Manxy's year of birth is unknown so his year of birth is estimated. My first awareness of him was in 2012 as one of a growing number of strays appearing on our block. During inclement weather Manxy would stay across the street in an older couple's enclosed front porch and on nice days under a large plant in their front yard, but he didn't belong to them. I've long suspected he came from the same house as Twinkie and She Kitty. My sister-in-law and her husband live next door to the older couple and like us, fed and supplied cubbies for the strays that came to their house. Soon after three kittens appeared in the fall of 2012, she wisely proposed a plan to trap and neuter the strays ahead of the upcoming breeding season. In February of 2013, we trapped, neutered and released a mature male ("Big Face" AKA "Old Guy"), a momma cat and her three kittens. Manxy, obviously an older cat well past his glory days, was not included in the plan. Though aloof, he came across the street to eat with our strays and often spent much of the day napping in our front yard.
In the early morning hours of August 25, 2016, Manxy and two of our younger strays were chased back and forth across the street before a sweet and beloved "Boogs" was killed by a neighbor's Huskies on our front porch. Our security camera clearly showed one of the Huskies coming within a foot of catching Manxy before he made it under our pickup, and the following attack on Boogs. Afterwards, my husband would wake in alarm when the younger cats made noise going over the fence at night, and we both worried about old Manxy being out front here and across the street. He had dental issues and an old recurring abscess between his shoulders, both of which had undoubtedly long since become systemic. My sister-in-law wondered if he was declawed because he had never tried to go over the fence with the other strays. My husband cut a small opening in the bottom of the fence so the younger cats could come and go quietly and to let Manxy come into the back on his own, and he immediately and cautiously explored the back yard. Though still a little wary, he started sleeping in a plastic cubby placed just inside fence in the side yard near the opening and came and went at will.
I spent many hours in the back yard with Manxy the first few days to keep an eye on his interactions with the other cats and soon observed him working his front paws on a soft outdoor mat. My sister-in-law was right, he was declawed. After an episode of mild heat exhaustion in the front yard the following summer, the opening was blocked off and he was no longer allowed out of the back yard. Though Manxy bonded with me he never became truly friendly and sociable with the other cats, though they did manage to peacefully coexist together.
In the last few months of his life, Manxy became more debilitated, disoriented and sometimes off balance. As his eyesight became greatly diminished he seemed lost in familiar surroundings and walked in circles until he located his heated cubbie. Except for eating thinned canned food and cat treats, Manxy had very little quality of life left. He was taken to be examined by a veterinarian and while we waited together in the room, Manxy was the most calm, relaxed and serene I'd ever seen him and relished being softly stroked behind his ears which continued during the brief examination before he was euthanized. I dearly loved my grumpy old Manxy boy and my husband cared deeply for him as well. Manxy was laid to rest here at home by two old people who cherished him and will never forget him.
In the early morning hours of August 25, 2016, Manxy and two of our younger strays were chased back and forth across the street before a sweet and beloved "Boogs" was killed by a neighbor's Huskies on our front porch. Our security camera clearly showed one of the Huskies coming within a foot of catching Manxy before he made it under our pickup, and the following attack on Boogs. Afterwards, my husband would wake in alarm when the younger cats made noise going over the fence at night, and we both worried about old Manxy being out front here and across the street. He had dental issues and an old recurring abscess between his shoulders, both of which had undoubtedly long since become systemic. My sister-in-law wondered if he was declawed because he had never tried to go over the fence with the other strays. My husband cut a small opening in the bottom of the fence so the younger cats could come and go quietly and to let Manxy come into the back on his own, and he immediately and cautiously explored the back yard. Though still a little wary, he started sleeping in a plastic cubby placed just inside fence in the side yard near the opening and came and went at will.
I spent many hours in the back yard with Manxy the first few days to keep an eye on his interactions with the other cats and soon observed him working his front paws on a soft outdoor mat. My sister-in-law was right, he was declawed. After an episode of mild heat exhaustion in the front yard the following summer, the opening was blocked off and he was no longer allowed out of the back yard. Though Manxy bonded with me he never became truly friendly and sociable with the other cats, though they did manage to peacefully coexist together.
In the last few months of his life, Manxy became more debilitated, disoriented and sometimes off balance. As his eyesight became greatly diminished he seemed lost in familiar surroundings and walked in circles until he located his heated cubbie. Except for eating thinned canned food and cat treats, Manxy had very little quality of life left. He was taken to be examined by a veterinarian and while we waited together in the room, Manxy was the most calm, relaxed and serene I'd ever seen him and relished being softly stroked behind his ears which continued during the brief examination before he was euthanized. I dearly loved my grumpy old Manxy boy and my husband cared deeply for him as well. Manxy was laid to rest here at home by two old people who cherished him and will never forget him.
Manxy's year of birth is unknown so his year of birth is estimated. My first awareness of him was in 2012 as one of a growing number of strays appearing on our block. During inclement weather Manxy would stay across the street in an older couple's enclosed front porch and on nice days under a large plant in their front yard, but he didn't belong to them. I've long suspected he came from the same house as Twinkie and She Kitty. My sister-in-law and her husband live next door to the older couple and like us, fed and supplied cubbies for the strays that came to their house. Soon after three kittens appeared in the fall of 2012, she wisely proposed a plan to trap and neuter the strays ahead of the upcoming breeding season. In February of 2013, we trapped, neutered and released a mature male ("Big Face" AKA "Old Guy"), a momma cat and her three kittens. Manxy, obviously an older cat well past his glory days, was not included in the plan. Though aloof, he came across the street to eat with our strays and often spent much of the day napping in our front yard.
In the early morning hours of August 25, 2016, Manxy and two of our younger strays were chased back and forth across the street before a sweet and beloved "Boogs" was killed by a neighbor's Huskies on our front porch. Our security camera clearly showed one of the Huskies coming within a foot of catching Manxy before he made it under our pickup, and the following attack on Boogs. Afterwards, my husband would wake in alarm when the younger cats made noise going over the fence at night, and we both worried about old Manxy being out front here and across the street. He had dental issues and an old recurring abscess between his shoulders, both of which had undoubtedly long since become systemic. My sister-in-law wondered if he was declawed because he had never tried to go over the fence with the other strays. My husband cut a small opening in the bottom of the fence so the younger cats could come and go quietly and to let Manxy come into the back on his own, and he immediately and cautiously explored the back yard. Though still a little wary, he started sleeping in a plastic cubby placed just inside fence in the side yard near the opening and came and went at will.
I spent many hours in the back yard with Manxy the first few days to keep an eye on his interactions with the other cats and soon observed him working his front paws on a soft outdoor mat. My sister-in-law was right, he was declawed. After an episode of mild heat exhaustion in the front yard the following summer, the opening was blocked off and he was no longer allowed out of the back yard. Though Manxy bonded with me he never became truly friendly and sociable with the other cats, though they did manage to peacefully coexist together.
In the last few months of his life, Manxy became more debilitated, disoriented and sometimes off balance. As his eyesight became greatly diminished he seemed lost in familiar surroundings and walked in circles until he located his heated cubbie. Except for eating thinned canned food and cat treats, Manxy had very little quality of life left. He was taken to be examined by a veterinarian and while we waited together in the room, Manxy was the most calm, relaxed and serene I'd ever seen him and relished being softly stroked behind his ears which continued during the brief examination before he was euthanized. I dearly loved my grumpy old Manxy boy and my husband cared deeply for him as well. Manxy was laid to rest here at home by two old people who cherished him and will never forget him.
In the early morning hours of August 25, 2016, Manxy and two of our younger strays were chased back and forth across the street before a sweet and beloved "Boogs" was killed by a neighbor's Huskies on our front porch. Our security camera clearly showed one of the Huskies coming within a foot of catching Manxy before he made it under our pickup, and the following attack on Boogs. Afterwards, my husband would wake in alarm when the younger cats made noise going over the fence at night, and we both worried about old Manxy being out front here and across the street. He had dental issues and an old recurring abscess between his shoulders, both of which had undoubtedly long since become systemic. My sister-in-law wondered if he was declawed because he had never tried to go over the fence with the other strays. My husband cut a small opening in the bottom of the fence so the younger cats could come and go quietly and to let Manxy come into the back on his own, and he immediately and cautiously explored the back yard. Though still a little wary, he started sleeping in a plastic cubby placed just inside fence in the side yard near the opening and came and went at will.
I spent many hours in the back yard with Manxy the first few days to keep an eye on his interactions with the other cats and soon observed him working his front paws on a soft outdoor mat. My sister-in-law was right, he was declawed. After an episode of mild heat exhaustion in the front yard the following summer, the opening was blocked off and he was no longer allowed out of the back yard. Though Manxy bonded with me he never became truly friendly and sociable with the other cats, though they did manage to peacefully coexist together.
In the last few months of his life, Manxy became more debilitated, disoriented and sometimes off balance. As his eyesight became greatly diminished he seemed lost in familiar surroundings and walked in circles until he located his heated cubbie. Except for eating thinned canned food and cat treats, Manxy had very little quality of life left. He was taken to be examined by a veterinarian and while we waited together in the room, Manxy was the most calm, relaxed and serene I'd ever seen him and relished being softly stroked behind his ears which continued during the brief examination before he was euthanized. I dearly loved my grumpy old Manxy boy and my husband cared deeply for him as well. Manxy was laid to rest here at home by two old people who cherished him and will never forget him.
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