This is the story of Peach, a fiesty and courageous little orange and white feline who was determined not to let his battle with cancer interfere with his zest for life. His tale is told by his mom, Monique.

"Thirty four months can be a lifetime. That's how long Peach was with us. He strayed into our lives in July of 2001, a full grown cat with a kitten countenance. This attitude remained as he battled cancer which was diagnosed just sixteen months later. Four surgeries, one of which involved the amputation of his left rear leg, did not slow him down at all. Jumping and running were his favorite things and he continued to enjoy them with a fervor until the last few months of his life.

Drug therapy, chemotherapy, blood tests...we tried everything in our attempt to battle the cancer soldiers. Through all of that, Peach's attitude never waivered. Instead, he "beeped" his thanks. We secretly and silently shed many a tear. Each new day would bring renewed hope that maybe, just maybe, he would emerge the victor in this war. But instead, we saw a slow, insidious decline as Peach quit doing the things he loved, such as jumping, burrowing, rolling over and over on the floor like a leaf in the wind, and toilet surfing during our showers. Our quiet talks on the bed ceased. He spent countless hours on his favorite wooden chair snuggled up in his custom made afghan. From this vantage point, he could silently survey his outdoor kingdom from behind a screened door. He was happy. Through it all we can say without a doubt that he was happy. Until the last day of his life, he greeted us without fail at the back door upon our arrival from work. His bright, still kitten-like countenance always made us smile.

Peach's life, though, was not just about his battle with cancer. It was about how he raised a teeny stray kitten with just the right amount of tenderness and discipline. It was about how he was able to cram his body into the smallest box and sleep comfortably for hours. It was about the courage he displayed while battling his health problems. It was about the way he bounced back every time we thought the end was near. Sometimes, while we'd be quietly talking about him in the kitchen, " the Creamsicle," as my husband fondly called him, would hop past the kitchen door in hot pursuit of a cardinal who had teased him long enough from the bushes by the back window. It was about how Peach continued to love us throughout all the surgeries, the pain, the pill taking, the visits to the vet...he always forgave, never questioned.

Eventually, his little tumor-covered body gave in to the disease. Our promise, spoken aloud to him many times, was that we would not let him suffer, and we kept that promise. On May 22, 2004, his calm passing brought his short life with us to a close. His strong spirit will always remain in our hearts and in our household. Thirty four months is a lifetime...but as we all know, sometimes a lifetime is not long enough."

To read more about Peach, visit his WEB DIARY for more information and lots of great photos of this unforgettable little guy.