Conference misery::feline_v1

I hope that Digital is also paying her benefits like regular trips to the vet
and shots!  It wouldn't due to have kitty contracting something from one of
those rodents now would it!

gailann

This isn't the only cat DEC has on staff. Here at TWO we have a security cat.
At least he stays at the front desk all night and expects attention from
anyone who goes in or out. I don't know who officially 'owns' him, but as
he is one of the friendliest and healthiest looking cats I've known, I'm not
too wooried about him. His hours are about 10pm to 5am. Where he goes during
the day he won't say but he leaves by himself (he isn't put out).

It makes me feel good to work for a company that likes animals.
kris

Here is the original text that was sent to DTW regarding Pepper.  Her
badge was made in a smaller size to suit the wearer.  Be assured she
is well cared for and very spoiled!


                  DIGITAL'S LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEE


According to her badge (#00001 1/2), her name is Pepper A. Feline, and 
she puts in 7 days a week without vacations or holidays for room, 
board and lots of TLC, covering two of DEC's facilities - both in 
Boylston.  Since she does not get vacations or holidays, there is a 
liberal policy towards her 'cat naps' and actual working time.  She
has gained an international reputation to the extent that when Low
End Regulatory Engineering is contacted by one large European firm, 
their communique starts with a picture of a cat.  Although we don't 
have documentation, it is reasonably certain that she is FCC approved.

It is believed that at her age, approximately 4 1/2 years old, she is 
also DEC's youngest employee.  Pepper is in charge of rodent control 
for LERE at the Boylston Barn FCC Test Site (headquartered at the Mill) and, 
when 'borrowed' by the Headmaster's House Conference Center, does the 
same job in their basement.

After the opening of the barn, in its rural setting, gnawing mice 
became a problem and the cheapest, safest, most effective solution, 
albeit old-fashioned, was Pepper.  She is more finicky than Morris and 
occasionally fancies herself a computer whiz by strolling across a 
keyboard when she feels bored or ignored, enjoys sunning herself on 
the stone wall by the Conference Center and strolls in the woods when 
the weather is warm; when it is cold, she prefers to lay on any paper 
upon which an engineer is working.

An avid hunter, she views her work as recreation, and remains the 
terror of any unwanted diminutive trespassers on DEC's Boylston site.

The only question I have is why did you wait so long to get a cat??? I have 
been to the Barn on many occasions (up to about a year and a half ago); and 
the mice were a constant topic of conversation! I look forward to meeting this 
wonderful (how can a cat be anything but wonderful???) employee.

	/s/	Bob

To Bob

After a shift of personnel, a cat-hater went to the barn and those 
that used to care for our Pepper went to the Nashoba test site.  The 
Headmaster's house was only to happy to "inherit" Pepper (they had 
already made a concentrated effort to spoil her) but she still goes 
back to the barn when she is outside.  The barn now has mice AND a 
very disagreeable opossum in residence.  The group at the Conference 
Center will most likely be glad to show her off.

Re: .2

He is a great cat. Very mellow and self-assured. The night guards feed him
and give him water. 

He is black and white with just the tip of his tail being white. The guards
theorize that he 'belongs' to someone nearby during the day and comes here
at night. His front paws have been declawed but he has brought back birds
for the guards to praise him about. Truely a remarkable cat.


							.wIx.

        I have been reluctant to enter this note for some time.  Late
        last year ('86), Pepper returned to the Barn FCC test site from 
        the Headmaster's house.  She was very thin and after a short 
        time, refused to eat.  She was hospitalized and tested and given 
        fluids under the skin.  She began to eat some but only after a 
        visit from us - seemed she needed someone she knew around.  She 
        got a bit better and went back to the barn.  FeLV tests were not 
        conclusive - some negative, some positive.  She developed a limp 
        - back to the hospital for more tests/X-rays.  She showed tumors 
        in the second X-rays that hadn't shown before and they were 
        growing rapidly.  One in her brain blinded 1 eye and one in her hip 
        grew so quickly it actually broke a bone.  She was in severe pain 
        and the choice was to send her to Tufts for more tests or put her 
        to sleep.  (All this took place over a six week period while she 
        worsened steadily).  It was hard but I opted for euthanasia.  The 
        Dr.s suspect that she had carried FeLV since a kitten and never 
        showed signs (vaccine was not available then) and it finally 
        manifested itself as cancerous tumors.  I know some feel we 
        should have sent her to Tufts, but we couldn't visit her there 
        and she wouldn't eat if we weren't there.
        
        She really made it tough when she started to purr faintly as I 
        was signing the papers.  She was put to sleep in February, 1987, 
        and we all miss her.
        
        Before I get criticism - the Vet told me NOT to take her home for 
        care because it would expose my cats and because the strange 
        surroundings and my cats would be too stressful for her.  We made 
        many, many trips from West Boylston (my home) to Boylston (I'm 
        sure NRO Security was tired of hearing from me, I know some of 
        them thought we were crazy) and the trips back home were always 
        silent and sad.  
        
        Ellen

    
    
    Ellen,
    
    So sorry to hear about Pepper.  Many of s have had to face 
    tough decisions about animals we love, just as you did.  It
    doesn't sound to me like you really had much choice.  Just 
    remember that Pepper had a good home and people around who loved
    her.  That's all that any animal or person could ask for.  You
    did the best you could and I'm sure in her way she was grateful.
    
    Carole
    

    I'm so sorry to hear that about pepper.  I'm sure you did the right
    thing.  I know it's hard, but she's much better off being put to
    sleep, since it certainly sounds like she couldn't be helped.  I
    think sending her to Tufts would have just prolonged her pain. 
    So hard always to lose a kitty.  But think of the good times she's
    having in heaven.  Probably she's waking God up in the middle of
    the night to play fetch.....