This was a game Barney liked to play. He would get on my bicycle seat and spend a good bit of time trying to grab his tail. Every once in awhle, he would manage to grab his tail. Another game he like to play was fetch. I had this cheap gold chain, and I would toss it and Barney would fetch it and bring it back to me to toss for him again.

The first year was good, but about May 1994, Barney got sick, and had a re-occuring problem with crystals in his urine. We managed to get Barney on a diet that controlled the problem but it made him gain weight that he couldn't lose. This didn't stop Barney though, and he matured into a really nice cat. He just hated going to the vet, where he went so much for his problem. This resulted in Barney hating going for a drive in the truck.

In April 1996, Barney would have to make a big trip across the country. I knew Roxy wouldn't mind the trip, but Barney was going to be something else all together. So to make the trip to Calgary easier, I got some pills to make Barney dopey for the trip. It worked and Barney would sleep most of the trip. He would come out of the sedative in the late afternoon. He still didn't care where he was. The memory I have of Barney the most on our trip is him coming out of his sleep and sitting behind my head with his paws on the headrest. We are travelling through Montreal, and I happen to look up at him and see the silly expression he had on his face. Barney's Happiness Pills ran out by Thunder Bay, but by then I think he realized he wasn't on the way to the vet and settled down.

Barney managed to survive the trip to Calgary but had re-occurances of his urine problems. His weight problems just got worse and he just couldn't lose any. He seemed happy and in good health. But this was all about to change in May of 2000. I happened to make a trip to Ontario to visit my Sister and Family. While I was away Dave & Pat Marshall were looking out for Roxy and Barney. One night my cell phone rings while I am in Cambridge, and it is Dave telling me they found the kitchen floor full of blood and Barney in a bad way. Barney was rushed to the emergency clinic in Inglewood and then taken to his own vet at the Westmount Animal Clinic the next morning.

I called my own vet the next day and found out Barney didn't look all that great. I had a decision to make and I told Dave to tell Dr Golbeck to do the humane thing and put poor Barney to sleep. I also told Dave to tell Barney I was sorry I couldn't be there for him and I would always remember him and that I loved him.

My Sister Edie took me out for the day to buy some souvenirs and show me the old part of Cambridge and how some old factories were turned into shops. But unfortunately my heart wasn't in it. I figured poor Barn was gone. I wasn't very good company on the visit to old Cambridge.

When we got back to Edie's house, there was a message waiting for me saying Barney was still alive and seemed to be getting better. Before Barney was supposed to be put to sleep, Dana who isn't at the Clinic anymore ask Dr Golbeck if there a big rush to put Barney to sleep, or if it could be delayed to see if he was going to improve. Through the morning Barney did improve. The Clinic needed to know if I still wanted to put Barney to sleep, or start treatments.

Barney was put on extensive treatments and tests and Pat Marshall went and visited Barney everyday to let him know I was coming home soon, and Barney, Roxy and I would all be together soon. Pat took the above picture of Barney in the Clinic. When I got back from Ontario it was too late to go get him at the Clinic. Bright and early the next morning I was at the Clinic bringing him home. As soon as Barney saw me, he perked right up and knew he was going home.

Roxy was glad to see Barney get home as well, and she even made an effort to be extra nice to him. Unfortunately, we only had the weekend with Barney. On Sunday, I had to go back to work, and when I got home on break between the matinee and evening shows, I found Barney didn't have an appitite or even want water. I had to get water into him, so I rushed out and got some eye droppers. He had trouble drinking the water, and I knew it wasn't good.

All night that Sunday, everytime I touched Barney's back, he would wince in pain when I got close to the tail. Monday morning it was back to the Clinic. This time Barney even walked into his carrier without a fuss. I knew in my heart this was going to be a one way trip. Roxy even went to Barney before he got into his carrier and rubbed noses, as a goodbye gesture.

I must have been in denial that Barney's time was near. I went to the pet shop in Westhills and bought Barney an new Carrier to come home in as the handle on his old one broke. I had to work all day at the cinema and got off around 17:00 hours. I had to rush to the Clinic, and when I got there, things were not good. Bill told me I had two options, with one being take Barney to another clinic for an ultra-sound to see what was wrong, as the x-rays didn't show everything, or take Bill's advice and do the humane thing and put Barney out of his pain. I opted for the second way.

It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. The last time I had a decision like this was when I had to put Rusty to sleep. Barney took 4 needless to go to sleep. I had Barney cremated and his ashes sit in a cedar box with his name etched in brass on it. I have Barney sitting on my computer stand and he is up above my monitor and he keeps watch over me.

Dr Golbeck did an autopsy on Barney and found out that all through Barney's 7 years with Roxy and me, his liver never grew from a kittens. This is why Barney had his weight problem from his first year to his death. His poor little liver couldn't handle all that was asked of it. About a week later, I got a Sympathy card from the Clinic with everyone's signiture. It helped to know not only did I miss my Barn, but others were sharing my grief.. With the card came the following poem.