I've been a lurker for a couple of years, learning a great deal from
the great folks here.

I'd thought I'd share you a bittersweet experience I had.  2004 was a
difficult year for cats for me.  Last January I lost my cat, Oliver, to
cancer and in September, I had to put down Amanda, who had a brain
tumor.

After Amanda, I threw away the litter boxes and gave away all of the
food.  No more cats, I said.  I travel a lot and will probably be
moving to Africa by the end of the year.

Two weeks after I put amanda down, I hear a cry at my door.  It was a
Tuesday morning around 5:30, pouring rain.  I open my back door and
this beautiful cat walked in like he owned the joint, which I found out
he eventually will!  At that point I just thought he was a community
cat, which was fine,, he can come to visit for a while and them move
on.

During one of his visits, I noticed he had a bite wound on his face.
Upon further inspection, I noticed that he had no front claws!  At that
point, since I've seen him for a couple of weeks and nobody had claimed
him, I declared that Nomar Katz would be mine, and rushed him to the
vet.  He's doing great now.  I'm convinced that Amanda sent him to me.

He was very defensive when I first adopted him, I tend to believe that
if somebody let a cat out with no claws, they weren't very kind to him.

He's got the softest fur, like a rabbit, and sleeps in my arms at
night.  Once I figure out how to use my camera with this new computer,
I'll have pictures of my new owner.