Ajax came to us 12 years ago as a starving stray. One top fang was broken, he had an upper respiratory infection, but still would sit on Joy’s lap on the front step and purr. We already had two cats and a dog so Joy tried to find a home for him. When that failed, we took him in. Our son named him after the warrior “Ajax” in the Iliad and Odyssey because he had to endure so much while on his own.

Ajax was a fun-loving imp. He loved to run after us and jump onto a counter to beg for water. Every faucet in the house was “his”. He also liked to share with his bro (Falstaff, a Persian) and with his sis (Ariel, a short-haired tuxedo). When Joy thawed scallops in the kitchen sink, he would jump onto the counter and drop two down; one for his bro and one for his sis. Then he would proceed to eat his own. He loved laminate. He would run and then flop onto his side to slide on it while his bro and sis watched. Ajax definitely had a “presence” in the house.

Every night Ajax would crawl into bed on Joy’s side and get under the covers. Then he would crawl up and place his head on the pillow next to hers and sleep. His purring always calmed her and helped her sleep. He and Joy shared a very special bond.

We had to make the difficult decision to say good-bye to him because cancer had devastated his body. It was the last loving act we could do for him. He was a wonderful, furry, four-legged person that is missed every day. We know he’s snitching scallops and sharing them with his friends in Heaven.

Rick And Joy P.