Antony was rescued from a home in Ohio in 1999 when he was about 5.  His owner died and her daughter passed the cat to us.  



Antony had not been well treated.  He appeared afraid if you raised your hand to him.  When we first got him, he hid in the closet in a box.  Eventually, he got used to us, but he was skittish about getting on the furniture.  At some point he realized he was welcome to sit on the beds and sofa, and got used to sleeping with us.  



He would habitually howl, and unfortunately like a banshee, especially if he thought he was left alone.  



Antony was partially deaf, however, he could hear some low level sounds.  



He had been an indoor cat and had not been exposed to other cats.  When he saw another cat, he'd paw at the window violently and make strange gutteral noises.  



I eventually let him out and tried to keep him on the landing of my 2nd floor apt by putting a harness on him and tying the leash to the railing.  The minute I turned my back, I'd hear "clink!" - Antony had managed to get out of the harness. He did this so easily and quickly, that I wondered if he should be named Houdini. 



One time he managed to escape and was gone for 3 hours.  We thought we'd lost him but he'd come back.  He got used to coming and going outside, but it took a while before he got used to other cats, and would often threaten and chase them.  



A black stray was adopteda, and it took Antony a number of weeks to get used to the new kitty, named Nicky.  Antony never completely liked Nicky and at first would threaten and chase him.  Nicky would get revenge by slapping Antony and doing a victory dance.  After a while they would pal around together and go exploring.  



Antony appeared to have a hell of an imagination - you could almost see the little scenes he was creating in his head when he'd jump into boxes, his favorite thing to do.  He’d come through the garden areas outside, imagining he was being pursued by a dangerous animal.  



Antony enjoyed sleeping on the sofa . He liked to get on me and knead my stomach and then go to sleep.  



During an earthquake, my mom was hanging on to the water cooler, trying to keep it from falling over.  Antony couldn't stop hollering.   



Antony came down with diabetes earlier this year. He also had a UTI diagnosed about Memorial Day.  The diabetes had already begun to affect his rear legs.  



He got a blockage in his urethera which seemed to come on suddenly.  He was straining to urinate on the evening of July 6th.  He began vomiting and could not stop -I looked up the symptoms and took him immediately to the vet.  That was today.



The vet said that even if his blockage was cleared it would be a hard road back, and I agreed.  He'd already been suffering quite a bit from the diabetes.  He was now strugging to pass urine.  



Chances were good that treatment would give him only a few more good days.  Believe me, if I had all the money in the world, there is nothing I wouldn't have done for him.  However, his prognosis was not good, treatment or not.  At age 13, it would be too much to put him through.



I was alone with him a half hour before I allowed the vet to come back and give him the shot that would put him to sleep forever.  



He was loved to the end, and I know that he is in heaven with my mom and they other cats we've lost.  Here's to acres of fields to run in, plenty of mice to play with and catnip to roll in.  



Sweetheart, you will be missed and I know I will see you again someday. Farewell my little angel.