In Memory Of Clancy
Gone, but never forgotten

Clancy, le chevalier rouge (The Red Knight) August 18, 2002 – August 5, 2004 Pictures

I first met Clancy when he was a 12 week old kitten. He was in a cat condo at an adoption event of my rescue group. He came in with a white mother and two sisters. They had been adopted over the last two weeks and he was left. He climbed up the side of the condo and across the top upside down. To this, someone said ‘look at him, he would tear my house apart!’ I looked at him as saw a kitten going crazy in a small enclosure. I took him out of the condo and he immediately started purring. I watched him and played with him for a couple hours hoping he wouldn’t be adopted. I then adopted him. I had just returned from Virginia the week before with Cinderella, a white Turkish Angora, and thought he would make a good playmate for her. He looked like an Angora mix kitten. Having a red smoke colored coat he would also make a nice contrast to Cinderella in her white coat.

He slept on the pillow by my head the first night. I needed to find a name for him. He was very spirited and fearless so he needed a strong name. Being of Irish heritage I looked on the internet for Irish or Celtic names. I found Clancy – “derivative of an old Irish name meaning Red Warrior”. He had his name.

Clancy played with the other cats immediately. When he became big enough to leap to the top of the kitchen wall like the ‘big boys and girls’ he would race around it, while I worried he would fall off and break something, but he never did. When my friend brought his three-year-old twins over Clancy loved to play with them. One of his favorite games as a kitten was to drag a wand toy through the house while anther cat or kitten tried to grab the trailing end.

 Clancy loved company. When the doorbell rang he and some of the other ‘boys’ would race to the door to see was coming to see them. He allowed everyone to pet him and purred for all.

 Clancy loved to be held and gave me lots of kisses. If I got up at night he would jump into the warm spot. In the dark he blended in with the sheets so I would brush my hand over the bed before getting back in. If he was there I would have to pick him up and move him. He was happy and who was I to ask him to move.

I work at home some days and he figured out the routine. On mornings I walked past the kitchen he would race ahead of me to the office. He would jump into my chair and stand looking at me. I would pick him up and cuddle him. He would purr and rub his head against my face, marking me with his scent as his. How lucky I was to be owned by such a sweet cat. After that ritual he would settle down on the computer table and present his chin or tummy for scratching. He also loved to have his ears rubbed.

Lonely in a full house

I look around and can always see at least one cat, usually more. However, the flash of red fur racing by to beat me to the office is gone. I no longer have to check my spot in bed for a red furry presence if I get up in the middle of the night. Clancy was a rescued kitten, an 'unwanted kitten' that became a very important part of my life. I have lost a friend and companion.

Clancy was diagnosed with FIP. I brought him home to spend as much time as I could with him. The time came to help him pass over to wait at the Rainbow Bridge. My friend Sue drove us to The Cat Hospital. Dr. Sumerlin had one of the techs give Clancy a sedative and he went to sleep in my arms. A few minutes later Dr. Sumerlin administered the shot that sent him to the bridge.

Sue and Dawn, another friend, helped me put Clancy to rest in my yard under a stone that says 'Here lies an friend and companion'. Clancy was the first animal companion I had to part with. I grew up without pets and acquired my first cat, Minoo, in December 2000.

Merlin was one of Clancy's best buddies and they would groom each other. After Clancy left us Merlin was even more affectionate and wanted to be held for a couple of weeks. He was lonely too.

Luckily, recent research indicates that only certain cats are destined to get FIP. It is caused by the corona virus that almost all cats have been exposed to. In some, their immune system can't deal with the mutation of the virus and the cat develops FIP. That means the rest of the feline residents couldn't get FIP from Clancy while he was out and about before being diagnosed.
 

One of my friends sent me a card with the message below:

A Message Of Love

I know you are sad now but please, do not be
For you opened your heart and made a home for me.

And when it was finally my turn to go you hide your
Tears thinking I didn't know. But, God gave us
Eyes to speak these words from the heart.

No matter what happens, we will never be apart.
So, as you held me in your arms that one last time,
I looked up to tell you everything would be just fine.

And when you smiled and cried and held me so tight,
It was I who said,
Thank you for such a wonderful life!