Conference misery::feline_v1

2247.0. "The story of SAM" by ATLAST::FAILE (What a waste of good storage!) Wed Feb 22 1989 18:13

    I "discovered" this conference several weeks ago and have been browsing
    through it in my spare time enjoying (and sometimes saddened)
    by the stories.
    
    I too am a cat lover and would like to relate to you the story of
    Sam, a female tabby.  Approximately four years ago my wife & I
    purchased our first home after living in a apartment for a year.
    She was not a "cat_person" and I was and I was determined to have
    a cat in the house once we got out of the apartment.  (A house isn't
    a home without at least one cat!)
    
    Anyway, as we were unpacking in the new house we naturally had lots
    of trash to take to a local dumpster.  When we arrived at the dumpster
    two kittens (that someone had discarded) rushed out from under one
    of the huge green metal boxes and began purring like crazy!  
    
    I scooped them up.  My wife was a little unnerved by all of this
    but said that she thought a friend of hers would take one and that
    if she did she'd try to learn to like the second one.  To make a
    long story short her friend said no to taking the cat and we decided
    that we couldn't keep them both and that we should put them back
    where we found them.  (how i hated that! but you have to keep harmony
    with those you love)  Anyway, I was given the job of taking the
    kitties back to the trash dump, when I arrived there I just couldn't
    abandon them to their "old" habitat so I decide to "drop them off"
    near some homes WAY out in the country where I thought they'd be
    able to get a square meal.  I did this and you guessed it! What
    a sleepless night. (talk about feeling like a jerk!)
    
    THe next day I came to work and thought about two kittens all day
    long!  As soon as five o'clock came I headed for the country (never
    even stopped by the house to let my wife know).  It was dark by
    the time I reached the location where I had dropped the kittens
    off.  I pulled the car over to the side of the road got out and
    called "here kitty!" and up out of the bushes came two happy kittens!
    I think I was as glad to see them as they were me.  THe first one
    that got to me eventually became Sam. THe other was a little slow
    so I put "SAM" in my car and was picking up the other one when a
    second car pulled over a women rolled down her window and inquired
    if I was putting the cat out.  I told her no, that I already had
    one and was just going back to get the second one and she said she
    would keep it if I didn't mind.  Needless to say I gave the second
    kitten to her and took SAM home with me.  Talk about small miracles!
    
    Sam was with us until this past November about three days before
    Thanksgiving, when we woke up one morning and found that she had
    gone to sleep and just never woke up.  My wife and I were shattered,
    since SAM had always had the best treatment we could find for her
    and always made regular trips to the vet etc.  We were however glad
    that she shared her all to brief life with us and she did introduce
    my wife to the joys of having a little furface around the house.
    
    After we got over SAM's passing we contacted a local humane society
    and now are proud to share our home with Brandy a very energetic
    calico.  I've got some rally wild tales about Brandy, but will share
    those with at a later time.  
    
    BTW, my wife now thinks that cats are little people too.
    
    Cody
        
    

    That was a lovely (if sad!) story.
    
    Wishing you a long and happy friendship with Brandy.
    
    Karen

    This story should have been video taped.
    
    It's very difficult to loose a pet so quickly but I personally would
    rather that than a long lingering illness, or life cut short by a
    car or truck.
    
    Enjoy your new pet and tell your wife welcome to the world of fur
    faces, glad to have another member.
    
    Regards,
    Barbara

    I was so upset to read of you just dropping them off and thought
    that you would never find both of them again.  To my amazement,
    both of them were still there waiting for Daddy to return.  The
    tears started falling then.  I am so glad that you went back to
    get them and were able to enjoy Sam.
    
    I know Brandy will be loved and cared for as much as Sam was.
    
    Sandi (Lightning, DejaVu & Thunder's mom)
    
    

      Sure am glad you converted your wife to a cat lover! She'll
    be hooked for life now....you'll never have to worry about having
    cats around again!
    
                                      Denise

      Cody,
      Your wife sounds like mine used to!! Julie didn't want anything to
    do with cats until our little white orphan appeared one day in our 
    basement.... Julie was always a DOG person... well,instead of getting 
    into a story here, suffice to say that we now have THREE cats....along
    with NINE dogs!! And all 14 of us live in the house together in
    perfect harmony!!
    
      Re .4
      I disagree with you on a minor point!! Cody wasn't the one who hooked
    his wife!! It was the KITTY!!! They have a unique ability to wrap
    themselves around your heart...all you have to do is give them a
    chance!!
    
    JMcD

    Sniff, sniff - I cry so easily!!  
    
      Wonderful story - thanks for sharing it.  I hope you have 
    Brandy for many many many happy years.
      Nancy DC
    

    Thanks for all the replies.  I was just sitting at home here browsing
    through the conference and just enjoyed knowing that there were
    others out there who now know something about Sam (short for Samantha).
    
    Brandy also enjoyed "reading" the replies.  She was sitting on my
    lap watching the terminal screen & occasionally had to try and catch
    the cursor with her paws.  Now if I can only teach which keys to
    press on the keyboard...
    
    Cody (Brandy...Sam) :-)
    

    Re: .7
    
    Keep her away from Break.  That's Sweetie's favorite key.
    Next to rolling on top of the keyboard, that is.