I'm sorry, but I just have to post this. I've met a great number of very nice and kind people on the internet, but something happened last evening that completely took my breath away and caused me to cry waterfalls of tears. And I just have to share this with you.

My oldest cat got sick at the end of February. I took her to the veterinarian. They examined her and did complete blood work and took her blood pressure.  Other than having high blood pressure and needing to have 1/4 of a pill a day, and a few cavities, she is healthy. No problems with her liver. No obstructions. Nothing wrong with her eyes.  No diabetes. No problem with her thyroid.  Her kidney's are not working 100% but she is not in kidney failure. She just needs to have a kidney diet to prevent further deterioration and it's likely that she could live out the rest of her life without ever getting actual kidney failure. She is 16 years old and he's very impressed with her level of health.

I am currently off work on long term disability. It's a fixed income and barely meets my monthly expenses. So paying for a vet meant having to make payment arrangements with them and then rejuggle my budget to pay the vet. It hasn't been easy, but I've been managing.

This past week I took notice that my cat is favouring the side of her mouth that has a bad tooth. I didn't initially realize that her "messiness" while eating was because of the tooth. I thought she was just being picky. He did point out that bad tooth to me during the visit, but I didn't realize she was having such pain while trying to eat until I actually sat to watch her.

Anyway, the vet quoted me $700.00 to pull her bad tooth, plus the others that need pulling.  My brother said he would help me out with the bill, but even if he paid $300.00 that left me with $400.00 to keep paying on my own. Something I just couldn't afford to do.

So I made a tough decision to take my healthy cat to the vet at 11:30 am today and have her euthanized because I couldn't afford the vet bill to extract the teeth that are causing her pain and preventing her from eating.

I was feeling like such a failure for having to do that just because of a couple of bad teeth. But I had no other alternative because I just couldn't afford the treatment she needed. . I can't stand to see her in pain and begging for food because she's hungry and not being able to eat the food.

I post on a cat related website, and when Chynna got sick at the end of February I made a thread asking fellow cat owners to send out positive thoughts that it wasn't anything major.  And I've kept up the thread since, giving Chynna's progress.  She was doing exceptionally well until her tooth started to really hurt last week. 

A fellow in New Foundland read  about Chynna and being a fellow cat lover didn't like the idea of my having to have Chynna, a healthy cat, euthanized because of my life circumstances at this time.

So he contacted me and offered to pay the vet bill for me.

At first I thought it was some colossal cruel joke, but I didn't go off on him. Instead I thanked him  for his kindness and toldhim that I coudln't accept the money.  We exchanged several private messages, and I came to see that he was being 100% sincere.about his offer.

I have a great deal of pride and also some shame for the situation that I find myself in with life right now. I'm doing my best to get back to my job and it looks like this year will finally be the year because i'm actually in physio and doing really well with it. The next step will be a back to work program and I hopefully will be back at my job by the end of summer or early fall.

He told me to not let pride stand in the way of getting Chynna the medical help that she needs right now.

I pushed my pride aside and accepted his kindness. I got a call from the vet's office today. He contacted them to make arrangement for payment of the procedure. Chynna is scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday.

So I  get to have some extra years with my baby girl because of the kindness of a complete stranger named Gerry from New Foundland.

He doesn't want me to pay him back. We had a bit of an argument about that. But he does want me to pay it forward once I'm back to work and on my feet financially.

I'm so blown away and numb.  I still can't believe it.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Oh that is a wonderful wonderful story. It gave me chills reading it.

I love the pay it forward idea:)

I'm so glad this worked out for you and your beloved pet

Excellent story!  Big ups to Gerry, for sure. 

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sniff Man, that's really really touching.  You and your kitty are truly blessed to have such a kindness bestowed.  I hope the operation is a success and your kitty and you live many more years together.  I know how close these little beings can get to ones heart and how enriching they are for those that have them and it would be a true shame to have had her put down for such a thing as bad teeth. 

No more candy for you kitty kat! LOL

HUGZ to you Acadia and your kitty!

Richard ;-)~

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Such unbelievable kindness from a stranger!  Definitely your (and Chynna's) guardian angel:)  Thanks for sharing this.  It made my day:)

Oh Linda...I was thinking about you and your baby this morning...I am so very very happy for you.  Reading that gave me chills...what a wonderful soul that man is.  Thank you so much for sharing this with us...I am actually crying tears of joy for you hun...I know how I would feel in your place.  Hugs

Brandy

tears  Seriously....it's a harrowing ordeal dealing with a sick/injured pet...they really are like children.  I'm so happy that you found yourself a guardian angel, to help you keep your Chynna around.

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THREE CHEERS FOR GERRY!!!!!! :thumbupboth:

What a touching story, glad you & kitty get some more time together :)

Vet bills have gotten to be outrageous!  I lost 4  in 2 weeks 2 years back :(.  One cat I had to put down due to hyperthyroidism - the cost for that cure was around $2,000 which we could never afford :(.  1 of my cats had all but her front teeth removed cost = $1000(she caught a cold, 2 years later & had to be put down,she was 18).  1 cat had cancer(which we put down), the vet tried to talk us into a kidney transplant & chemo/radiation :blink:  That cost was well into the 5 digits.  Another had 100% blocked arteries in her hind legs - between attempting to save her & having her put down the cost was $800.  The last cat we have now has contracted IBS & will have to be on meds the rest of her life:(

Back to the cancer portion.  A woman in our office building had a dog with cancer she spent $60,000 for treatment(to no avail) & took out a 2nd mtg on her house :blink:

I have yet to find a vet that will take payments around here - they all require payment upon services being completed. 

I find it horribly disturbing that pet bills have gone out of control.  Most elderly people need them for companionship, well all people actually.  But with rising costs I don't see how people are able to afford them :( when they are on a fixed income.  In addition, the vets nowadays really lay down the guilt trip if decide not to treat.  In regards to our cat with cancer the vet told us to give up one of our $1000 vacations, I about fell out & said sorry my husband & I don't take those kind of vacations!  It's a horrible state that we as pet owners & lovers have been put in.

I dont know if it's accepted nationally or not, but my vet has set things up with pet health care insurance. My first reaction was "what a scam!", but it's been a godsend when it comes to dealing with an elderly cat. Florence, who was 24 when she finally passed on, required weekly dialysis, not to mention a whole rash of other little things: we thought long and hard about putting her down, but the vet (a wonderful person I trust implicitely) said she wasnt in any pain. She was just getting on in years -- and the treatments extended her life by a good year... and it was a good year. Rather than having her deal at the end with a needle to put her down, she simply went to sleep one night and that was it. As hard as it was, it was still better than the alternative.

Sometimes, when it comes to our family, whether human or animal, we just have to put pride on the shelf and let God handle it for us. And sometimes He does so in the form of a complete stranger from Newfoundland.

But I'm glad your little furry friend is going to be okay. Give her a head scritch and a tummy rub for me, huh?

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

And it seems it's been a while since sharing photos of our little friends, both feline and canine and anything-else-ine, for that matter. So, just to get the ball rolling...

Diesel (the black and white) and Lady Grey (the... well, the grey longhair). From the same litter and now about a year and a half old, they were outdoor cats until I moved to Mebane: an apartment complex doesnt have the same level of relative safety a house in the country does, so now they're inside 24/7. It's taken some getting used to, but they're adjusting pretty well.

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Lady Grey is gorgeous! Not that other one isn't - ack you know I what mean ;)

That's wonderful! I hope somebody out there is equally nice if they find my lost wayward kitty:( It is wonderful to hear the good things in life, thank you.

Well, since we're into posting cat pics, here's my little bastards, I mean, darlings...

This is Toffee.

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And this is Apollo.

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**Acadia, 
  I am so happy for you. You deserve to have blessings in your life. Your generosity to all of us has been such a gift. What a wonderful patron has been sent to you and your kitty.
cheerio  lululee
**

Great story Acadia,
It's tales like yours that keeps my hope for human kind alive.  Hope all goes well for you and yours.

Rªnce

Great pictures, Sam. Love the 'tude from both of them. :)

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

Quote - Great pictures, Sam. Love the 'tude from both of them. :)

Thanks!  They are both a pair of spoiled brats, really.  Toffee is definitely Claire's cat and Apollo is my lad.  And yes, they hate each other.  It's all fun here.

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Nice to know  there are people like Gerry.
God bless Gerry.
I love cats. My wife has a 5 years old gentle cat . His name is James Dean.

They say good thing happen to good people, I wouldn't know. LOL. Nice story and I'm glad it all worked out. No matter how superior cats think they are and expect us to do all thier bidding, thier still family. All the best to you and your cat.

Acadia - I have two comments to make.
Firstly, I am so pleased this guy is paying your vet bill so that you hopefully have some more precious years with your beloved cat. Throughout my life I've had nine cats so I know how loveable & attached to them we get. I've also had dogs throughout my life of whom I truly see as part of the family. Which brings me to the point I know you'll hate me for.
I just cannot believe you would have gone ahead & had your cat put down for something like that. Would you have done the same with a child? I understand she would have been suffering, but surely euthanasia is a last resort. I am sure somehow, something could have been done to obtain money if this very generous guy hadn't come forward. I would never have been able to live with myself.
Two months ago I lost the closest thing in my crappy life, my 13 year old collie, Max. I would have sold my soul if it meant something could have been done to save him. I just can't accept animals being put down for money reasons, there's always a way.

I'm really sorry for this comment Acadia, but I just got incredibly angry about it.
I know I'll regret this later.
Sorry.

Have a roof over your head or pay vet bill - I'll take the roof
Have food on the table or pay vet bill - I'll take the food
Have electricity or pay vet bill - I'll take the electricty

The list is endless.

A child is NOT the equal to a pet - a pet can be replaced, there are hundreds of thousands of pets waiting for adoption & love.

I don't mean that to sound cold but lets be real here for a moment.  Yes, pets are part of our families, most of the time they are like children for those who don't have any.  Yes we do grieve when we have a loss.  But again they can be replaced at some point.

Even Cesar Milan does not believe in going broke for pet care/certain disease treatment.

There are a lot of things to consider...... the pets well being/state of mind/being in pain.  NOT treating something like bad teeth can lead to various other more serious diseases.

Right now my once loving cat hates me & avoids me like the plague.  I have to give her meds 2x a day.  This requires me poking at her under the bed(where she hides) with a broom to get her out which nomrally takes appx 1 hour each time.  That's not to include the numerous trips to the vets in which case she HATES being put into a crate & hates the outside.  It's all very traumatic to her.  Is this how an animal should spend it's last years???  For now in my case, I'm going for the treatment, but for how long I have no idea.

No one is any place to judge what we choose to do, no one has nay clue to each individuals financial situation.  We should not judge what other choose to do.

I am a lifelong and passionate animal lover.  I love my pets with all my heart...I live in chronic pain and they are my solace many days when nothing else makes me forget for e while....

That said...I have human children that I have to provide for, and I have had to make the choice to put down a pet I dearly loved when the medical treatment was outside what my family could do.  Did, I grieve?  yes.  Did I feel I failed that animal I loved so dearly...yes.  Did I have a choice at the time?  No, I didn't.  I know Linda personally and I KNOW how she was agonizing over this...it was literally making her sick.  It certainly wasn't something that she was doing lightly.  She wanted her pet to live a QUALITY life...and she didn't have the financial means to make that happen.

I sincerely hope you never find yourself in that situation...but many people have and do.  Thankfully a generous and loving soul kept that from happening for Linda and her baby.

Brandy

@Acadia-- I ,too, have been touched by the generosity of strangers helping others and told to pay it forward.  That's what motivates me to try to be as helpful as possible.  It changed my life.  I'm glad someone helped.

Thank you Gerry.  You did good.

@Stormchaser--Acadia was at the bottom of a hole with no way out. When you are there, despair can overwhelm you.  Watching a loved one writhe in pain with NO way to help them is THE worst torture in the whole universe.  Not being able to take of yourself is bad---not being able to take care of your loved one is worse.

There are things in place to help people in pain, but NOT animals.  Even trying to pull the offending teeth yourself is not useful.  Cats can die from shock when overstressed, and if they are in pain, the teeth are absessed and when pulled, the infection will spill down the throat and kill the cat within a week or so.

If you have no recourse--what do you do? It's a crappy circumstance without any easy answer.  I've been on both sides of the problem, and it isn't easy. Sometimes you have to let it go, and sometimes things happen to keep a sad end from happening.

You shouldn't judge Acadia.  You and I and many just CAN'T know what's she's been through with her cat.  I know your point, and have felt it myself.  However, we aren't in another's shoes.

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!   

Here is a picture of my baby girl

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Here is another one. She was enjoying getting vacuumed.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

And another one. She was chasing a bug or something.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

If anyone is faced with that situation consider contacting animal rescue groups. They can sometimes arrange very cheap vet care , or will take the animal for adoption and get it the treatment required.  Vet schools are another option, as is shopping around for vets , some are better than others when it comes to low income owners.

I cant compare any animal with a child , they just arent the same .  The sad thing is that there are parents who have to consider very carefully before taking a child to a Doctor because of medical costs. 

It seems this time it worked out Ok .

:thumbupboth:

I didn't take the decision lightly at all. I did web searches, called the Humane Society and other local groups. I called other vets. I even considered giving her up in the hopes they would take care of her teeth and put her up for adoption with another family :(   But she is 16 years old, and it's hard to find a new home for a cat that is 5 years old, let alone one that is 16 years. They languish in a cage and in the end are euthanized to make room for kittens and other abandoned cats.  I even considered drastic measures of having all of her teeth pulled if that would be cheaper.

I worked my budget and reworked it. And I just couldn't juggle anything anymore. I was already paying the vet bill out of my grocery and medication money. I even stopped taking one of my own  medications so that I could afford to get her vet care.  Chynna doesn't quality for health insurance because of her age and existing health problems (bad teeth and high blood pressure, and renal insufficiency), and besides that there is a waiting period for it to kick in, otherwise people would be signing up today and spending $3000 on care tomorrow.  I even looked around my apartment for things that I could possibly sell to raise money. I don't think I'd get a lot for a 12 year old couch, or a 28 year old water bed.  If I owned a car I would have sold it in a heart beat  to help her!

To those who condemn me for thinking euthanasia, please don't.  My cats are my children and I put their happiness and health above my own. I've agonized and cried over this issue to the point that I am physically sick over it myself.

I'm still crying. And I'm still agonizing. Only they are tears of happiness and he agony is more worry that everything goes ok for her on Wednesday.  I had a long talk with the vet a short while ago. I did my homework on surgery and cats with renal problems.

I'm so grateful to Gerry!  I'm in such a daze and my emotions are  all over the place, that I can't stop crying. I'm a blubbering mess right now.  But in a good way because I am giving Chynna a chance at a longer life without pain.

Quote - If anyone is faced with that situation consider contacting animal rescue groups. They can sometimes arrange very cheap vet care , or will take the animal for adoption and get it the treatment required.  Vet schools are another option, as is shopping around for vets , some are better than others when it comes to low income owners.

I cant compare any animal with a child , they just arent the same .  The sad thing is that there are parents who have to consider very carefully before taking a child to a Doctor because of medical costs. 

It seems this time it worked out Ok .

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Quote - Here is another one. She was enjoying getting vacuumed.

WOW!  Super special VACUUM CAT!

Vacuum cat R sucking up ur gerbils! :lol:  She's special.

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!   

oooh, what a wonderful story, and I'm so glad you get to be with your kitty!
God Bless the stranger that saved your kitty! I'm so glad there are people like that around.

Hi, my namez: "NO, Bad Kitteh, NO!"  Whaz yurs?
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Gerry does indeed sound like a guardian angel.   Hope things work out well for you and Chynna.
I remember having to make that hard decision for my dog George.  But our vet flat out told us that whatever we tried to help him wouldn't relieve his pain and may or may not extend his life.  
I feel for anybody who has to make that decision. 
And don't feel bad about not paying him back Acadia.   Who knows?  Maybe somebody helped him with something in the past and told him to pay it forward.  Now he can.  

>> To those who condemn me for thinking euthanasia, please don't.  My cats are my children and I put their happiness and health above my own. I've agonized and cried over this issue to the point that I am physically sick over it myself.

I dont think many people can really appreciate that kind of bond. When I was moving to Canada, I had all my belongings in the back seat of an old VW beetle; in the passenger seat, all the way across the country driving to Vancouver, was a large cage that held Florence and her brother Buddy. I moved up there during the winter, which was pretty stupid to start, but remember: this was a VW, which isnt exactly known for its heating system.

So I had the cage (which really was huge, so much so that changing gears was, at times, challenging) wrapped in every blanket I had, and the inside was lined with towels and just about anything else I could find to give them some insulation.

At one point, I stopped at a gas station and found I had enough money to fill the tank and buy a hot dog -- and that was it. I was gonna have to wing it until I got to the next big town and found some place to cash a cheque. So I filled the tank, bought the hot dog, ate the bun, and gave the actual hot dog to Flo and Buddy so they wouldnt go hungry en route.

I sorta laugh about it now, but I cant help but remember those few days when I was doing everything I could to keep them warm and fed, while I sat in the driver's seat, shivering and very hungry. And I wouldnt do anything any different now for Diesel and Lady Grey. They may not be human children, but when I took them in, I took on the responsibility for their welfare. And I have to honour that pact, no matter what. It's not like I feel I can just dispose of them when times get rough.

And sometimes, honestly, I'm bewildered by the way people view their pets. During the recent big rains in the Midwest, NPR briefly interviewed a woman who returned to her home after the water receded, and she was all distraught because her four pets were found dead. I just wanted to shake her really hard and ask her What did you think would happen? I just cant fathom folks who would do that kind of thing to any animal that looks to them for love and care and support.

Okay, rant over (brief, I know). The good thing is that your story did indeed have a happy ending. And yeah, it's very possible someone did this for Gerry, and he's just paying it forward to you.

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

Three cheers for Gerry!

 Acadia, I'm happy for you and Chynna.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to help out a Guatemalan family that had lost everything due to a tropical storm. The money I sent was not a huge amount in European terms (worth about a month's rent of a normal house, or the price of a run-of-the-mill midrange PC), but in Guatemala it was enough to really get that family back on their feet again.

Last year I had some trouble myself, and out of the blue someone helped me out.

I really like the "pay it forward" idea. It really works. Being a good person will be rewarded, in unexpected ways at unexpected times.

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Quote - Here is a picture of my baby girl

She is beautiful.  Although, I have never in my life seen an ugly cat, big, small or anywhere in between.  They are all beautiful. 

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Pay it forward was the theme in a movie with Kevin Spacey (Pay It Forward). I recommend watching it if you haven't already.

WOW Acadia that is just FANTASTIC!!!!! I know what its like to have to have a pet put to sleep, it just kills me. I know too what its like to have to deal with a sudden disability, I had a 17 yr old girl hit me on my motorcycle about 18 months ago I have to walk with a cane and I can`t really carry anything now. I hate not being able to do the things I used to and I understand about being ashamed because of it. I`m still not used to having to have people carry things or hold doors open for me. Your baby is a beautiful cat ! I have both cats and dogs. This one is Freddy, she`s a bad tempered little thing, she gets into one of her moods and she attacks everyone but me, I call her my little sweetie, everyone else calls her psycho. Once again what a great story, its nice to know there are still people like that in the world.

I'm up and getting ready to take Chynna to the vet. Because she is older she needs 24 hours of IV hydration in order to help preserve her kidneys.  Her kidneys aren't working 100% optimal, but she isn't in failure. Unfortunately one of the risks for older cats having surgery is that their kidneys can worsen. The vet is taking every precaution he can to help minimalize that risk.  Her actual surgery is tomorrow.  I'll let you all know how things go.

Hopefully she will be back home with me on Wednesday unless they keep her another night, which I don't think would be a bad idea.  I'll have to give her injections for the morphine and antibiotics (she doesn't take pills well) for a few days and help her eat with a syringe, but then hopefully she will be able to eat on her own by the end of the weekend!

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

I will keep you both in my prayers!

Hope she does well Acadia, fingers crossed for the little 'un.

It's kinder to euthanize a pet than to let them suffer.  Glad to hear it was possible to have the procedure completed.

Another solution would be to obtain a job.  There are plenty of jobs that involve typing or talking on the phone.

Good luck to you and your little fuzzy one, Acadia. I hope your disability gets better so you can get back to work, and mainly so you'll feel better. ^__^V,,

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!   

Best wishes, Acadia. Just remember: she's of hardy Canadian stock, so she'll do fine.

And Freddy has some serious 'tude goin' on! :-) Love that photo.

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Quote - Another solution would be to obtain a job.  There are plenty of jobs that involve typing or talking on the phone.

Yes there are. But you don't know the nature of my disability or the beauracratic  restrictions that I'm under through my long term disability from my job.  They are helping me to get back to my job as a nurse.  Even if I were able to take a job in a different field it would see all of that come to a crashing end because of their policies. Trust me, I talked to them about it a year or so ago when I wanted to do some volunteer stuff at a shelter for abused women. Even the act of volunteering puts my disability and the help they are giving me to get back to my job, in jeopardy.  So please, unless you have walked a mile in my shoes please don't make judgements.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Acadia,

I'm glad things are looking up for you and Chynna.  It would break my heart to have something like this going on with one of my furry friends.

Something else that you might want to look into for Chynna is alternatives to how you buy her meds.  I saw a show on Marketplace a while ago about how most veterinary medications are human medications sold by the vet.  In Canada sales like this are unregulated so vets can charge what they want for the meds.  In many cases if you ask the vet for a prescription they will write one and you can have it filled from the drug store much cheaper than the vet is selling it to you for.

Just thought I would mention it so you could think about giving it a try.

Paul

Gerry and Acadia,
What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing that with us.

Gerry you are a true gentleman.

 

Comitted to excellence through art.

I'm happy you're here at Renderosity, Acadia.  You tirelessly help those looking for links and tutorials, and you're a true treasure here.  Thanks again for sharing your story.

Best Wishes,
Rªnce

Quote - you can have it filled from the drug store much cheaper than the vet is selling it to you for

Thanks :)  That is how he has been prescribing her blood pressure pills for me. I get them filled at Safeway Pharmacy.  The anti-nausea medication that she was on a month ago for her upset stomach that caused me to run to the vet in the first place, and the recent antibiotic that she needed, he filled there. I think I paid $10 each for those. So it wasn't bad.

The vet's office called me twice to tell me what a co-operative kitty she is being. She has an IV and isn't bothering with it at all. Plus they said that she was eating a fair bit on her own.  She's quite the little charmer.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

> Quote - The vet's office called me twice to tell me what a co-operative kitty she is being. She has an IV and isn't bothering with it at all. Plus they said that she was eating a fair bit on her own.  She's quite the little charmer.

I'm glad to hear that things are going well at the vet's.  Its good to hear that she is eating.  My two cats and I will be thinking of you and Chynna.

Please keep us posted.

I lost my constant companion to Feline Leukemia a few years ago now. Having him euthanised was one of the toughest things I've ever had to do but there truly was no alternative. I'm so glad you haven't had to do it Acadia.
Nice to know there are still a few heroes around. Kudos to Gerry for having a big heart and a generous spirit.                                       

Expert in computer code including, but not limited to, BTW; IIRC; IMHO; LMAO; BRB; OIC; ROFL; TTYL. Black belt in Google-fu.

 

My wife is a veterinarian so I know a lot of pet stories, some happy, some sad.

The thing I find really amazing is the bill your vet has proposed to you. Seven hundred dollars? For removing a tooth, my wife would have charged a customer no more than 200 euros, that is around 300 dollars, and maybe even less. Prices and customs are really different around the world...

Anyway, Acadia, three things:

1. Obviously we are a bit too apart for a "real" medical advice, but if in the future you will need an opinion, a guess, an idea, whatever, about your pets, just mail me and I'll forward your questions to my wife. It's not much, but I'll do it gladly.

2. Best wishes and a kiss on her nose to your baby. May she live long and prosper like a Vulcan cat.

3. This is the last arrived in our home. Her name is Amélie and her tail is no less than 27 centimeters (almost 11 inches).

Giorgio

giorgio_2004 here, ksabers on XBox Live, PSN  and everywhere else.

Quote - My wife is a veterinarian so I know a lot of pet stories, some happy, some sad.

The thing I find really amazing is the bill your vet has proposed to you. Seven hundred dollars? For removing a tooth, my wife would have charged a customer no more than 200 euros, that is around 300 dollars, and maybe even less. Prices and customs are really different around the world...

$200 Euros is  $319 CAD.

The vet did say that if turns out that it's only one tooth involved, that the cost would be about $300 CAD. But given her age that there are likely more teeth involved that need pulling. Plus she needs special consideration because of her kidneys. She needed 24 hours of hydration before the surgery, and possibly another 24 hours after it too.   But he also said that he doesn't know what he is dealing with until he actually gets her under anaethetic and has a good look in her mouth and providing an accurate quote is not easy because of that.

Quote - Anyway, Acadia, three things:

1. Obviously we are a bit too apart for a "real" medical advice, but if in the future you will need an opinion, a guess, an idea, whatever, about your pets, just mail me and I'll forward your questions to my wife. It's not much, but I'll do it gladly.

Thank you so much!

Quote - 2) Best wishes and a kiss on her nose to your baby. May she live long and prosper like a Vulcan cat.

3. This is the last arrived in our home. Her name is Amélie and her tail is no less than 27 centimeters (almost 11 inches).Giorgio

Amelie is beautiful!  And such a long tail!  Chynna's tail is a stubby 9 inches, and the picture of her on the window sill chasing a bug is the constant position of her tail. She's a very regal kitty and carries her tail proudly!  hehe

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Quote - This is the last arrived in our home. Her name is Amélie and her tail is no less than 27 centimeters (almost 11 inches).

Now that's one seriously cute kid! How old is she?

Also, Acadia: set you a PM. Let me know.

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

The office manager called to give me an update on Chynna.

Apaprently she needed quite a few teeth extracted. She will have some left, but not a lot. Not sure how many were pulled or how many she will have left.

She will probably be staying another night there for hydration and pain management. 

When I talked to the vet on Monday, I told him about Gerry's random act of kindness, and he was so touched that he started to tear up. Apparently he told the office manager that the procedure was capped at $700.00, which is a good thing because from what the office manager told me it was "considerably higher"

I believe she will be staying one more night there for more hydration and pain control.  Gerry told me that if it's not covered in the $700.00 he will pay that too.

I'm just so at a loss and an emotional wreck over this whole situation.  First my kitty was sick and then she was better, and then she was in lots of pain that I couldn't do anything about, and then she was scheduled to be euthanized, and then Gerry rescued her.

Chynna is sure one lucky, and loved kitty!

I'm so eternally grateful for all of the words of support. You have no idea how much they mean and how much they have helped me get through this.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Attached Link: LOLCAT Bible

Okay, this is clearly someone with too much time on his hands, but any of you familiar with the LOLCAT phenomenom will appreciate the LOLCAT Bible, which is about 60% complete. Every book, every verse. Almost too frightening to consider.

http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

My kitty, Bubba is sending Chyna some big smiles and hugs for a very speedy recovery!

Hi, my namez: "NO, Bad Kitteh, NO!"  Whaz yurs?
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And Tigger wants to offer some tips on convalescing! She say's make the most of it!
(Tigger had to have stitches on her hind leg when she was two years old), and as you can see, she convalesced to the hilt!  When I saw her cut, I had her and myself in the car and driving to animal emergency faster then I could dial the phone. To this day I don't know how I did it.

She convalesced with her 'goofy' beanie baby. This is the "I'm feeling so drowsy" pose!

Hi, my namez: "NO, Bad Kitteh, NO!"  Whaz yurs?
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4/9/08

Acadia:

I am also a nurse. I suspect that there are a few of us in this forum. I hope you can get back to work soon. I know I would miss it if I could not do my job. I understand the limitations that being on disability imposes on you. I have to fight with that insanity for my patients all the time.

Even though you must be out of work, we all appreciate everything you do for our community.

Thanks for the updates on Chynna. I hope she will do well. You will both be in my prayers.

God bless,

LMK

Probably edited for spelling, grammer, punctuation, or typos.

Quote - My kitty, Bubba is sending Chyna some big smiles and hugs for a very speedy recovery!

^ THAT is one HAPPY looking cat!  He been in the catnip?  or just naturally smiley?

The other cat is prescious!  I knew a cat that carried a little little wrigly worm with a jingly bell in it around all the time to play with.  She was so cute!

@Acadia--I'm glad things are looking up for you and Chynna.

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!   

Quote -
Now that's one seriously cute kid! How old is she?

In this picture, she was 50 days old. Now she's a bit older, but still a pest!

And her "EarSize" and "TailLength" morph dials are stuck to ridicolously high values. She is a toon kitty!

Acadia: I am very glad to hear the good news of your little patient. I was aware of the currency conversion: with "maybe even less" I meant that the total bill for the surgery could be less than 300 dollars, no matter how many teeth were involved. But I suspect that the price difference is due to the hospitalization. My wife owns a medical office, not a clinic, so she's not able to host patients for the night. Here in Italy, veterinarian clinics are rather rare.

Giorgio 

giorgio_2004 here, ksabers on XBox Live, PSN  and everywhere else.

She's home!

I opened the carrier and she ran out and made a bee line for her food dish. I gave her 2 well rounded tablespoons of soft food  and she snarfed down about 1/2 of it. I guess it will take some time for her to get used to not having all of those teeth to help keep her food in the right place. She ate about 1/2 of it.

She took a drink, used the litter and found her way into the pots cupboard for a good snooze!

They sent me home with syringes for antibiotics and medication. I have to give both twice a day for 4 days. She needs to go back in 10 to 14 days for a follow up.

They capped the procedure at $700 for the surgery, 2 nights, blood work, take home medications and follow up visit!!

She has dissolving sutures, and a little bandage on her front leg which I can take off. But she's napping right now so I won't worry about doing that right now.

I'm just so happy that my baby girl is home!

Abby isn't all that impressed though! She's laying on the rug glaring at me!

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Ah, great news Acadia!!
Hopefully that's the worst overwith & she'll be fine after a bit of rest.
You do realise she'll want spoiling now & she'll make the most of it!

Is Abby jealous because Chynna is getting attention?

That is great news.   I'm so happy for you and Chynna.    I'm betting it won't take long for her to adjust,  especially  since she won't be in pain when eating.  

Maybe you can give Abby an extra cuddle when Chynna is snoozing to ease the jealousy factor.

Quote - Ah, great news Acadia!!
Hopefully that's the worst overwith & she'll be fine after a bit of rest.
You do realise she'll want spoiling now & she'll make the most of it!

Is Abby jealous because Chynna is getting attention?

They're very jealous of each other. If I'm brushing one, the other is right in there too.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Quote -
They're very jealous of each other. If I'm brushing one, the other is right in there too.

Yeah, I know what that's like. I used to have a cat that would sit there glaring & make his ears look like an owls if you made a fuss of one of the others.

That's great news! But keep us posted on further developments down the road, huh? And how can we send a collective thank you to your guardian angel?

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

Wheeeeeee!

Comitted to excellence through art.

Great news!  I'm happy for you. People can make miracles happen when you least expect it. ^__^

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!   

Quote - That's great news! But keep us posted on further developments down the road, huh? And how can we send a collective thank you to your guardian angel?

Chynna is doing so well! She's a bit stoned from the Hydromorphone that I have to give her for the pain. Her little face is a bit swollen too.  But she's such a trooper.

She's been eating. She ate more than a can of cat food since she's been home. Plus she's used the litter box twice, drank lots and has been leaping up onto the couch and walking around to the window to look outside. I think she's on my bed sleeping right now.

I talked to Gerry and asked him about giving out his email address.  He gave me an alternate address instead of his main one.

If anyone wants to drop him a note, you can at this address. He knows me by my real name Linda, not  my user name here

my5kitties at yahoo dot ca

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Acadia:
I can relate to your story so much.  We have adopted more pets than we should have ... We have had to "put down" some over the years ... mostly due to poor health that could not be fixed.  Fortunately only one was because we couldn't afford the proper treatment.  He was 20 years old and his kidneys were going out and we couldn't afford the dialysis.  It was most likely his time. 

We had one cat, Gadzooks.  (I use that name on many websites as my id) I still grieve for him.  He was the smartest, lovingest ... I use to take him for daily walks on his leash.  The nieghbors would say hi to him by name every day.  We still miss him so.  But he had diabetus (sp) and even though we gave him insulin twice a day ... he got a mouth infection and the kindest thing was to let him go.

He was a friend, a pet ... and a comfort when we were sad.  Thank you for letting me share this.  I'm so glad your little girl is okay!!
Peace and kitty love
Boni

Boni

---

"Be Hero to Yourself" -- Peter Tork

Just bumping this for a progress report... : wink :

And Boni, what a charmer he must have been.

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

Oh, Boni, he sounds like he was such a darling! They truly are very precious :)
Now, he's a little angel, with you all the time.

Hi, my namez: "NO, Bad Kitteh, NO!"  Whaz yurs?
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I'm a cat lover - god knows because I have had up to 42 of them at any given time thanks to the "kindness of strangers" dumping them nearby.  Despite my allergies we end up taking them in - more often than not they do not get fixed in time before having kittens due to the costs involved and how rare it is that anyone dumps just one.

I have worked in a Vet Hospital, and despite my beliefs I know that there are times when euthanising an animal is mored humane than allowing it to suffer for a procedure you can not afford.

A tooth - well that's a bit extreme, I personally had an older cat that we adored, previous tenants of a house we rented had left her behind as a kitten and in hunger she snuck in the house one night and ate my cockatiel.  Despite that we adored her and she moved across country with us, we had her for 10 years until she disappeared.  She had lost her teeth by then and I had to feed her canned food (only for her - the rest of the pack gets cheap dry food) so dealing with a tooth loss is not that major and there must have been something the cat could be given for pain of that sort.

It's wonderful that she is fine now and happy with her eating.

Despite loving animals look at what is happening right now - people are losing their homes and they have to move in to rentals - this means that their pets are ending up in shelters, hundreds of pet so loved they even have microchips.

Sometimes we are forced to make hard decisions - part of the responsibility of owning and caring for an animal is making those very difficult decisions in order to insure the quality of and pain free existence of our furry friends.

I have been lucky enough to have had past vets euthanize on occasion for free i.e the kitten that required an 1800.00 dollar surgery for the neighbor's dog shaking it and tearing and twisting it's intestines in the process - even with surgery there were no guarantees and that kitten was in serious pain, the cat that I found one day in my living room digging into a cat food bag that had been attacked by a wild animal and had it's bowel's pulled out - it was actually semi-disemboweled with it's bowel system hanging out, again surgery was no guarantee for this animal.

Handing a cat over to a shelter is almost impossible as most of them are over crowded now and an older cat that requires surgery will most likely be euthanised.

$700 is a steep price, but not when one considers the 24 hour boarding fee and the hydration costs (I hope they gave her electrolytes, studies show animals heal faster if hydrated before and after with electrolytes).

I no longer have my favorite kitties, for over a year I was down to 5 cats including my beautiful Hero a big tom I had nursed to health after he was rescued and then someone trapped them and killed them with a baseball bat and threw them to the side of the road (mind you I'm in a rural area and we had 2 acres at the time & no they were not hit by a car).  We found 2 one day and then the other 3 a few days apart for another week. bastards

Anyhow, now we have 3 plus the new litter and 85 acres for these to roam, plus we are no longer near where the cats are being dumped so these are the last batch we'll end up with thanks to strangers.  A good thing because my allergies have become far too severe now (I'm allergic to their waste - not their fur, so they use a pet door and there are no longer any cat boxes in the house, helps immensely!).

Here are the newest babies, we have homes for 1 girl and 1 boy, 2 kitties are tortoiseshells and the other 3 are tabbys.

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I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
-Galileo

I admit, I have very liltle patience when I see people mistreating their pets. I've come to getting into fights with guys who had their dogs on jerk-chains and thought nothing about jerking as hard as they could when the animal inadvertantly did something the "master" didnt like.

And while I know that sometimes you have to make difficult choices, just leaving the animal behind in a locked house is a pretty lousy answer. I've always felt that when you take on that kind of responsibility, you see it through, no matter what: a pet doesnt ask for much -- food, shelter, and love. And that's pretty little compared to what they bring to the equation.

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

Chynna  is doing quite well!  She's back to cuddling and jumping onto the desk shelf by my knees to let me know she wants to be picked up and cuddled.  The swelling of her face has gone down considerably. And she has been Miss Cuddle Bug in bed too.  She's even back to using her scratching box.

She's still eating, but not as much as she was when on pain medication. I've got about 10 different types of foods, including that a/d recovery that she liked so much before,  open in the fridge, of all different flavours and consistencies.  She eats a bit when I put one out, but doesn't finish off the plate.  I think she's having a hard time adjusting to not having her teeth to chew the food. She's one of the few cats that I know of that actually chews their food! 

I take her to the vet at the end of the month for a follow up, and I'll have them weigh her. Hopefully she has put on a bit of weight.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Good to hear!

docandraider.com -- the collected cartoons of Doc and Raider

 wow that's amazing!

Great news.  It might take her until her mouth heals up completely before she'll be scarfing down food again.  She's probably still feeling a bit traumatized, so cuddle-bug strikes!  She'll back to normal in a month or so, when she gets over the stuff that happened to her.  Just keep loving and cuddling and she'll be fine.  ^__^V,,

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!   

Ow Acadia, how much painful it must have been for you and your kitty!
But i can see your story is full of hope, there are some people who have not forgotten to be a human :D

I must say at first reading of your story, i asked myself what i would have done. I'm the proud owner of 3 devils (i must rather say THEY are my owners ;) ), and i use to say i'd rather avoid to buy me some food to feed them, if i was in a difficult financial health. Of course, i had never thought about such money you have been told to pay to cure your sweetie.
I had another cat before the actuals, a white perfection ^^
She had a heart disease since she was born, and we knew it would only be worst with time, and that she only had a few years behind her :(
She wasn't suffering, but there was a risk she would one day, and my inner fear was that she had suffer. I was asking myself what should i do. We tend to be egoist when those questions arrive. One day, i woke up on the morning, and she was lying on her seat. It happened only a few minutes before i woke up. We had had another cat at this time, a small kitty about 2 or 3 months. He was sitting just next to her, as he wanted to peace her. During 4 months after that, he kept climnbing on our shoulders, because he felt so lonely. She wasn't his mother, but she acted as. He was as black as she was white. Our hearts were broken after this loss, and more seeing this little cutie so sad, so we got another one, to play with him.

As soon as i have more time, i will post some pics of those babes.

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We are responsible for the care of our pets. This means sometimes we have to make decisions that seem cruel may be the only way to make the animal comfortable. If my horse broke his leg I would have the vet put him down. There are situations where you can pour all the money you have into an animals care and still have to put them down. Look at Barbosa. He had the best care that could be given yet in the end it didn't matter. Sometimes I think we as humans are too selfish to see that even though the animal is suffering we can't bear to let go. Thank goodness you had a patron to help you out but I agree that if he hadn't it probably would have been better to euthanize your cat. Look at all the horses that are out there now that can't be ridden for whatever reason, old age, or lameness as an example, yet people take them in and beg for money to keep them alive past their time. Am I an animal lover? Yes. 3 dogs, 1 horse, 3 donkeys, a cat, 2 birds, chickens and a multitude of wild animals that I feed in the winter. I never forget that I have to sometimes make decisions that seem cruel to people but are actually in the best interest of my animals.  

That's a wonderful experience Acadia, especially when your situation is a desperate one. I myself love cats, but our last and only cat got real sick and my brother had to "take care" of her. I would love to get another kitty, but my situation is no better than yours. I can't even take care of myself. :crying:

Eddy

 

it sounds like a good outcome :)

inspired art, if you want a cat you could ask at the animal shelters about fostering. In my area they have animals put out to foster for a while to get them back in good condition and start training them so they are easier to get adopted. The shelter will provide the food and accessories you need and take care of any health problems if they occur. The downside is you have to give up the animal after a few months . It may be different in your area but it could be worth asking. :)    If you are having trouble yourself there are a few posts about sources of help in the forums. If you want to drop me a pm I can maybe give you places in your area . 

...such a great story o

i'm glad that there are still people which are willing to help. you really had luck!

can't believe that the vet's want soo much money for just one teeth O_ô
damn money >_>

i really understand what you feel for your cat! i have two ferrets since 2 years and i can't imagine a life without them. they bring us so much happiness when they play and make funny noises :)
when i'm sad i just go to see the sleeping little animals and stroke them 'til i feel better. it's a great feeling. they give us joy and we give them joy... we want to make their life better... they are really like children for me too...

please cuddle your cat from me, she is soo cute! :)
i wish you two a wonderful life together! enjoy your time!

The reason it costs so much to pull and animals tooth is they have to use anesthetic and a team to put them under and care for them while it's done. They do that even to clean the teeth in some cases, which is why I put my cat in a pillowcase so she can't scratch and brush her teeth myself. Same with the dogs. The horse donkeys and goats are on their own. Forgot to mention my goats. When I lost my dog I offered a $1000 dollar reward. The people who found her opted to use the money to do surgery on a little pup someone threw out of a moving car. He's ok now btw. When my daughter's dog got sick she called a number here in town and was connected to an organization that paid the vet bills for her.  Lots of money out there just have to find it.

I'm glad the kitty is better, putting down a family pet is always tough.

The last animal I had to put down was I stray dog I found at school one day.  Had her for about 10 years and she was pretty healthy but at the end she got a bad brain disorder that was incurable.  We did some expensive tests and tried to treat her for awhile, but it was just too rough and she wasn't even making much progress.  Basically her brain got out of sink and she'd forget who she was and where she was every time that happened and was frantic and confused afterwards.  Even worse is we had to put her down on the one year anniversery of my father's death.

mila, vet bills are just getting crazy these days and I don't think the level of care is improving with it.

WARK!

Thus Spoketh Winterclaw: a blog about a Winterclaw who speaks from time to time.

 

(using Poser Pro 2014 SR3, on 64 bit Win 7, poser units are inches.)

anyone needing financial assistance could try one of these:

http://www.saveuspets.org/
http://www.sdshelters.com/assistance.html

There may be more local sources but the two above are a good place to start.

Acadia, that is so fantastic to hear that he did that for you. He deserves a special place in the afterlife. :) I am happy for you that you get to keep your sweet kitty a bit longer...hugs

Let me introduce you to my multiple personalities. :)
     BluEcho...Faery_Light...Faery_Souls.

Thanks :)

She's still with me and doing well. She had a bit of difficulty adjusting to the loss of her teeth because she's one of the few cats that actually chews her food before swallowing it. So after weeks and probably $100 in wasted cat and human food, I managed to find a cat food and flavour that she actually likes and I've been giving that to her exclusively. Safeway doesn't stock enough for me to buy in bulk for the month, but they order it in for me once a month.

She's actually put on some weight too! claps and is so cuddly and playful.  She's 16 1/2 years now and still healthy. 

I'm back to work and on the payroll again as of December 3rd, so in January I'm taking her to the vet for a follow up on her kidneys. I also need to get Abby in for her senior blood panel and have her mouth looked at too, and possibly a dental procedure for her as well seeing that she's 10 and hasn't had one.

I'm so eternally grateful to Gerry!  Chynna has been a constant bright spot in my life for over 16 years and I'm so glad that she can grow old with me a little while longer. She really is the very best cat that has ever owned me.

 

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

What a wonderful story, specially in this days when we think twice before trusting someone, specially a total stranger.

I'm so glad your kitten is well and happy.

I love cats, I had a couple, male and female, Milk and Trunks. Trunks died of cancer after a lot of treatment and care, he couldnt make it. I miss him everyday of my life, and its being over 5 years now. Milk feels lonely too, she's constantly in need of atention since then.

He was so unique, everytime I think of him I get tears on my eyes.