Orion

A 6mo shelter kitty that touched my heart and soul so completely that I could not keep from taking him home. His fur was like angora - you could lose yourself in it. His sweetness and tolerance was not only admirable, but contagious. And his beauty was like no other. As if he was painted with careful purpose by hand. My harlequin kitty, with a black nose, green eyes, and matching white stripes on the edge of both ears! What a sight to see! Godspeed dear Smudge.

Evenstar blessed our home for only a short time, but I would not trade that for anything in the world because the joy she brought with her outweighs the pain in our heart from losing her to effusive FIP.

This is what I said to her shortly before she crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Starbaby,

You used to follow me around the house I could always hear you purring right behind me I

picked you up and you would sit on my lap for hours on end. You had the sweetest spirit I had ever seen. Then one day you stumbled and fell. Your tummy had swelled so badly it hurt you to walk. You still followed me around the house, but only with your eyes. You tried to tag along my heels but I knew you were losing the fight. In the end when you could no longer walk You still followed me everywhere- Because I held you in my arms and carried you. I thank God that your Daddy and I were holding you when you fell asleep and found eternal peace.

I still listen to the song I played during our last trip to the vet.
(Part of Amy Grant's "I will Remember You")

Look in my eyes while you're here
Tell me what's happening here
See that I don't want to say
Goodbye
Our love is frozen in time
I'll be your Champion and you will be mine
...I will remember you

Taken from us by FIP at only 9 months old.
She never got the chance to grow up and fully
explore the wonderful world around her.
We miss you so much little one.
Life just isn't the same without you.

Mommy, Daddy, Spencer & Corona

My beloved 'Pumpkin' was a pure joy. He loved the companionship of his sister, Sasha and he was as gentle as a soft wind. His short life was one of unending curiosity, love, and play.

Garth was my first true love. Garth picked me on my 22^nd birthday, from the Delaware, Ohio Humane Society. Surrounded by cats and kittens of all sizes, I knelt down on the floor to play with them. The next thing I knew, a 1 ½ year old tiger cat leapt onto my shoulder, and nuzzled his face against the rim of my glasses. For me, there never could have been any other.

Garth was the most laid back cat you’d ever meet, and our connection defied anything I have ever experienced before in my life. Garth knew what I needed, sometimes before I even knew, myself. He was the one who came running every time I cried, who slept cuddled up tight to me every night, who preferred to drink water from my glass, rather than his bowl. He even grew to love Simon, whom I adopted a year before Garth left us; though I think now, he loved him more for my benefit, than his own.

It seems inconceivable that I have to go through the rest of the long life I had planned for us without him. The night Garth was too weak to even purr while he lie next to me in bed, was the last night he spent with me.

I never knew a kitty as special and clever as you. Our time together was so brief, but I am grateful I got to be your mom in this lifetime. You will always be in my heart and will never, ever be forgotten. I am sorry you had to suffer. Until we meet again, sweet Sebastian.... I hope you know how much you are loved.

Missing you terribly,
Tammy and Sugar

You came to me in November at a time when I needed a companion more than I cared to admit. You were such a cute little cat, a “little gray bag o’ bones”! You would come downstairs and run past me in the kitchen, meowing, "Don't pet the cat!" After a couple of weeks, your coat shined and you had filled out a little! You and I were getting to know one another's ways, and I could tell you trusted me. You would strut through the kitchen, clicking your claws on the tile to make your presence known! "Don't pet the cat" was now reserved for company you didn't expect! When you were brought to me, I was told how much you liked “ear love”. I was pleasantly surprised when you let me rub your belly while you stretched and pulled yourself along the carpet on your side with your claws! Belly lovin’ quickly became a favorite way of saying hello! We both had lots of love to give to each other, and we did so, every day. I could tell you were bored while I was at work, when I

would come home and find your toys all over the house...each one delicately plucked from your little wrought iron toy basket. If only I had the time to train you to put them away! You were my first clawed cat, and you were so good with them! You only used them on your scratchy box (when you weren’t sitting on it!), and you never once thought of trying them out on the leather furniture! When I would finally take a few moments to sit down, you were right there looking for my lap. A lap cat you were, like no other cat I have ever had! And you were good at it! I really enjoyed the times we cuddled on the big chair and ottocat (ottoman is such a misnomer!), or when you curled up next to me after I’d settled into bed. We had only recently discovered the joys that spring on our screened-in front porch could bring...enjoying the sounds of the morning doves together, smelling the rain as it pattered down around us (without the unpleasantness of getting wet!), watching people go by, some walking their dogs (after you realized you were safe from your vantage point!), or retreating back into the sanctuary of our home when that noisy neighbor got out his string trimmer and lawnmower! When I first realized you were ill, you made a simple butt scoot look like a work of art...you looked like a little tractor, tiny front paws pulling you along while your hind legs wind-milled around like big wheels in back! I was devastated to learn that there was such a monstrous disease at work inside your frail little body. Supportive care included lots of extra pampering and moist food every day, with special gifts of tuna sent by your Mike. The day before you succumbed, you were still begging for that tuna, with fervor! (9-Lives just couldn't hold a candle to that!) The disease was quick, two weeks after it was diagnosed, God took you back home. Every minute I could, I was giving you love, and you were filling my heart in return. Your last hours, you purred with every bit of strength you could muster, your light and fragile body held against mine. You were indeed a Trooper right up to the end of your time here with me. You gave me so much to look forward to every day, and I will never forget you. My Trooper cat, my little gray girl, you will live on in my heart until we are reunited in heaven.

Love,
Tara

Beloved Friend, Always in our hearts
The house is emptier without you.

Missed & loved so much by Mike & Aurora.

You were an absolutely fearless kitten. Even though your big “brothers” were three times your size, you struck fear into their hearts as you pounced on them from behind. Your kitty hugs were the sweetest, and we remember the soft touch of your paws around our necks. Though you put up a valiant fight, FIP took you from us in only 5 weeks. We miss you something fierce, Blue.

Ring, Billy and Kenan

Rascal and his brother, Tiger, came into my life at 6 weeks old. I fell in love with them immediately. Rascal was a flame point siamese and looked so much like one I'd had as a child that was stolen from our yard.

He had some of the funniest ways. He would "air box" and it was adorable. He also had some bad habits, like chewing on my sister's oxygen tubing. She often told him his being so cute was his saving grace.

He escaped a few times and two months ago was gone for a week. As it turned out, he was locked in a shed my neighbor was building. He found him and called. I left work to go catch him and bring him home.

On Wednesday, August 5, he was fine in the morning, but when I came home in the afternoon, he was just lying around. He wouldn't eat or drink. I had to syringe-feed him some milk. I had to work a 12 hr shift that day and when I returned in the morning, he was lying in the hall and had wet himself. When I picked him up, there were globs of mucus coming out his backside. I brought him to the vet, who ran some tests. It was determined Friday through the signs he was displaying and the lab results that it was FIP. The vet recommended euthanasia. Having lost two other cats (unrelated to him and I had none of the three at the same time) to FIP, I knew what was coming and didn't want him to suffer any more. His kidneys were also enlarged, which was suspected to be from FIP.

I went in Saturday morning after I got off work. I was there a little earlier than we'd planned. I went in and stuck my fingers in his cage. He had been lying there, almost glassy-eyed. But, he started sniffing and came over and realized "It's my human!". Then, he handed me his ears to scratch! I opened the cage and loved him and we cuddled and I scratched his ears and back. I talked and cried and he even got a little playful at the end and was much himself. My Bootsie (page 28) was like that, too. It could be from adrenaline of knowing their human is there. But, I think that it's a gift from a kind and loving Heavenly Father to allow me to have a few final moments of them the way they will be remembered in life. I'm grateful to Him for that.

I held him and he looked up at me backwards like they do with love in his eyes, as if to see "I have my human and she loves me and I love her." He died in my arms at 8:10 a.m.

Rascal, thanks for letting me share your life with you. You gave me more joy than you will ever know. I love you so much. I love you for ever!