My Misty came into my life 15 years ago. When I went to look at the kittens, she ran up to the edge of the box crying, as if saying "Pick me! Pick me!" while the rest laid there uninterested. I always said that Misty picked me.

She was a one person cat and no one could touch her except me. The year 2000 was a tough one, lost my father, my husband, and then Misty to heart failure. At least I know she's not alone and I hope they're all getting along ok. I miss them all very much.

My two new furry babies are doing their best to keep me from being lonely. But they aren't replacements ... there's only one Misty.

Greco toddled into my life the day I moved into my last house, so tiny he could fit in the palm of my hand, and so young his eyes were still silver. He didn't even know how to meow, but instead made funny little squeak toy noises when he jumped off chairs. My Siamese, Sasquatch, taught him to speak, so forever after I had a black and white cat that meowed with a Siamese accent.

He was never large in size, but he had a giant heart. Everyone that met him adored him. He was my sweet companion and comfort when Sasquatch passed, a great bedtime snuggler, and my best little buddy.

My wee Greco was 18 when his kidneys gave out. His tired little body couldn't hold his great, brave heart anymore. Mother Bast and Sasquatch keep you safe 'til I see you again, my little guy. I love you always.

Maynard Kitty

Chelsea Kitty

Maynard passed away March 10 at Trailridge Pet Hospital, after a battle with intestinal lymphoma. He was 16 years old. His purrson, Deanna Todd Fellman, and his sometime partner in crime and sparring partner, Chelsea Kitty Todd Fellman, survive him.

He was born in June or July of 1984 and adopted his purrson in August 1984, when she came to visit the Animal Haven in Merriam, KS. She came in looking for a companion for Chelsea, who was a year old at the time. He immediately made his presence known by meowing loudly and constantly, thus convincing her that he could hold his own with the spoiled kitty at home. And he did. The name Maynard was chosen and it fit him well.

In spite of the noise he made at that time, Maynard was generally quiet and loving. He loved to greet visitors. Even when the family home was broken into in 1987, he probably offered to give the perpetrators a guided tour. He was noisy only when very hungry, when he was placed in his cat carrier to go to the vet, or when he spotted another cat in or near his territory. He guarded his territory with the tenacity of a cat that wanted to protect his purrson from other cats.

He enjoyed playing with straws, biting the yarn when his purrson was crocheting, jumping on the bathroom sink to drink water from the faucet, sitting on his purrson's lap and sharing his food with Chelsea (even though she didn't share with him). Actually, Chelsea would eat her food, then come over and nudge Maynard away and finish his meal. Maynard, being the generous and gentle soul he was, shared with her without complaint.

He gave a warm welcome to Steve Fellman in 1996 when he came into his purrson's life, adopting him when he came to live with them in late 1996. He also provided much comfort to her purrson when Mr. Fellman died in December of 1997, although he missed him, too. He especially missed jumping on Steve’s lap at 5:00 am to inform him it was time to eat breakfast.

His favorite pastime was begging his purrson for food when she was eating, especially when she brought food home from Zarda BBQ. The intensity in which he pursued morsels was only exceeded by the intensity in which he growled at other cats. And, this was one of the rare times he didn’t share his food with Chelsea. In 1997, he seemed to be training for the Kitty Olympics by running the obstacle course in the living room. He also became more vocal, talking almost constantly to anyone who would listen. Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed and he was successfully treated in 1998.

In 1999, he started showing signs of another illness by losing weight and had to be hospitalized for severe dehydration. He was subsequently diagnosed with a tumor that was believed to be lymphoma. Remission was achieved with Prednisone until early 2001, when he started losing weight again and the other unpleasant symptoms returned. He still lived a full life until early March, when he started lying around uncomfortably and turning his back on food that he used to beg for. Although his discomfort wasn't as pronounced as when he had his severe dehydration, he had obviously quit enjoying life, especially his pleasures of eating and playing, drinking water from the faucet, sitting on his purrson's lap and greeting her at the door when she came home. His purrson opted not to prolong his suffering anymore and took him to the vet Saturday, where he died peacefully. He is deeply missed by his purrson. His sparring partner hasn't yet admitted to missing him.

He was laid to rest March 27 in the backyard of his purrson's sister, Doreen Howard, in Rio Rancho, NM. A Persian Lilac bush was planted on the site to commemorate him.


Chelsea Kitty Todd Fellman ~ Born May 1983 Became an AngelKitty July 30, 2001

Miss Chelsea Kitty Todd Fellman crossed over the Rainbow Bridge after a brief illness. She was 18 years old. Her long time companion, Maynard, was there to greet her, having crossed over March 10, 2001. Her purrson, Deanna Fellman, survives her.

She adopted her purrson in June 1983, when a friend brought her over. Chelsea immediately made herself at home, starting out by grooming her purrson's fingers. When she met her sister's cat, Bo, she immediately bushed her tail and arched her back and hissed. Bo just looked at her.

Chelsea's first year of life was pretty rocky. Her purrson would let her play on the balcony outside her apartment and once, when her back was briefly turned, Chelsea decided to try to climb up to the roof. Her purrson saw her and was going out to get her when she lost her grip and fell. Amazingly, she was not injured. In fact, she was playing on the patio down below when her purrson came looking for her. She fell off the balcony another time and was stunned and scraped but appeared other-wise uninjured. After that, her purrson didn't let her out on the balcony alone. The biggest scare was when her purrson took her outside with her and she wandered off. Her purrson went to look for her a few minutes later and she was gone. Her purrson searched far and wide for her to no avail. After she'd been gone for 2 weeks, her purrson received a phone call that Chelsea was hanging out on her patio. She was just around the corner from where her purrson lived. Her purrson had put her collar on with her I.D. tag.

By that time, her purrson had decided she needed a companion. She had the bright idea to let Chelsea have kittens to provide that companionship. A male cat had been visiting by getting on the roof and jumping on the balcony. Chelsea would rush to greet him and whine when her purrson wouldn't let her out. One evening, the two cats managed to get the screen door open and her purrson arrived home to sounds of hissing in the dark. The kittens were stillborn at a later time. Her purrson wised up and after Chelsea recovered from that ordeal, she was spayed.

In August of 1984, Maynard came to live with them. She didn't take too well to him at first, but soon she was chasing him around to groom him. Chelsea went on to live a long, healthy life.

Chelsea also liked to groom fingers and especially liked to groom feet and toes. She and Maynard kept each other entertained and usually got along pretty well. While she never admitted to it, she missed Maynard deeply after he died earlier this year.

After her first year, she didn't have to make any more unplanned visits to the vet until the last month of her life. A mass in her abdomen was found and she was put on a special diet, which she ate for a few days. Then she gradually stopped eating, snubbing food and only taking a few bites when she did eat. While she still drank water, she was beginning to have difficulty walking because she was getting weaker. She was obviously suffering and her purrson chose not to prolong it. She took her to Trailridge Pet Hospital and died peacefully with her purrson beside her.

A year ago I had to put my best friend of twelve years to sleep. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.

Misty was one crazy cat...and extremely talkative, too! As a kitten, she was a Holy Terror...zipping up curtains and doing backflips in the air when she played. She was an indoor cat, but once we tried to take her out on a leash. She loved the outdoors, but disliked the restraint. So we kept her in. She would often sleep in her sunbeam by the window, curled up and purring in the warmth.

She always greeted us at the door, and proceeded to carry on conversations with us with her friendly, expressive "meows."

Misty was an amazing escape artist and daredevil, too! She just wanted to be outside. Twice she escaped from my second story window, onto the fence, to go gallivanting in the neighbourhood, returning happy and healthy each time. Once she climbed a ladder to the second story plant ledge, but we had to help her down. Even a week before her passing, she pulled a Houdini Trick...she was returning from the vet, still heavily sedated. I stopped in at my parents house for a short period and left her in her travel cage in the car. When I returned, she had escaped and was wandering around the back seat! That girl sure had determination!

Everyone that ever met Misty loved her. She was very sociable and loving. She was a loyal friend that seemed to sense my emotions. She helped me through some of the most challenging times of my life. When I was in despair, she comforted me and cuddled up with me. She has seen me grow from a teenager to a young woman, through the good and bad times. The unconditional love we receive from a pet is a gift that is very sacred.

I will miss Misty a great deal. There is an emptiness in my heart now that she is gone. Macska, my 4 year old kitty also misses her company. But I know that Misty's spirit is free to run and explore the outdoors, and she can search out her sunbeams in a happier world, a world free of pain and suffering, a world of beauty...over the Rainbow Bridge.

Thank you Misty, for your love and kindness. Enjoy your freedom and the sunshine!

Love Always and purrrrs... =^..^=

Kaura

Gone from our world but always in our hearts!

I just saw your site, I am in grief at present as our long loved furson 'Nelson' passed away due to being poisoned. He died from acute kidney failure.

His sister Clementine went missing two months ago, both were happy and healthy catkids and were loved and adored by all in our household. They became almost icons of our homes throughout the past 8.5 years. They are both deeply missed by us. Both were spayed, neutered, vaccinated and had beautiful, loving natures. They will meet over the rainbow bridge with our other k9 furson 'Max' who passed on in 1998.

Our home is in mourning as I'm sure you understand it is that awful sense of deathly quiet, where I can hear nothing but the keyboard, as I type.

Nelson and Clementine, were born on March 6th 1993, we adopted both of them around March 29th when visiting a home of an old friend, whose husband had planned to drown them. Yep, we were absolutely appalled and talked them into actually homing the rest of the kittens through their vet. They did that.

Clementine mothered all our other furbabies. Even our oldest dog Buddy, who came to us in 1995. He is griefstricken as are the others. Kapoochi, our other K9 furdaughter, looked on Nelson as her baby. She is very sullen today.

Nelson is survived by his human family, myself, Len and brother Daniel. My husband was always known as Big Daddy to our furson where as Daniel was 'Little Daddy'.

In this picture Clementine is on the left, Nelson on the right in the sun where they liked to be.

I appreciate your site and am glad that there are other caring people out there. Hugs and many Purrs to you and yours, Maggie Hilton

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