had to put him to sleep because he was in the advanced stages of kidney failure.  He had just turned 14 years old in March.  I miss him very much and know he is at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for me for when my time comes.  Right now, I have his ashes in a beautiful hand-carved wooden urn in my room.  My other cat Sampson misses him and I have a new kitten named Bailey Gray Cloud.  Bailey will be introduced into the show rings in November of this year to carry on in Bentley's memory.  Getting a new kitten has helped me deal with my sorrow, along with scrapbooking and writing.  

As spoken to Bentley:

Rest in peace my lovely boy!  I will always love you and miss you.  You were my pride, my joy, my show cat, my love.  You are gone from this earth and released from the pain of your failing kidneys.  I want to cry every time I think of the last time I held you.  You were dazed from the toxins in your body from your failing kidneys, but when I said I loved you and will miss you, you meowed for me one long and loud meow.  That was your goodbye to me.  I will never forget it.  Now your lovely spirit is above the clouds and accompanies Jasmine Bibette, Max and Isis at Rainbow Bridge and are waiting for me when my time comes.  Love beyond love, my lovely, silken haired boy!  My easterbunny, the King, my Bentley! I love you!  I will never forget you!