Orion Memorial Page 4

The largest, most robust and playful in a litter of five, Izzy's passing devastated the child whose closest friend he'd been. His smaller brother, Gizmo, asleep here, now holds his place in her heart.

Virginia

Jesse came home, with his sister Jenny, Christmas Eve, 1999. Jesse was a beautiful male Maine Coon, who loved everyone, including all his 5 brothers and sisters. When we later adopted two feral kittens, Jesse became their mother. He'd cuddle and clean them, and even let them pretend to nurse! Jesse was sick almost from the beginning, with various URIs, and huge swollen glands. He couldn't play as much as his sister, he'd run out of energy. However, he always had enough energy to purr and receive lots of TLC. He was my precious baby. He'd just turned a year old when he developed what was to be FIP. We lost him so quickly, within a week. A piece of my heart crossed the rainbow bridge with him, and I know Jesse will be waiting for me when it's time to meet again. Love you so much, lil guy!

Mom

This is my dearest Calumet GoldiLox at 7 months at the 1998 CFA International Show. I loved him more than any other kitten I've ever had. He was born with a pericardioperitoneodiaphragmatic hernia with split sternum...but he didn't know that! He had only skin covering his insides from navel to upper chest but he was vigorous and active and the sweetest little guy I've ever known. When he was 5 months old, he and I traveled to KSU where his miracle surgeon pulled him all back together (including wiring his sternum together) and he came through it all beautifully. Two months later the judges at the show didn't even notice that his ruff was shorter than it should have been! Two months after that I looked at him one day and asked, "Doodle-bug, why are you so skinny?" Goldi died in my arms at the age of 10 months. None of my other cats developed FIP. Because of this, his entire litter and parents were altered and I'm
showing alters. I love you and I miss you, Goldi!

Sincerely, Cindy Stryker

Such a sweetheart that his name was Romeo... his love for us will always be remembered.

Anne & Denise

It took me over a year to find you, my precious little one, but not even a lifetime can make me forget you!

You were the kindest, sweetest little boy ever, and I'm still so proud of you. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go! As the first choc-white BSH male in Norway you were my coming little star; both regarding to your lovable personality and to breed standards. Nominated to Best in Show in 3 of the 4 cat shows you attended, and supposed to be my future stud - going from being a prince to a king. I was so looking forward to sharing many years with you, but fate wanted it differently. You died 4 days before Christmas only 7 months old, another victim for FIP - this dreadful disease!

Thanks for the 4 months I got to be your friend! The memory of your sweet little face will always be in my heart! Those people that don't understand how much sorrow and grief the loss of a cat may cause, have a poor life because they don't know how much joy and happiness a beloved cat can give you!

Hanne
Norway

Waiting til we come home to her,
Anxious if we are late...
Watching from Heaven's window,
Leaning from Heaven's gate...

Margaret Widdemer

Her most favorite thing was to play with the fish and in her short bright life she taught many of the others the joys of wet paws.... We miss you sweet girl.

Mama Shayla
South West Region/USA

The girl on the left, Vixen, was my "heart cat". I hadn't had a cat companion for about 20 years when we adopted these 2 littermates. Vixen taught me the meaning of total devotion & unconditional love like I have never known it before & I will always be grateful to her for that. She had a very short life (10 months) but she influenced my life in so many ways in that period of time.

Verity, on the right, was my husband's "heart cat". She was rather aloof with other people and other cats but he was special to her. She always seemed to be healthier & stronger than Vixen & losing her to FIP was devastating. We just didn't think it could happen again.

Before we lost these sisters, they instilled the love of their breed in me so deeply that I decided to show & breed Birmans. I am still pursuing that dream but until we find a test & a cure for this most insidious disease, I will never be able to relax & truly enjoy my breeding program.

Corinne Dillingham
Elpis Birmans
Mystic, CT

Mona graced our lives for too short a time but while she was here we cherished her sweet playful personality. She was a pretty girl with a butterfly on her shoulders and a great heart. Barb and I will miss her.

Carolyn Ellis
Chloes Cattery
N. H., USA

Sugi was my daughter's best friend and only sibling. They were inseparable. He would ride on her shoulder at the cat shows, get in the shower with her, walk on a leash, learned tricks and performed them for all her friends, put up with her dressing him in doll clothes and riding in a baby carriage because he loved her as much as she loved him.

He was perfectly healthy until 6 weeks before his untimely death from the dry form of FIP. His loss was especially hard but the memory of good times is cherished. He will never be forgotten and will always be loved. We love and miss you, Sugi.

Mary and Claire Rathbun

The Fragile Circle

We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live with in a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.
Irving Townsend

Bonnie Washburn

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