She's not my cat, but belonged to a manager I work with who I also consider a friend. Long story short, I met a lady a couple of years ago who was trying to find a home for her 11 y.o. cat. The story was that she was highly allergic and couldn't take dealing with it anymore. I was very tactful and said if I knew anyone looking for an older Himalayan, I would let her know (because I know the fate of most older animals at the shelter). About two weeks later, I was talking to my friend who mentioned her little dog had passed away and she was looking perhaps at getting a cat for a companion since she and her husband both work in restaurants and aren't home a lot. I asked if she had a specific breed in mind or just any housecat. She said she'd like a Himalayan - had one previously, loved the breed. So I told her about Crystal, gave her the other lady's phone number, and two days later, Crystal was living with my friend.
My friend just told me Crystal went to the Bridge last week due to heartworm, which is not terribly common in cats. My friend is heartbroken.
Run free Crystal...you were loved very much. And (((hugs))) for your family.