Thank you very much to Georgia-CA for sponsoring Tommy Deluca-Davis' memorial!!!
Bubba's Daddy Tommy: We are 99.9% Tommy Deluca-Davis was Bubba's daddy. Tommy was the total ladies man of the block and a couple of times grey tiny kittens showed up when Tommy was around. Bubba was the spitting image of Tommy. Bubba always liked to hang around with Tommy, but for only 3 short years, then Tommy passed on from fiv (the disease that would take Bubba from me 13 years later.)
Tommy Lawrence Deluca-Davis was a giant, grey Maine Coon that I rescued in 2000. By the time he showed up in my yard, it was very evident he was already at least 10 years old.
If you had to describe Tommy's face, you would describe it as that of a wise old man. He was an incredibly street smart cat and there was no way Tommy was going to let me confine him indoors for very long (even though I tried my hardest).
The interesting thing about Tommy is that he had another "cat lady" in the neighborhood about 4 blocks down who loved him just as much as I did. One day she rang my doorbell and asked me all about my "Tommy." You see, Tommy it ended up had a few stops in the neighborhood and me and this older lady were just 2 of them. This lady happened to call Tommy - "Rocky." Over the next few years we would tell all of our "Tommy"/"Rocky" stories. He was an amazing survivalist for one thing. He had this bent down ear that was the result of "scrapping" with other toms earlier in his youth. You just had to love Tommy. As a matter of fact, I was blessed to adopt his son who is alive and well today another large and grey 20 pound Maine Coon named "Greystoke."
Unfortunately in around 2004 my neighbor of 4 blocks away came to inform me that she took Tommy to the vet and it was discovered he has fiv (feline immunodeficiency virus) and the vet suggested putting him down. But she would not do that. Tommy didn't act sick at all. (and by the way please, please know that there is a vaccine against feline aids now - so please ask your vet his/her opinion about getting it for your cat). When my neighbor came to my door with this news about Tommy I was terribly sad and worried it was an instant death sentance. But like with human hiv virus this is not the case nowdays. Tommy went on to live 3 more years until 2007 and we both decided that it was time to force Tommy/Rocky to become an indoor cat and me and the neighbor took turns housing Tommy in our homes. It was like a great slumber party for him and for the first time in his life Tommy lived a very, very pampered existence. My neighbor and I shared the costs of medications, foods and whatever else Tommy needed.
Another funny aspect of Tommy's story is that prior to 2004 - it ends up that many people thought Tommy was exclusively their own cat and all had different names for him and at various times if he seemed ill or it was cold out - he got to spend the night in a whole new home. I ended up finding out about 5 neighbors in total who were in complete shock when I told him he was not their "exclusive cat." (Wouldn't this make the most amazing children's movie??? I think so). I cannot recall all of his other names at this point (hey give me a break I will be 40 in September),I do recall that they were all excessively masculine and tough guy names.
In Spring of 2007 my neighbor and I realized that Tommy seemed very weary and not his usual self. We did anticipate that he was in his final months of life. We were correct. In July of 2007, just a few days after I lost my beloved cat and Tommy's friend "Kinny", Tommy followed suit and passed away at my neighbors house. We had a terrific funeral for him and my neighbor even sang for "Tommy" and had a great kitty ceremony in her backyard.
So many people cared about this cat with so many names, places of shelter and he was a real "hit" in the Northwest Denver Highlands area. Yes, his loss was difficult, especially considering I just loss "Kinny" less than a week earlier," but I have never met a cat who ended up having such a wonderful experience in this world, despite his early days on the streets of Denver, contracting feline hiv and some serious scrapping scars on his face and head. In the end "Tommy," or "Rocky," whichever name you choose for him, had a charmed life.
Bubba's Daddy Tommy: We are 99.9% Tommy Deluca-Davis was Bubba's daddy. Tommy was the total ladies man of the block and a couple of times grey tiny kittens showed up when Tommy was around. Bubba was the spitting image of Tommy. Bubba always liked to hang around with Tommy, but for only 3 short years, then Tommy passed on from fiv (the disease that would take Bubba from me 13 years later.)
Tommy Lawrence Deluca-Davis was a giant, grey Maine Coon that I rescued in 2000. By the time he showed up in my yard, it was very evident he was already at least 10 years old.
If you had to describe Tommy's face, you would describe it as that of a wise old man. He was an incredibly street smart cat and there was no way Tommy was going to let me confine him indoors for very long (even though I tried my hardest).
The interesting thing about Tommy is that he had another "cat lady" in the neighborhood about 4 blocks down who loved him just as much as I did. One day she rang my doorbell and asked me all about my "Tommy." You see, Tommy it ended up had a few stops in the neighborhood and me and this older lady were just 2 of them. This lady happened to call Tommy - "Rocky." Over the next few years we would tell all of our "Tommy"/"Rocky" stories. He was an amazing survivalist for one thing. He had this bent down ear that was the result of "scrapping" with other toms earlier in his youth. You just had to love Tommy. As a matter of fact, I was blessed to adopt his son who is alive and well today another large and grey 20 pound Maine Coon named "Greystoke."
Unfortunately in around 2004 my neighbor of 4 blocks away came to inform me that she took Tommy to the vet and it was discovered he has fiv (feline immunodeficiency virus) and the vet suggested putting him down. But she would not do that. Tommy didn't act sick at all. (and by the way please, please know that there is a vaccine against feline aids now - so please ask your vet his/her opinion about getting it for your cat). When my neighbor came to my door with this news about Tommy I was terribly sad and worried it was an instant death sentance. But like with human hiv virus this is not the case nowdays. Tommy went on to live 3 more years until 2007 and we both decided that it was time to force Tommy/Rocky to become an indoor cat and me and the neighbor took turns housing Tommy in our homes. It was like a great slumber party for him and for the first time in his life Tommy lived a very, very pampered existence. My neighbor and I shared the costs of medications, foods and whatever else Tommy needed.
Another funny aspect of Tommy's story is that prior to 2004 - it ends up that many people thought Tommy was exclusively their own cat and all had different names for him and at various times if he seemed ill or it was cold out - he got to spend the night in a whole new home. I ended up finding out about 5 neighbors in total who were in complete shock when I told him he was not their "exclusive cat." (Wouldn't this make the most amazing children's movie??? I think so). I cannot recall all of his other names at this point (hey give me a break I will be 40 in September),I do recall that they were all excessively masculine and tough guy names.
In Spring of 2007 my neighbor and I realized that Tommy seemed very weary and not his usual self. We did anticipate that he was in his final months of life. We were correct. In July of 2007, just a few days after I lost my beloved cat and Tommy's friend "Kinny", Tommy followed suit and passed away at my neighbors house. We had a terrific funeral for him and my neighbor even sang for "Tommy" and had a great kitty ceremony in her backyard.
So many people cared about this cat with so many names, places of shelter and he was a real "hit" in the Northwest Denver Highlands area. Yes, his loss was difficult, especially considering I just loss "Kinny" less than a week earlier," but I have never met a cat who ended up having such a wonderful experience in this world, despite his early days on the streets of Denver, contracting feline hiv and some serious scrapping scars on his face and head. In the end "Tommy," or "Rocky," whichever name you choose for him, had a charmed life.
Thank you very much to Georgia-CA for sponsoring Tommy Deluca-Davis' memorial!!!
Bubba's Daddy Tommy: We are 99.9% Tommy Deluca-Davis was Bubba's daddy. Tommy was the total ladies man of the block and a couple of times grey tiny kittens showed up when Tommy was around. Bubba was the spitting image of Tommy. Bubba always liked to hang around with Tommy, but for only 3 short years, then Tommy passed on from fiv (the disease that would take Bubba from me 13 years later.)
Tommy Lawrence Deluca-Davis was a giant, grey Maine Coon that I rescued in 2000. By the time he showed up in my yard, it was very evident he was already at least 10 years old.
If you had to describe Tommy's face, you would describe it as that of a wise old man. He was an incredibly street smart cat and there was no way Tommy was going to let me confine him indoors for very long (even though I tried my hardest).
The interesting thing about Tommy is that he had another "cat lady" in the neighborhood about 4 blocks down who loved him just as much as I did. One day she rang my doorbell and asked me all about my "Tommy." You see, Tommy it ended up had a few stops in the neighborhood and me and this older lady were just 2 of them. This lady happened to call Tommy - "Rocky." Over the next few years we would tell all of our "Tommy"/"Rocky" stories. He was an amazing survivalist for one thing. He had this bent down ear that was the result of "scrapping" with other toms earlier in his youth. You just had to love Tommy. As a matter of fact, I was blessed to adopt his son who is alive and well today another large and grey 20 pound Maine Coon named "Greystoke."
Unfortunately in around 2004 my neighbor of 4 blocks away came to inform me that she took Tommy to the vet and it was discovered he has fiv (feline immunodeficiency virus) and the vet suggested putting him down. But she would not do that. Tommy didn't act sick at all. (and by the way please, please know that there is a vaccine against feline aids now - so please ask your vet his/her opinion about getting it for your cat). When my neighbor came to my door with this news about Tommy I was terribly sad and worried it was an instant death sentance. But like with human hiv virus this is not the case nowdays. Tommy went on to live 3 more years until 2007 and we both decided that it was time to force Tommy/Rocky to become an indoor cat and me and the neighbor took turns housing Tommy in our homes. It was like a great slumber party for him and for the first time in his life Tommy lived a very, very pampered existence. My neighbor and I shared the costs of medications, foods and whatever else Tommy needed.
Another funny aspect of Tommy's story is that prior to 2004 - it ends up that many people thought Tommy was exclusively their own cat and all had different names for him and at various times if he seemed ill or it was cold out - he got to spend the night in a whole new home. I ended up finding out about 5 neighbors in total who were in complete shock when I told him he was not their "exclusive cat." (Wouldn't this make the most amazing children's movie??? I think so). I cannot recall all of his other names at this point (hey give me a break I will be 40 in September),I do recall that they were all excessively masculine and tough guy names.
In Spring of 2007 my neighbor and I realized that Tommy seemed very weary and not his usual self. We did anticipate that he was in his final months of life. We were correct. In July of 2007, just a few days after I lost my beloved cat and Tommy's friend "Kinny", Tommy followed suit and passed away at my neighbors house. We had a terrific funeral for him and my neighbor even sang for "Tommy" and had a great kitty ceremony in her backyard.
So many people cared about this cat with so many names, places of shelter and he was a real "hit" in the Northwest Denver Highlands area. Yes, his loss was difficult, especially considering I just loss "Kinny" less than a week earlier," but I have never met a cat who ended up having such a wonderful experience in this world, despite his early days on the streets of Denver, contracting feline hiv and some serious scrapping scars on his face and head. In the end "Tommy," or "Rocky," whichever name you choose for him, had a charmed life.
Bubba's Daddy Tommy: We are 99.9% Tommy Deluca-Davis was Bubba's daddy. Tommy was the total ladies man of the block and a couple of times grey tiny kittens showed up when Tommy was around. Bubba was the spitting image of Tommy. Bubba always liked to hang around with Tommy, but for only 3 short years, then Tommy passed on from fiv (the disease that would take Bubba from me 13 years later.)
Tommy Lawrence Deluca-Davis was a giant, grey Maine Coon that I rescued in 2000. By the time he showed up in my yard, it was very evident he was already at least 10 years old.
If you had to describe Tommy's face, you would describe it as that of a wise old man. He was an incredibly street smart cat and there was no way Tommy was going to let me confine him indoors for very long (even though I tried my hardest).
The interesting thing about Tommy is that he had another "cat lady" in the neighborhood about 4 blocks down who loved him just as much as I did. One day she rang my doorbell and asked me all about my "Tommy." You see, Tommy it ended up had a few stops in the neighborhood and me and this older lady were just 2 of them. This lady happened to call Tommy - "Rocky." Over the next few years we would tell all of our "Tommy"/"Rocky" stories. He was an amazing survivalist for one thing. He had this bent down ear that was the result of "scrapping" with other toms earlier in his youth. You just had to love Tommy. As a matter of fact, I was blessed to adopt his son who is alive and well today another large and grey 20 pound Maine Coon named "Greystoke."
Unfortunately in around 2004 my neighbor of 4 blocks away came to inform me that she took Tommy to the vet and it was discovered he has fiv (feline immunodeficiency virus) and the vet suggested putting him down. But she would not do that. Tommy didn't act sick at all. (and by the way please, please know that there is a vaccine against feline aids now - so please ask your vet his/her opinion about getting it for your cat). When my neighbor came to my door with this news about Tommy I was terribly sad and worried it was an instant death sentance. But like with human hiv virus this is not the case nowdays. Tommy went on to live 3 more years until 2007 and we both decided that it was time to force Tommy/Rocky to become an indoor cat and me and the neighbor took turns housing Tommy in our homes. It was like a great slumber party for him and for the first time in his life Tommy lived a very, very pampered existence. My neighbor and I shared the costs of medications, foods and whatever else Tommy needed.
Another funny aspect of Tommy's story is that prior to 2004 - it ends up that many people thought Tommy was exclusively their own cat and all had different names for him and at various times if he seemed ill or it was cold out - he got to spend the night in a whole new home. I ended up finding out about 5 neighbors in total who were in complete shock when I told him he was not their "exclusive cat." (Wouldn't this make the most amazing children's movie??? I think so). I cannot recall all of his other names at this point (hey give me a break I will be 40 in September),I do recall that they were all excessively masculine and tough guy names.
In Spring of 2007 my neighbor and I realized that Tommy seemed very weary and not his usual self. We did anticipate that he was in his final months of life. We were correct. In July of 2007, just a few days after I lost my beloved cat and Tommy's friend "Kinny", Tommy followed suit and passed away at my neighbors house. We had a terrific funeral for him and my neighbor even sang for "Tommy" and had a great kitty ceremony in her backyard.
So many people cared about this cat with so many names, places of shelter and he was a real "hit" in the Northwest Denver Highlands area. Yes, his loss was difficult, especially considering I just loss "Kinny" less than a week earlier," but I have never met a cat who ended up having such a wonderful experience in this world, despite his early days on the streets of Denver, contracting feline hiv and some serious scrapping scars on his face and head. In the end "Tommy," or "Rocky," whichever name you choose for him, had a charmed life.
