2017 has been a hard year so far for Leslie and me with our old timers.​

I had to say goodbye to my buddy Max yesterday who has been with me since 2011. I pulled him from the shelter because he was extremely shy and actually had feral tendencies. It took a long time for him to really trust me but once he did, he would have moments where he would solicit petting sessions and once I got my hands on him to brush him or stroke him, he would close his eyes and talk to me. He was definitely a talker.

We estimate Max to be over 12 years old since he was about six or seven when I originally got him. He loved spending time on the outside patio at the Lapcats Manor sunbathing and hanging out with the other kitties. There was not a mean bone in this boys body. He was gentle and sweet and a kind spirit. Of course I was with him until the end as it should be.

He ate his temptation treats and stayed swaddled in a warm, fleece blanket when he took his last breath. He will be privately cremated and will continue to live on in spirit not only in my heart but the hearts of many. Shannon Asquith is the one who originally asked me to take Max "temporarily" and I'm thankful she did. RIP sweet boy Maxi.... take care of Mae Mae, Bugg, Tango, Big Guy, and Harvey all of whom have passed this year. Forever in our hearts xoxo. 

- Barbara

Big Guy passed over the Rainbow Bridge today.  Some of you were fortunate to meet him.  He came to us with Janie and Laly.  Several years ago he broke his leg and it was repaired.  About a month after a long cage rest period the rod came through the leg.  He was rushed back to the vet where they tried again.  It just didn't work so his right hind leg just dangled.  He could use it to steady himself but could not put weight on it.  While he was at the vet for all of this they found a scare that went all the way around him from something that was on there a long time and tight.  While he was with Lapcats we found he had kidney disease.   He really didn't want to eat his food but he did because he had a bad tooth.  That was removed and 8 months later had to have an extensive dental.  Dr. Petrunich took many precautions to make sure he survived the procedure.  Came through with flying colors, could eat anythiny and everything he shouldn't.   But that nasty diseas took its toll on him.  

​Rest in peace Big Guy and take care of Bugg.

​This is an email that has been hard to write.  Bugg crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on December 22.

The shelter called Barbara could we take a 10 month old kitten, well Bugg was a 10 year old cat that looks and acted like a kitten.  That was 5 years ago. Her top weight was 6 pounds and she ruled this house with an iron paw and that was the tinest paw you ever saw.  Little Bug at 18+ pounds was afraid of her.  He would peek around a corner to see if she was there.  My lap and chair was hers and she would not let anyone else up to even sit on the arm of the chair.  Relented to let them get on the back of the chair.  She would paw you to pet her and then bite you (not hard) when you didn't do it right.  She put up a great fight through her asthma, hyperthyroid and inflammatory bowel disease.  She had an inhaler for her asthma and she would get in my lap to have her treatments.  She gave it her all.  Now she can be that 10 month old kitten.
  
Thanks
Leslie

You were sweet and adorable when we first met you.  You went right to Arnie, which we believed you knew his heart needed healing.


In a very short period of time, it became obvious that I was the one you chose to love the most.

We thought perhaps, it was a woman thing and maybe it was.  All I know is that you were always by me, purring and asking for more back rubs.

You were dealing with illness when we adopted you and accepted all that it entailed.  We believed it was manageable and did all we could to help you.

Things turned around when during an exam, we were told that you were dealing with more than a tummy thing and your life expectancy was 6 months to 1 year!

It was heartbreaking to hear this and we vowed to do all we could to ease any of your pain and to give you all the love we possibly could for the remainder of our time together.

You had been on several meds, but when you were prescribed steroids, we were privy to a kitten instead of a sickly adult.

You talked all the time!  You surprised me by bringing me a ball out of the blue and challenged me to toss it for you.  The best surprise of all was that you returned it to me. Game on!

You enjoyed this activity so much so that you would bring your ball into the bedroom at all hours of the night and demand that I play.  Oh, but of course, I did!

After that when you wanted to rest, you insisted that I come to you and lay with you until you were ready to go to sleep. (our other cat had control of the bed and you were too timid to challenge her)

We talked....you and I.... all the time.  You understood me and I understood you.  It was an amazing relationship that I would wish on everyone.  You were my best buddy, my playmate and most of all, what I know to be, God's Gift!

You defied the odds and we had you for 14 months!  I may have kept you a little longer than I should.  I hope not because I wouldn't want you uncomfortable for even a second.

The house feels empty and I look for you all the time.  I know it was time for you to go and I accept that.  It's difficult to accept the hole in my heart.

I am thankful for all your love and know that I will love and miss you forever.

- June

James was one of my first foster cats for the LAPCATS program when it started in 2005.  The vet and I estimated that he was between three and five years old at the time.  He had a terrible cold and ear mites, fleas, etc, and the cold did not want to go away. He was a difficult patient and did not want to take the pills, have me fuss with his ears, or give him subcutaneous fluids. I just kept nursing him for months and told him that he could not die on me, I am stubborn that way.  I also noticed that he was drinking and peeing a lot. It turned out that he had diabetes. At that point I decided to adopt him as I thought he would be hard to adopt to the average pet owner due to the cost and on-going care involved.  James got better once we started treating his diabetes. 
 
It took some time to determine which insulin would work, and then more time to stabilize and determine which dosage was correct.  James required twice daily human insulin (the most expensive kind), and daily testing of his blood since he had a couple incidents of his blood values being too low or too high and ending up in the hospital.  James had his ears pricked daily or twice daily for the last eleven years depending upon how stable he was at the time.  James would sit still and upright for this even when he was concerned about the dog being too close.  He became a good patient because it became routine to him. 
 
James was a beautiful Maine Coon mix and was a good mix of the aloof cat and the people friendly cat. James loved to chew on my ring.  I most fondly remember the late night lie downs on the couch when he would make a beeline to make biscuits on my chest.  Within seconds, the biscuits moved to my stomach which was easier to take.  He didn’t mind moving his biscuit making operation, because it put his face at a better angle so he could rub noses with me or my chin.  Many times, during this activity, I would say to my husband, I just love this cat.   It turned out he was not perfect.  I told my friend Leslie that he did not counter surf; I was wrong.  Leslie provided some great pictures of James proud as can be sitting up tall on my counters.  Oh well, he knew not to do this when I was around. 
 
For the last few months, James was requiring less insulin, and was losing weight.  Then he started eating less, and then not at all.  James was euthanized on October 27, 2016 while I was holding him.  I will always remember him because I just loved that cat!

- Kim, Lapcats CoFounder

Hi Barbara, I wanted to let you know that Arwin passed away on Tuesday.😢😢😢 She was diagnosed with stomach cancer 2 months ago and we kept her comfortable and loved her every second we had with her. A few days ago she took a turn for the worse and we had to make the heart breaking decision to put her down. She passed away in my arms feeling so loved and that was a tiny comfort to me. I miss that gorgeous sweet girl so much! I feel so lucky she chose us to love her and that we got 5 wonderful years with her. I just want you to know we did everything we could for her. She was a queen and we loved her so much!!

I wanted you all to meet Winston. Even though I've only had him a week, he has touched my heart in so many ways. I knew he wouldn't be with us long and was scheduled to be put to sleep at the shelter because of his poor prognosis (advanced kidney disease among other things) but he got to live at the Lapcats Manor for a short time, got to hang out with the other kitties and spent today out on the sunny patio. Special thanks to Teresa for trying to get him to eat and for coming over to visit him the other day. He loved the attention❤️

He wasn't eating and had a really bad abscess in his mouth. Even at the vet he was rubbing all over me and his cage.

Please say a prayer for him tonight. Since his owners didn't have the heart to respectfully put him to sleep and be by his side, I'm glad I could love him til the end and hold him as he crossed to the Rainbow Bridge.