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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

1426.0. "Birthday Cat" by BCSE::GOGOLIN () Fri Jun 03 1988 19:02

   Well, I just had to announce this momentous event to the world:
   yesterday was my cat Junie's birthday. Yeah, so? you say.

   Junie is my neutered male sealpoint Siamese; he is now 19 years old.
   I know it's not that unusual these days to have a cat who lives that
   long. Some of you have mentioned that you have, or have known of,
   cats who've lived even longer. The reason I find Junie remarkable is
   that in April of last year he was diagnosed as having diabetes and
   kidney failure. I didn't think he'd make it to his 18th birthday,
   let alone his 19th. It's amazing what those two tiny units of insulin
   a day, a dedicated veterinarian, and proper care can do. Equally
   important, I think, is his will to live.

   Junie moves very slowly now, walks like an old man, but otherwise
   seems to be enjoying life as much as ever. Occasionally he will bat
   at a toy a little; he still meows (which comes out more like "maaaaa")
   when I sneeze, as if to say "bless you!"; he still rolls over on his
   back to have his belly rubbed; he still follows me around, crying,
   until I pick him up and give him some attention; he still gets in my
   lap whenever I sit down to watch TV or read. My three other cats
   seem to respect him and don't harass him.

   Due to his diabetes, he had no birthday cake and ice cream (he did
   blow out the candles :-). Instead, he got lots of hugs and cuddles, 
   which he prefers to food treats anyway.

   Linda
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1426.1SSMP20::DALEYFri Jun 03 1988 19:098
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JUNIE.
    
    I'll bet he loved those hugs and cuddles alot more than any cake and
    ice cream.
    
    Pat
                                                                
    
1426.2Happy Birthday JunieEDUC8::TRACHMANFri Jun 03 1988 19:1510
    A very very Happy Birthday to Mister Junie - may he live 19 more
    happy and healthy years!  He sounds very remarkable!
    
    A very hearty congratulations to you for taking such good care of
    Junie.  I'm sure your dedication and loyalty played an important
    part in his longevity.
    
    p.s.  Yesterday, June 2nd, was Katenka Dolly's birthday and my
          Mother's birthday - Mother's name is Dorothy (Dolly for short).
          Mother is 79 and Katenka is 1 year.
1426.3Happy Birthday TOOOOOOOO YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSWSNOD::DALYSerendipity 'R' usFri Jun 03 1988 19:217
    My Missy, who lived to be 20, had only 10% kidney function when
    she was 18.  I guess she made up for it by drinking gallons of water
    every day.  My sister's cat Rosco lived to be 19, even though he
    had daily insulin shots from age 10.  Your Junie sounds like a
    venerable old guy.  Best wishes to you both!
    
    Marion
1426.4USMRM2::ESILVAFri Jun 03 1988 19:263
    We also want to wish Junie a _very_ Happy Birthday!!!!!
    
    Erin, RumTum, McCafferty and Bustopher Jones
1426.5BEST WISHES20807::GROSSEjust passing throughFri Jun 03 1988 19:556
             HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUNIE!
    
             MEOW! MEOW-MEOW-MEOW  MEOW WHEEEEEEE!
    
    FRAN AND GANG
    
1426.6SKETCH::BASSETTDesignFri Jun 03 1988 20:0511
    
    
    
    
                H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y  J U N I E !!!!
    
                AND MANY MANY MORE!
    
    LINDA 
      &
    ASIA
1426.7BCSE::GOGOLINFri Jun 03 1988 20:5732
   Thank you all (humans and cats) for your wonderful birthday wishes
   for Junie -- I'll tell him when I get home tonight. He will be very
   happy -- he loves people and any attention he can get, even if it's
   second-hand.

   Re: .2

   Junie, Misty, Fuzzy Wuzzy, Cubby and I send belated best wishes to
   your mom and Dolly on their birthdays.

   Re: .3

    > My Missy, who lived to be 20, had only 10% kidney function when
    > she was 18.  I guess she made up for it by drinking gallons of water
    > every day.  My sister's cat Rosco lived to be 19, even though he
    > had daily insulin shots from age 10.  Your Junie sounds like a
    > venerable old guy.  Best wishes to you both!

   Truly amazing! I don't know much about the kidney failure except that
   when all this started last year the vet said the insulin might keep
   the kidney problem in check. So far, it has (and I'm keeping my
   fingers crossed). In addition to having his canned food at each meal
   watered down Junie drinks lots of water. Goes right through him, like
   beer does to people. It makes getting a urine sample (to test for
   sugar) very easy. (I won't gross you out by telling you he'll pee in
   a cup without batting an eye.)

   Wow! Your sister must be a very special person and Rosco must have
   been a very special cat. It's nice to hear about people who go to
   great lengths for their animals (and vice versa).

   Linda
1426.8exitSWSNOD::DALYSerendipity 'R' usFri Jun 03 1988 21:1516
    RE:  .7  BCSE::GOGOLIN  Rosco and shots
    
    Actually, I had made the same remark to her after she had been giving
    him the shots for about a year.  She said that it was really not
    much of a chore.  She only tested urine for the first few weeks.
    After that she could tell how much to give him by how much he ate
    and how he was acting.  She also said that he got very use to the
    idea and would just sit patiently every morning for his shot.  Rosco
    was her first "baby".  I guess there's no such thing as "doing too
    much" for a sweetie like him!
    
    Marion
    
    PS - Ann and I kid eachother about our luck with long lived cats.
         We claim we keep them 20 years or so, whether we need to or
         not.
1426.9birthday wishesAIMHI::MCCURDYMon Jun 06 1988 12:594
    Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you , happy birthday dear
    JUNIE... 
    LOVE
    Pookie, Happy, and Kate
1426.10Junie is a lucky cat!AIMHI::SCHELBERGTue Jun 07 1988 19:089
    Hey - Gogolinda!
    
    Happy to hear that Junie is still a mere kitten at 19!!!!  
    
    Hope that it was a happy birthday - your the best mom in the world!!!
    
    
    Bobbi Jo
    
1426.11My flags are at half mastBCSE::GOGOLINThu Dec 01 1988 18:5819
    A sad follow-up to this note: Junie died yesterday. He was just about 
    19 1/2.

    Junie had been doing pretty well until a couple of weeks ago when he 
    started getting fussy about eating. He was eating less and less and 
    slowly lost weight. Two days ago he stopped eating altogher. It was a 
    hard thing to do, but I called the vet to come to the house and put him 
    to sleep. 

    Right up until the end he still asked for attention, bumped his head on 
    me to be petted, curled up in my lap when I sat on the couch. He even 
    continued to "Me-ah!" (translation: bless you!) when I sneezed. It seemed 
    his spirit was willing to go on but his body couldn't make it.

    Junie had a long and good life; I really can't complain. He was such a 
    good cat, extremely affectionate, very social towards people and my other 
    cats, and without a mean bone in his body. He will be missed greatly.

    Linda
1426.12CUPMK::TRACHMANZhivagoCats, Ltd..The Inn is Full..264-8298Thu Dec 01 1988 19:323
    My sincere sympathy.
    
    From all of us
1426.13CondolencesBIGSUR::GRAFTON_JIThu Dec 01 1988 22:025
    
    My thoughts and sympathies are with you,
    
    Jill
1426.14R.I.P.FLASH1::KALLISAnger's no replacement for reason.Fri Dec 02 1988 11:348
    And mine.  The one nice thing was that your vet made a house call;
    it's so much better when your little one passes on in familiar surroundings.
    
    I believe there's a special place where all kitties go; someday,
    after I pass on, I hope to go there to see those I shared my life
    with; and I hope you will meet your little one, too.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
1426.15R.I.P JUNIEVIDEO::TAYLORCat lovers are a special breed.Fri Dec 02 1988 12:064
    My sincere sympathy.  I'll have all of my loved ones who have passed
    on (Human, feline, and canine) take good care of him for you.
    
    Holly
1426.16I feel for youFDCV16::SENAFri Dec 02 1988 12:214
    Our sympathy also.  It's so hard to make the decision to put a loved
    one down.  I'm sure he had a happy life.
    
    Joy, Dubbers & Punjab
1426.17Farewell AWARD1::HARMONFri Dec 02 1988 14:234
    Our thoughts are with you.
    
    Pat and Schnitzel
    
1426.18 us too...AIMHI::MCCURDYMon Dec 05 1988 18:225
    our thoughts and prayers are with you......
    regards
    kate, pookie, happy