Over the years Shawna has adopted many kitties. Most of them were family members before the “digital age.” The groups of felines who follow on this page are the most recent of her cats who are gone, but not forgotten.
Seniors Gone, But Not Forgotten
The feline seniors were born in 1985. They were Peapurr, Mama Kitty, Mocha B. Dude, and Snickers. Peapurr and Mocha were adopted from Wendy’s Animal House, a pet store in Mount Clemens. Mama Kitty was a friendly stray who bore a litter of kittens outside Mom’s Mount Clemens home. Snickers was adopted as an adult from friends at church.
Siblings Gone, But Not Forgotten
In the fall of 1989, a feral cat bore a litter of six kittens–three tuxedo boys and three calico females–outside Mom’s Mount Clemens home. With winter coming, she lured them into a back room of her home with food. The mother kitty never adjusted to “captivity,” but eventually all six kittens did. Brave was the first; he walked straight into the door from the deck with no fear (hence his name). Then Bandit, Bad Boy, and Brenna warmed up to Mom and her other cats. Bits and Bytes were the last holdouts. A year later, the mother cat bore a litter of two. Pot’o’Fur survived, and was adopted, although she never really became domesticated.
Sisters Gone, But Not Forgotten
Several unrelated females joined the family as adults. Cassie (born in July 1990) came in 1994. Allicat, more commonly known as Googlie Girl, was born in 1997 and adopted just after Christmas in 1998. Panda Bear (in Her Underwear), born in 1995, and Calleigh duTwain, born in 1997, were surrendered to the vet’s office at ages 11 and 9 and then adopted by Mom. Shawna was always a sucker for a hard-luck story!
Sidekicks Gone, But Not Forgotten
Patch the Pirate and Possum
A somewhat younger generation of felines joined the family in the early years of the new millennium. Patch the Pirate (born July 2004) and Possum (born October 2004) were adopted in February 2005. Mom actually intended to adopt only Possum, whose antics in the cage created doubts about his sanity; but he had made friends with this little female stray with a damaged right eye. Mom could not bear to separate them, even though Patch was a bit feral.
Cara Mia and Gobblin’ Goopuss
Later in 2005, Cara Mia and Gobblin’ Goopuss caught Mom’s eye at Gasow. Cara Mia was 2 or 3 years old at that time. Unfortunately, she developed metastatic breast cancer in the summer of 2016. Thanks to an experimental protocol, Cara Mia was able to stay with her family and friends until July 6, 2018.
Gobblin’ Goopuss was about six months old when he joined the feline family. He was very talkative and friendly. He had to have surgery for a rodent ulcer and, later, for a growth on his chin. He also developed hyperthyroidism, for which he was treated daily. In late 2018, his appetite decreased markedly. Expecting a flare-up of kidney disease, Shawna was surprised to learn that blood work indicated cancer, probably lymphoma. Gobblin’ crossed the Rainbow Bridge December 2, 2018.
Purrin’Dot
Purrin’Dot (born October 2004) initially came to Gasow Veterinary with four other black and tuxedo cats in October 2005. They were left in a box outside the door with a note indicating that they were about a year old. These cats were then taken by Companion Pet Rescue and displayed at Pet Supplies “Plus” in Rochester. Purrin’Dot was very unhappy there, so he stayed in the home of CPR co-founder Eirene until adopted by Mom on January 11, 2006.
C.P. Pirate
C. P. Pirate was adopted in October 2010 as an adult stray. Quiet and shy, he did not impress potential adopters and had waited a long time for a home. He and Patch became best buddies after Brave crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Revelly
Revelly was brought in to see the vet as a ten-year-old in 2012 and abandoned in an office. Who could resist such a sad tale? Her tortie coloring reminded Mom of Fudge Revel ice cream.
Pawscar Awesome
Mom met Pawscar Awesome on November 16, 2012, after he had been brought to Gasow as a stray by the Birmingham Police. He was skinny and flea-infested, with burns on his sides. The vet guessed that he was about seven. He was orange, polydactyl, and clearly needed some TLC. Mom visited him regularly until he was well enough to come home in January 2013.
Mitchner McGarrulous
After Pawscar went over the Rainbow Bridge, Mom saw a posting on Facebook for a 9-year-old cat whose owner had died and who needed a home. On December 3, 2016, Mom went to his home and met him, and was happy to adopt him.
Unfortunately all of these kitties developed serious health problems of various kinds. Each left the family too soon.
Sweeties Gone Too Soon, But Not Forgotten
Pearl Grey
My Sad Story
I am Pearl Grey. Like Dusty RoseNose, I can give credit to Mitchner McGarrulous for my adoption. On August 10, 2017, Mom took him to Gasow Veterinary Hospital for yet another one of those B12 shots and a nail trim. When Dr. C. spotted Mom in the lobby, she told her about this little kitten named Karen–me–and my sad story. Because I was seriously injured, the Bloomfield police brought me to Gasow to be euthanized. Dr. C. happened to see me before anyone could do that, and the vets decided to try to repair my injuries. They removed most of my tail; whatever hurt me had crushed it, and the tissue died. The vets fixed my back legs, and I had to learn to use them again. Dr. C. showed Mom some videos of that on her phone.
My Happy Circumstances
Mom was not sure she wanted cat #11, but she agreed to meet me that day. She must have thought about it quite a bit because she adopted me on August 25. Mom gave a lot of thought to choosing a name for me. Her sister Melissa and cousin MJ made some suggestions. Mom finally settled on Pearl Grey. Her dad’s name was Earl, and her family loves Earl Grey tea. I repaid her with numerous attacks on her lower legs, silly scaredy-cat antics, and as much love as a wild, young kitten can muster. Now that I am an adult, I have calmed down some, but I am still very determined to get my way. I am mostly a stand-offish type of kitty, but in certain rare situations I will actually sit on Mom’s lap and be affectionate.
My Surprising Demise
Early in 2020, my appetite waned, and I was not acting like my usual self. Mom took me to the vet, who thought my pale gums and other symptoms probably indicated feline leukemia. That is a transmissible disease in cats, so Mom isolated me until she could take me to see a veterinary internist who has worked with other feline family members. Dr. E. determined that I did not have FeLV, but my system was attacking my own red blood cells. The name of my disease is immune mediated hemolytic anemia. I was started on a protocol of daily liquid prednisolone. Later this was supplemented by a cancer medicine (chlorambucil) and later, cyclosporine. I was doing well on the regimen Dr. E. ordered for a while, although I hated receiving the medicines (Mom’s hands and arms showed it sometimes).
In June 2022, Mom noticed that my appetite was falling off again. She took me to see Dr. E., who found out that my red blood cell count was down to 15. He prescribed an appetite stimulant, which worked for a day, but by the next day nothing was working. Mom could see that I was miserable, so she took me to Gasow on June 12, and I crossed the Rainbow Bridge at the unripe young age of 5.
Jou Jou B
My Almost Botched Adoption
I met Mom in January 2014 on one of her many trips to the vet. At the time I occupied the display cage (as an adoptable kitty) in the lobby and was called Jou Jou (not Jou Jou B). I tried my best to attract her with my witty conversation, but was discouraged when she left without me. Soon Mom returned and asked to visit me. She met my sisters, too. I really turned on the charm, showing her my affectionate nature. I was a little over a year old at that time, being born in October (?) 2012. She seemed to like me, but left again without me. On January 17, Mom came back with a man who wanted to meet me. He must have liked me because Mom and the man (my dad) adopted me that night and lengthened my name to Jou Jou B.
I stayed at the vet for some medical care until Saturday, when Mom brought me home. How did I react to my adoption? The trip home did not go smoothly. I was NOT happy in the cat carrier, and I downright freaked out when Mom put me in a big cage, and I saw several strange cats. I leaped and jumped all over inside the cage, scaring Mom a lot. She took me back to the vet for two more weeks until I was completely healthy. Mom visited me every day, so I knew she had not abandoned me.
My Very Happy Home
I still panicked a bit when Mom brought me home the second time. When I realized no one was going to hurt me, I quickly settled down. I even made some kitty pals, demonstrating my friendliness to everyone, human and feline. I used to sleep with Mom and my sisters and my oldest stepsister, Googlie Girl (who has since crossed the Rainbow Bridge), but then I divided my time between Rascal Spatz, Tortie Toes, Dusty RoseNose, and Pearl Grey in the “big room”; and RubyDoo and my two sisters (who were adopted later in 2014) in Mom’s bedroom. Toward the end of my life I mostly stayed in the bedroom. Mom liked the sweet, chirpy sounds I made to express my contentment with my environment and my very loud motor. I had gotten rather chunky, so Mom contemplated putting me on a diet.
My Sudden Illness
In the wee hours of the morning on April 11, 2023, Mom awakened to the sound of a thud. She found me on the floor next to her bed. Something did not look right to her, so she got me up. I could not walk right; I was too low to the ground, my movements did not look normal, and I was breathing heavily. Mom rushed me to the kitty ER at BluePearl. At first, the vets thought something might be wrong with my heart or lungs, but this was not the case. Something neurological was going wrong; I might have had a stroke. I was walking in left-hand circles, and I lost vision in my right eye. Although the vets tried some medicines to help me, they did not seem to be working. Mom came to say goodbye to me, and I crossed the Rainbow Bridge on April 13, 2023.
Jenise
First Adoption Failure
I did not remember meeting Mom in January 2014. My name then was Clarisse, not Jenise. A woman brought me and my two sisters to Gasow so potential adopters could see us. I found a home first, but it was not with Mom. A family adopted me before Mom took Jou Jou B. I stayed with them for several months. It was not a pleasant experience for me. Another cat kept picking on me. My reward for tolerating this treatment was to be returned to the vet in October. A lady who works there told Mom that I seemed completely traumatized when I arrived, but I bounced back to my sweet, friendly self quickly.
Second Adoption Success
At the same time Mom was making daily visits to the vet to see one of her cats, Patch the Pirate, who had had several teeth removed during a dentistry. Dr. R. told Mom I had been returned. Knowing Mom, I’m sure she immediately began plotting and planning, hoping to find a way to get Dad to agree that I might join my sisters as part of their family. Lucky for me, she must have found a way. She adopted me on October 23, 2014. Mom called me Jenise so my name, like my sisters’, would start with a ‘J.’
I was pretty laid back and friendly from the moment I arrived. The “introductory period” cage did not bother me in the least. In fact, I found it so comfortable that I remained in it long after Mom started leaving the doors open 24/7. For almost nine years I shared Mom’s bedroom full-time with RubyDoo and Jolie Fille, and part-time with Jou Jou B. I often slept by Mom’s pillow at night. I showed no interest in exploring the world outside this room, because Rascal Spatz lived there (he liked to attack me). I always greeted Mom when she came near me with the same chirpy, happy sound my sisters make.
I was a lover of stability, routine, and peace. Only Dusty RoseNose was able to provoke me to hiss, and she now lives in the “big room.” Generally I was very affectionate and easy-going. I was the only one of the Fenner Felines who did not like canned cat food.
Unfortunately I developed a condition called idiopathic chylothorax, which means that there was fluid in my lungs. Medication did not help for long, so finally–on June 11, 2023–I crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
