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Meet Starla

Posted: Sat September 15th, 2012, 12:17 am
by Misfit
Hi all, there's something I haven't mentioned here yet. About two weeks ago Misfit the kitteh cat was having a lot of trouble breathing and I took her into the vet. They found fluid building on her lungs, which they say is typically a sign of heart trouble. They gave her oxygen and drew a lot of the fluid off and she responded very well. The test results on the fluid didn't come back with anything and her recheck a few days later went very well and we hoped for the best, but she started relapsing a week ago, and by Sunday she wasn't doing very well at all and we went back in and she didn't come home.

This is the first time in many, many years that I've not had another kitty waiting at home to help with the grieving process and I started looking at shelters on Tuesday. I found Starla at the Petsmart adotion center (Petsmart is kind enough to give some retail space to the local shelters). She's eight, and about six of those eight years has been in shelters, and the last year or so in the shelter at Petsmart. For reference, in the photo you'll see directly left of her is the window looking out at the store. Behind her is the door to the shelter's area and immediately right of her and the door are the double rows of cages. It's pretty small, and so her only excercise has been hopping from her cage in the upper row to the top of the cat tree and back.

I brought her home Tuesday afternoon and she's been doing very well. I think she's finally realized she's not going to wake up and realize it was all a wonderful dream and she's back in the shelter. She's a happy, happy kitty. She needs to lose some weight off her belly, but we're working on that, plus some areas on her back that need some grooming attention and perhaps the dreaded shampoo. I wasn't able to take time off this week after bringing her home, so looking forward to some quality time this weekend getting to know each other better.

Posted: Sat September 15th, 2012, 10:58 am
by Vanessa
Starla is beautiful, Misfit!! What a pretty cat!

Sorry to hear about your cat Misfit. It's always upsetting when you lose a much loved pet. I'm sure Starla will be of great comfort to you.

Posted: Sat September 15th, 2012, 3:03 pm
by fljustice
So sorry for your loss, Misfit. Starla looks lovely and I'm sure is most happy at her change in circumstances. Enjoy!

Posted: Sat September 15th, 2012, 3:19 pm
by MLE (Emily Cotton)
Another tabby--so your avatar will still look right :p .
If the belly fat persists, she might have the same condition as my daughter's cat Minerva, whose tummy flabs down regardless of her weight. 'Nervy' had a hasty neutering job done, and a couple of connections in the abdomen got snipped and not sutured back up again. Vets can get a little sloppy when they are doing fifty cats at a go.

Doesn't seem to bother Nervy in the least, although her saggy baggy belly makes her appear overfed. She leaps and turns with the best of them -- my daughter's house is always fly-free, thanks to her cat.

Posted: Sat September 15th, 2012, 10:16 pm
by DianeL
Oh Misfit I am sorry to hear about Mis-kit. This summer seems to have been awful for animals, I still miss my Siddy.

Tabbies are so lovely, and it's happy-making to hear how happy you've made this pretty lady. I'm excited for her. I'll give Gossamer a kiss for a shelter soul sister.

I'll be adopting a dog in the next month or so myself. October will be the 10-year anniversary of when I adopted Sid, and 3 months since she had to take her leave. Kitten needs a dog, and so do I.

Starla's story, and her new home, seriously have me smiling so warmly right now. So happy for you, and for her.

Posted: Sun September 16th, 2012, 11:06 am
by EC2
I was so sorry to read about Misfit. It's trite but true that as a door closes somewhere, one opens for someone else - I'm sure Starla will have a wonderful life now, and what a pretty kitty. :)

Posted: Sun September 16th, 2012, 11:13 am
by Madeleine
She's lovely. Sorry to hear about Misfit, very sad.

Posted: Sun September 16th, 2012, 11:24 am
by Misfit
Thanks ladies. Losing a beloved pet is never easy, is it?

Starla's been doing great, yesterday was our first whole day together, but all she did was sleep.

Posted: Sun September 16th, 2012, 3:56 pm
by Nefret
Sorry for your loss. And new cat is pretty. I've always liked tabbies.

Posted: Sun September 16th, 2012, 11:23 pm
by lauragill
Sorry to hear about Mis-kit. But Starla is very lovely, and I'm sure she's going to be very happy.