Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    	I have been away from this notes file for awhile now and just
    	happened back in and read your story about your "warrior" and
    	his harrowing night away from home at the vets. I had a kitty
    	once who experienced much the same situation. She had been
    	abandoned and trapped in a boarded up house when she was about
    	10 months old. Someone found her and she was giving birth to
    	dead kittens. The vet figured she had been caught in her first
    	heat. She had been starved and was all torn up from fights.
    	She first went to the vet who took the kittens and spayed her.
    	She then went to the Animal Rescue Society in the town where I
    	lived and she stayed in a cage until I showed up (having seen
    	her picture in the paper) and took her home. I took two weeks off
    	and did practically nothing but hold her on my lap the whole time.
    	She just layed there and was comfy. If I had to put her down for
    	anything, she cried if I got out of sight and was rather tense.
    	She lived with me for about 5 years until she was diagnosed with
    	Feline Leukemia and Lymphosarcoma. It was pretty awful. Her chest
    	cavity filled with fluid and I had to keep her for a few days
    	at a time in the vets so they could drain fluid from her chest.
    	I brought her things that "smelled like home" every day (afghan
    	blankets, etc) so she wouldn't be too sad and the vet let me hold
    	her a little. She just curled up against me and purred a little.
    	I hated (and I think she hated) when I had to leave her there
    	and go home.  Ultimately I got to take her home one more time for
    	awhile before the last trip we had to make (hated that too) but
    	the point is, I think they do remember and as kind as your vet
    	may be, to quote our friend Dorothy "There's no place like home."
    
    				Kim and Catnip (Coon cat extraordinaire!)

    We never could figure out why out first cat, Ting, always used to
    run from my brother-in-law.  We found out many years later that
    he had tapped him (so he said ) on the nose and every time he would
    come to visit us he would make that same motion and Ting would hide
    until he left.  I think they have definite memories of both good
    and bad.  Stitch was bottle fed until he was five weeks old and
    even now, though he's 2 - I can't get him in a certain position
    on my lap.
    
    Giudi in SF (Pippin, Gino & Stitch)
    
    PS. Re. 1 - Your story made me cry!

    re: .0 - I also think they do remember - and not only will he
    remember that you left him at the vet's but also that you came
    back for him. Don't feel guilty, just give him more lovin's.
      Nancy DC

    I think they do remember.  Georgie adopted us as a fully grown cat and 
    we've never found out where he came from.  He just followed us home one
    rainy Sunday afternoon when we were out for a walk and that was it.
    
    On occasions he gets a bit worked up.  For example, if I'm upset or if
    a door bangs.  Also, he doesn't like to be in the kitchen when the door
    is closed.
    
    We think he may have had a few frightening experiences...maybe that's 
    why he left home?  Don't suppose we'll ever know.  But whenever he gets
    all uptight we make an extra special fuss of hime and he soon calms down.
    
    Karen
    
    Wheneve he gets like this we 
    

    Re: .4
    
    sorry for the stray editing at the end of the previous note :-)
    
    Karen

    Oliver went out for a little while today - decided to trust us (also
    the nice lady tabby from down the road was in the garden!). He still
    limps slightly, but he has calmed down from the last few days a
    bit, although he still wants more cuddles than usual.
    By the way, he brought back from the vet's an appetite almost as
    bad as when we first got him - I think they starved him for the
    X-Ray etc.
    We'll have to leave him at the Vet's for his 'Op' in a few weeks
    - so I hope that he will realise then that we WILL come back for
    him. It ought to stop his fighting as well - I must admit I was
    a bit shocked that a 6 month old kitten would fight over a female!

    I was really sorry to read about your cat, Kim, in .1, but I felt
    really glad that you were able to make up for that awful start in
    her life.

    I know they must.  Oliver was a friendly cat and would go to the
    door when someone was there.  He liked being around people.
    Unfortunately, he became seriously ill.  I think he ate some of his
    cat bed which was made out of wicker.  He spent a great deal of
    time in the vets.  They could only manage to support him 
    as they did not know what was wrong.  He must
    have gone through every test available.  I almost lost him.  Now
    he normally hides when someone comes in the house that he does not
    know, which is almost everyone.  Lately, he has been coming out
    a little and even let my son (who has not lived home during Oliver's
    time) pet him.  So I am hoping he is coming out of it.  It has
    taken approximately 3-4 years for him to get this far.  It was such
    a drastic change and I hate him being so frightened. It must have
    been an awful experience for him. 
    
    Flo and Oliver