Conference misery::feline_v1

    Do you know if she has been tested for feline luekemia?  Is she
    up to date on her shots?
    
    She sounds like a beautiful kitty.

    She has not been tested, and I don't know about her innoculation
    history.  She'll get shots and the FELV test when she goes in for
    spaying on Thursday.  She a real gem.
    
    Rita
    

    I didn't say anything before, but...
    
    It looks like I will be adopting Cardigan.  Milo needs someone wearing
    fur to love him back [he adores Maggie, but she mostly behaves like
    he is a fungus].
    
    Terms & timing are still under advisement.  Will keep you posted
    as things fall into place.
    
      Ann

    Thats great news!  I hope this adoption works out well!  I was just
    about to respond, saying I would be able to adopt this kitty that
    sounds so beautiful.  If anything changes, let me know.
    
    Good Luck.
    Erin

    
    I want to thank everyone who has responded to this note, either
    here or by mail.  You folks are terrific!  
    
    I'm sure Cardigan will love living with Ann and Maggie and Milo.
    I'm so happy that my little friend has a home.
    
    Rita
    

    Today was the worst day in the world for me at work.  However, after
    reading these notes I feel a whole lot better.  To think that Cardi
    and Spider would have been put down had it not been for Rita's efforts
    in saving them.  Good luck Ann and Jan with your new kitties.  
    
    Arlene  

    Cardi's coming home tomorrow ...
    
    I was concerned that Milo's boundless energy might be trying for
    her so soon after her surgery.  But when Rita informed me that she
    "whopped the vet in the face" before going home, me comfort level
    increased considerably.
    
    I've been telling Milo and Maggie that she coming and what I expect
    of each of them.
    
    [I've also been telling them about my two-year-old niece coming
    to visit in a couple weeks, too, and what will be expected of them when
    she arrives.  So they may both now be labouring under the apprehension
    that my sister gave birth to a cat ...]
    
      Ann

    Yup, no problem with Cardi's recovery!  I took her in for her spay
    at 9am yesterday morning and picked her (and Spider!) up at 6pm.
    
    Even though they were groggy from the anesthesia, they were still
    spunky.  The vet came out with little Cardi cradled *ever* so gently
    in his arms, like a precious fragile object.  The little "precious
    fragile object"  looked up at him as if to say, "What the $%^^&
    did you do to me???" and reached up a tiny paw and whopped him!
    Thesse kitties have got personality in abundance ;-)
    
    I'm sure Milo will be no problem!
    
    Although they spent last night curled up on the floor and lethargic,
    this morning they were both eating like pigs, using the litterbox,
    and jumping up onto my lap, purring, snuggling, getting inhto my
    face and doing typical cat things.  
    
    Cardi and Spider are so lucky to be going to wonderful folks.  And
    they are such cuties, I know their new moms are gonna love them,.
                                     
    Rita

    Cardi is the 'dust kitten' I've been looking for for years! Grey
    & fluffy _very_ proud of her plumelike tail.
    
    Maggie was not at all welcoming, but two good things to say about
    her:  1) She doesn't try to make friends with Maggie.  2)  Milo
    is so busy trying to make up to Cardi that Maggie can sleep for
    hours in solitude on the bed.
    
    The situation between Cardi and Milo is not yet ideal, but holds
    much promise.  His initial reaction to her was to bat her tail while
    she was exploring the cellar. When she turned to face him with a
    little 'mrr?' he stepped back, his tail got a big as a bottle brush,
    and he gave out the most tentative and half-hearted hiss I have
    ever heard in my life. [his first and thus far his last]  She then
    gave a small growl and got back to exploring.  Milo's lungeing
    behaviour doesn't help.  And he is jealous.
    
    Cardi herself seems moderately content and isn't at all shy about
    asking for attention.  But she's still a bit tentative, preferring
    to approach seated person, but I guess that's to be expected.
    She says that the cellar is her room at present, but comes out to
    socialise and explore and demand attention.  She is still making
    up her mind about Rick, but on the whole seems to think he's OK.
    
      Ann

    [rather than start a whole new string....]

    Since coming to live with us 9 months ago, Cardigan has been extremely
    interested in watching the Great Outdoors, but has shown no interest
    in actually _going_out_into_ it. 
    
    Rick had to do some emergency travel this past week-end and got
    in verrry late Saturday night after the cats and I had settled down for
    the night. You guessed it, she slipped out unseen.
    
    Sunday morning, Rick came upstairs at about 8:45 and asked, "Have
    you seen the wide-body cat?"  He was in the process of serving the
    cats Sunday brunch and became concerned when she didn't attend.
    She does not miss meals.  It's against her priciples.
    
    We tore the house apart, calling and running the can-opener -- thus
    confusing the other two who felt that the noise signified some sort
    of Sunday moveable feast.
    
    No Cardi.
    
    After about 45 minutes, we decided that she _must_ be outside. So
    we strapped on our mukluks and went out calling for her.  After
    making a circuit of the house and grounds, I took off down the road
    and back.  No Luck.  Then I made another circuit of the house looking
    high and low and calling.
    
    I was panicky [Rick wasn't too much better, but optimistically pointed
    out that Cardi had TONS of fur and is a little chubby and is the
    best equipped of our babies to weather a night out of doors...]
    
    Then I saw a little grey nose poking out from under the slab for the
    back steps followed by a silent slithering.
    
    It was Cardigan!! I walked [not ran] up the slope making dumb cooing
    mommy-noises.  She promptly meeped pitifully and backed up under
    the steps.
    
    I tried coaxing, I went back down the hill...as long as I didn't
    approach her she would come out.  Once, she even slithered up on
    the front porch and meeped to be let in, but when I approached the
    door, and consequently Cardi, she shot off again.
    
    Finally, I went inside and locked Milo & Maggie in our bedroom,
    went downstairs and opened the front door, climbed half-way up the
    stairs and called and cooed and waited.
    
    Within two minutes, my beautiful grey furry ditz slithered into
    the house and on to the couch.  She began purring at top volume,
    but would not look at me.
    
    She was EMBARRASSED!!! to have gotten locked out and didn't want
    to face me!
    
      Ann
    
   
  
    
    
  

    RE .10  I AM SOOOOOOOOO GLAD YOU FOUND HER UNHARMED!