Conference misery::feline

120.0. "Miss Meow....rest in comfort, girl.." by DELNI::JMCDONOUGH () Mon Jan 06 1992 11:02

      As I sit here and write this, my wife, Julie is on her way to our
    Vet's office to hold Miss Meow and say "goodbye" to her. Miss Meow was
    Julie's very first cat...(I cannot recall how many times I heard "I
    just don't LIKE cats..." before she came on the scene.). Julie was
    reaised in a house where the parents did not have much use for animals
    at all...and no use at all for cats. So she got brainwashed at an early
    age...
    
      However, wehn we moved into our house around 9 years ago, we had
    already acquired 3 dogs...adn one day Julie came up from the basement
    where the washer and drier are, and told me that a cat was down there,
    and that it was friendly and ungry. Not having any catfood in the
    house, I did the next best thing and opened a can of Tuna, which the
    poor hungry thing wolfed down. We then got some catfood and continued
    to feed her. Soon however, she came up the stairs and began to meow
    to get in the house...so I told Julie to let her in... After a minor
    tiff with our Beagle, Daisy, the animal population decided to live in
    harmony, and other than the day that we got our Yellow Lab and Miss
    Meow literally ATTACKED this intruder, we've had very little if any
    problems between animals...all 11 dogs and 4 cats get along very
    well...
    
       We took this cat--which instead of being grey as we had thought, but
    rather pure white after she cleaned the soot and dirt off her fur--to
    the Vet... Julie had named her "Miss Meow" by this time. We did the
    usual tests, and everything looked fine until the FeLV test came back:
    POSITIVE!!. But shince she showed no symptoms, and we had no other
    cats, we decided to wait ans see what would happen. Our Vet said that
    many cats are carriers, but do not actually have this dreaded disease. 
    We tested her 3 years in a row after that, and each time she showed
    positive...then we began to give her the immunization yearly and
    stopped the testing. She never ever did show any symptoms, and our
    other two negatives are immunized annually as well. Our other positive
    gets the immunization too....
    
      We have no idea how old this girl was when she came to us, but her
    teeth DID show some wear and dirt/plaque, so she MAY have been as old
    as 6 or 7 years or more. She was one of those cats that, while being
    very affectionate, was not very outgoing.She was content to sleep in
    her bed and come for an occasional sit on Julie's lap, but was not
    assertive in any way. 
    
      Two weeks ago she went off her food, and we got her on antibiotics
    because she appeared to have a bad cold. She seemed to respond to the
    medication at first, and began to eat agains, but Friday evening she
    stopped again, and I noticed she'd lost her muscle tone and her fur was
    becoming rather scruffy looking. Since there were no vets open we had
    no choice but to wait until today, and we took her in. Tests were taken
    and the bad news was given to us: Feline Aids. Very swollen lymph
    nodes, and the prognosis is hopeless. So with heavy heart and sadness,
    we are forced to agains say goodbye to one of our friends. But we gave
    her over 8 great years, and who knows what would have happened toher if
    we had not been the one's she came to. She may have actually been 15-16
    years old...  We'll miss her...especially Julie, since this was "her"
    cat, and the cat that had the distinction of dismissing the "I don't
    like cats" idea from her mind forever.  
    
      My pet name for her was "Meow Chow",because she was such a little
    eater...
    
    
       'Bye "Chow"....we'll miss you....Take care..and say "hello" to all
    of our other babies up there..."Bitch Mew", "Daisy", "Minney", "Rudi",
    "Ruby", "Henderson", and "Henry" will be waiting there to greet you and
    show you around...
    
     John, Julie, pups and kitties...
    
    

    John,
    
    We are very sorry to hear about Miss Meow.  Heartfelt sympathy to you
    and Julie.  Continue to take comfort in the wonderful memories.  Our
    thoughts are with you.
    
    Chris and MacBlue

    I have to admit that I'm in tears, still being relatively fresh in my
    grief over my Tiki II.  Maybe he'll meet up with Miss Meow, and be a
    friend.
    
    Our most and deepest heartfelt sympathies.
    
    K.C., Leigh, Rico, Alex (& Tiki II)

    John,
    
    I, too, am in tears.  I remember the pain of losing Bitser so recently
    - also my first cat and the one who convinced me to love cats.
    
    Give my sympathies to Julie as well.  The sadest part of having animals
    is having to lose them.  But the wonderful memories always remain.
    
    Ellen, Bob and Zelda

    John and Julie....
    
    Sniff sniff....my heart goes out to you.  But you must take comfort
    in knowing what you both have giving to so many strays....LOVE...and
    that is all that matters!   I'm sure your kitty appreciated all you
    have done for her and you must have many memories to keep close to
    your heart.
    
    Go home and hug all your other animals....fur is a great place to
    try up tears!
    
    Sincere Sympathies....  Sandy  

    
                condolences to you and Julie,
    
                Denise and the gang of 11 and a dog
    

    John,
    Your note put tears in my eyes.  I'm sorry this has happened.  My
    condolences, thoughts and prayers are with you.
    
    Karen, Cleo, Katie, Alex and Skeeters

    John,
    
         My deepest sympathies to you and Julie.  I know how hard it is to
    lose a special friend.
    
    					- Andrea

    
    	My heart goes out to you and your family. I recently lost
    	my first baby and it's not easy. Never lose your memories.
    
    	Liz and Mocha

    John & Julie,
    
    I'm very sorry. 
    
    Bonnie

    John and Julie,
    
    Please add my sincerest condolensces as well.  No cat could have asked
    for a better life than Miss Meow.
    
    -Roberta
    

	We're sorry too, John (and Julie).

	Sandy + 6

    	Diane and I send our sincerest condolensces. 
    
    Mike

    
    
     John,
    
           This definitely brings tears to my eyes as it's been less than
       a year since I lost my sweetheart Sylvester to cancerous tumors. 
    It's very, very hard and your right, you don't know what kind of life 
    Miss Meow might have had if you and your wife hadn't taken her in
    and given her a loving, caring home.
    
    I am very sorry to hear about Miss Meow.
    
    
    Diana, Tykey & Domino

    We are also very sorry to hear about Miss Meow.. we will remember all
    of you in  our prayers.
    Kate, Happy, Preschie, and Kissy

    John, Julie:
    
    I'm so very sorry for your loss - I'm sure that all of her friends will
    be waiting there to welcome her.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.
    
    Giudi +3

    John 
      I am about 450 notes behind now but I saw your subject line and
    read through.  I am so sorry to hear about Miss Meow and can only
    think how very lucky she was to have you and your family.  
    
    I have added her name to the Silver Lining memorial list.
      Nancy DC
    

    
    Although a new kitty owner, the thought of loss, brings
    tears.  Like Julie, Ginger is a first.  All our love and
    prayers,
    
    Sharlene, Bob, Katie also Ginger and Zeyphr