Opus R.I.P (1/1/1997-5/7/2004)
Opus was born the runt of his litter, significantly smaller, always fed last. Still he thrived. He was adopted in a over crowded house, two dogs, four kittens, and 6 people. He was given the name Dopey. I went to visit one day and fell in love with him. I was waiting on an apartment so couldn't take him right away, he stayed there for a few more weeks, I was unable to visit as much as I would have liked, but thought he was being well cared for. I was wrong, when I came to get him, I was informed that a visitor was playing with him and when "dopey" scratched him the man, threw him into a wall. "Dopey" was knocked unconscous for a couple minutes. He had a bloody nose for a day or so then a runny nose that contiued for a few monthes. He had sneezing fits for the next few years, that slowly faded as he grew. I immediatly brought him home and gave him a more distingushed name, Opus. I still hadn't gotten my apartment so he lived with me in my uncles house. He quickly made friends with his german shepard and was found sleeping curled up next to him several times. Opus settled in quickly, even got my uncle "the cat hater" to tolerate him.
Opus loved to go visiting with me, we went everywhere and he made friends with everyone, human feline or canine, when we went visiting. He stayed with me in my uncles house for a couple monthes, at which time my uncle decided he could not keep a cat in his house anylonger. His german shephard had just died of old age. Opus went to stay at a friends house we visited regularly. He loved it there, he had two girl friends. Yes several kittens came out of this arrangement. I eventually got my own apartment and Opus came back to live with me. This is when he fell in love with birds. He would sit in the window and made a chirping sound, I think he was trying to talk to them. He eventually got out and became an indoor/ourdoor cat. He quickly learned that birds do not like to play with cats, but they tasted good. Opus grew into an excellent hunter. He brought me several critters from mice and moles to birds and even a snake.
He disappeared one day and didn't return for about 4 days. When he came home he was limping but just went into the bathroom. I was busy with my daughter so took a minute, but when I went to check on him I noticed one of his back pause was the size of my hand. We brought him to the vet where they amputated his back left leg and neutered him. He stayed there for a couple days then came home to us. We were told to keep him locked in a kennel for a week. He would have none of that. His constant crying made us let him out and we kept him in the bathroom instead. He soon figured out how to open the door, wich we didn't know at first. We went out one day, three days after he had come home from the vet. When we came home the bathroom door and living room window were open, just enough for a cat to get out.
Posters were hung and we searched and searched for him. Four days later he came to the door meowing happily. His stitches were gone, and he was his usual happy self. He went back to his daily hunts.
In february of this year we moved to Georgia, from Massachussets. He had never been happier. In MA we lived in a thickly settled area and were constantly worried about traffic and squirrel traps, like the one that took his leg. He quickly settled in again, and was always home at 10pm. He set up his schedule and we obeyed. In at 10pm, out at midnight for a quick bathroom run, then back out at 5 am when the kids went to school. with in three weeks of being here he had completely rid our trailer of mice and most of the trailer park we lived in. One thursday night he didn't come home. Posters were hung and we searched everywhere. I told people I wasn't going to pannic for four days. He had always come home in four days. The four days had past and Onyx was delivered to me. I had set it up before he was born he was to be Opus's playmate. We set up a search party and went out looking for Opus. Still nothing.
Eight days after he disappeared he was found. There was none of his all white coat visible. We could only make out his black tail and his one black ear, and the three legs on the carcus. Opus died the way he lived, valliantly. He was 7 years old. He was an awesome cat. He was with me for the birth of both my children, and never scratched either, no matter what they did to him. He had his own ways of telling them what he didnt like, and waited till they were old enough to understand.
We love you Opus, we know you have all your legs again, and that your happy where you are. Rest In Peace, January 1st 1997 to May 7th 2004
Opus was born the runt of his litter, significantly smaller, always fed last. Still he thrived. He was adopted in a over crowded house, two dogs, four kittens, and 6 people. He was given the name Dopey. I went to visit one day and fell in love with him. I was waiting on an apartment so couldn't take him right away, he stayed there for a few more weeks, I was unable to visit as much as I would have liked, but thought he was being well cared for. I was wrong, when I came to get him, I was informed that a visitor was playing with him and when "dopey" scratched him the man, threw him into a wall. "Dopey" was knocked unconscous for a couple minutes. He had a bloody nose for a day or so then a runny nose that contiued for a few monthes. He had sneezing fits for the next few years, that slowly faded as he grew. I immediatly brought him home and gave him a more distingushed name, Opus. I still hadn't gotten my apartment so he lived with me in my uncles house. He quickly made friends with his german shepard and was found sleeping curled up next to him several times. Opus settled in quickly, even got my uncle "the cat hater" to tolerate him.
Opus loved to go visiting with me, we went everywhere and he made friends with everyone, human feline or canine, when we went visiting. He stayed with me in my uncles house for a couple monthes, at which time my uncle decided he could not keep a cat in his house anylonger. His german shephard had just died of old age. Opus went to stay at a friends house we visited regularly. He loved it there, he had two girl friends. Yes several kittens came out of this arrangement. I eventually got my own apartment and Opus came back to live with me. This is when he fell in love with birds. He would sit in the window and made a chirping sound, I think he was trying to talk to them. He eventually got out and became an indoor/ourdoor cat. He quickly learned that birds do not like to play with cats, but they tasted good. Opus grew into an excellent hunter. He brought me several critters from mice and moles to birds and even a snake.
He disappeared one day and didn't return for about 4 days. When he came home he was limping but just went into the bathroom. I was busy with my daughter so took a minute, but when I went to check on him I noticed one of his back pause was the size of my hand. We brought him to the vet where they amputated his back left leg and neutered him. He stayed there for a couple days then came home to us. We were told to keep him locked in a kennel for a week. He would have none of that. His constant crying made us let him out and we kept him in the bathroom instead. He soon figured out how to open the door, wich we didn't know at first. We went out one day, three days after he had come home from the vet. When we came home the bathroom door and living room window were open, just enough for a cat to get out.
Posters were hung and we searched and searched for him. Four days later he came to the door meowing happily. His stitches were gone, and he was his usual happy self. He went back to his daily hunts.
In february of this year we moved to Georgia, from Massachussets. He had never been happier. In MA we lived in a thickly settled area and were constantly worried about traffic and squirrel traps, like the one that took his leg. He quickly settled in again, and was always home at 10pm. He set up his schedule and we obeyed. In at 10pm, out at midnight for a quick bathroom run, then back out at 5 am when the kids went to school. with in three weeks of being here he had completely rid our trailer of mice and most of the trailer park we lived in. One thursday night he didn't come home. Posters were hung and we searched everywhere. I told people I wasn't going to pannic for four days. He had always come home in four days. The four days had past and Onyx was delivered to me. I had set it up before he was born he was to be Opus's playmate. We set up a search party and went out looking for Opus. Still nothing.
Eight days after he disappeared he was found. There was none of his all white coat visible. We could only make out his black tail and his one black ear, and the three legs on the carcus. Opus died the way he lived, valliantly. He was 7 years old. He was an awesome cat. He was with me for the birth of both my children, and never scratched either, no matter what they did to him. He had his own ways of telling them what he didnt like, and waited till they were old enough to understand.
We love you Opus, we know you have all your legs again, and that your happy where you are. Rest In Peace, January 1st 1997 to May 7th 2004
