Conference misery::feline_v1

    Conni (fdcv13::sandstrom) tells me she and her husband will be adopting
    the cat.  Yeah Conni!  Yeah pussycat!
    

    
    Thank you very much for posting the note and everything else you
    have done......!!!  I don't even know if you yourself know this
    yet as the woman will or has gotten in touch with you but.....
    YES our broken legged orphan has a home to go to immediately after
    discharge from the vets!!!!!!  The new mama is a fellow Decnoter
    who by some strange coincidence did not know of this note posted.
    She may not have been able to adopt the cat because of the medical
    bills but everything has all come together in an amazing way.  First
    the medical bills being covered by Karen and then the inquiry into
    the cat without any knowledge of that event!!!!!!  It's a very strange
    surprising story as it has such a happy ending so quickly........
    
    So a sincere and heartfelt thanks to both Karen of California and
    Connie who have made both mine and Marilyn's week!!!!!!  I'm still
    in shock over all this good fortune and for all the events that
    seemed to gel together so well.....  Hope this brings smiles and
    a warm glow to all of my fellow feline lovers!!!!!!!
    
                                                                KIM

    
    Well Karen we were both writing at the same time!!!!!!!  Glad you've
    heard the good news from Connie herself first!!!!  It does feel
    good doesn't it!!!!!!!!  Don't ever forget that it is you that made
    all this possible..  Who would have guessed this poor baby would
    have had such a wonderful foster mom and mom & dad!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
                                                                   
                                                                KIM
                                                            

    
    Hi - it's me, the new mom!  I just spoke to the hospital and the
    "California Cat" is scheduled for surgery this afternoon.  The girls
    in the office are thrilled that he has a home, but will be sad to
    see him go because he's such a sweetie - I can hardly wait to see
    him!  Thank you all so much for helping to make this happen.  I'll
    be sure to let you know how things go!  He doesn't have a name yet,
    but I'm sure we'll find one that fits once we get him **HOME**!
    
    Many thanks again to all his "Aunts" - Karen, Kim and Marilyn.
    
         Conni
    

    
    
    Conni,
    
    Good luck to you and the little kitty.  I was just about to extract
    the base note and send it off to my SO to see if we might be able
    to adopt this needy kitty (even though we have 5 right now!).  I'm
    glad you found each other.
    
    Carole
    

    I just talked to the vet.  He says the puss is doing fine after
    his operation, and is just an incredibly sweet cat.
    

    Connie,
    
    I'd name him LUCKY because he certainly is!
    
    Enjoy him!
    
    Ande, Serena, and Sherlock

Well I brought home Jake, aka California Cat, on Saturday afternoon, big 
white bandage and all!  Let me tell you he is the most lovable creature
you've ever seen!  He loves to climb up in your lap and purr and purr, he
purrs so loud you can hear him across the room.  I guess that means he's
happy to be home!  It didn't take him long before he went exploring all
over the house and found "his spot" up on the back of the living room
chair so he can lay in the sun and see out the window.  

My husband works part-time on the local fire department, so I took the 
kitty visiting next door to the firehouse on Sunday.  It's really
kind of funny to see these big burly guys down on the floor talking
baby-talk to this little kitty.  I could tell the kitty liked it because
he took turns sitting with each of them.  At this point he didn't have
a name, and he wandered over to one of the big boots and tried to climb
in!  That was when it was decided that any cat that liked a firehouse 
ought to be named Jake (that's a nickname for a firefighter).  So Jake
it is!

Jake has two step-sisters, two golden retrievers named Logan and Colby.
I introduced them very briefly on Saturday night.  The two girls are
very shy around anything they haven't seen before, so they just kind of
sneaked up slowly to have a sniff while Jake was in my arms.  Jake must
have had a run in with a dog in the past so he hissed and the two girls
turned tail and ran!  I guess we know who's the boss!  Though they are
still a little tentative getting used to each other, the three of them
all sat together on the couch to watch TV last night.  I guess everything
will work out just fine.  Next time I'll have my camera ready!

I love to see happy endings to a story, especially when I can be part
of it.  Thank you all....

  Conni
                                  

    Conni,
    
    Sounds like your lives are much enriched already with the arrival
    of Jake.  There's a special place in heaven reserved just for people
    like you and Karen (and when you get there, you'll see a kitty 
    sleeping on it!!).
    
    Mary (and Honey and Chauncey)

    Conni, 
    
    I've be very interested to read days after days the story of Jake
    and today I'm very emotionned to know that he has now a great and
    good family.
    
    I'm sure you'll always have good time with him. Love him as he loves
    you it's the biggest gift you could give him.
    I think that soon, you'll be living in *his* home, Sleeping in *his*
    bed, playing with *his* wooden balls.
    
    Be happy together.
    
    
    Daniel & Valerie (and Coyotee)- FRANCE

	CAT FINDS NEW HOME AFTER GETTING SURGERY
	  [reprinted from the Salem Observer, 
	   "Observing Pelham" section, 11/12/87]

What started out as a tragic incident for a little cat named
C.C. turned out to have a happy ending lately.

C.C., a brownish-gray, white pawed tiger kitten, was found
lying on the side of the road by the LeClerc Family of Orchard
Lane in Pelham about a month ago.  They contacted the animal
control officer in town, Marilyn Mathieson, who tried to care
for the animal at the local animal shelter.  However, Mathieson
had no funds to pay for the cat's necessary surgery that was
needed to save its paw.

But, she did not give up there.  Mathieson heard about a 
message system at Digital Equipment Corp. in Salem that has
a daily employee newsletter sent around the nation via its
computer system.  She immediately contacted the person who
puts notices in concerning animals at the local shelter that
need adoption.

The message was answered by Karen Kolling, a programmer for
Digital in California.  She agreed to pay all the veterinary
bills for the surgery, which was estimated at $250.

Kolling, who has two cats of her own, said she loves cats
and since she was able to afford the surgery, she just 
couldn't say no.

However, the veterinarian was unable to save the cat's leg
because of the extensive nerve damage.  Although the injury
left the cat relatively pain-free, the left leg was amputated
at the shoulder.

Then, the same electronic newsletter that gave C.C. the means
for the surgery gave it a home.  Connie Sundstrom of Maynard,
MA, agreed to adopt the cat.  C.C.'s vet said the cat should be
able to go to its new home Saturday.

He also noted the hospital is trying to keep expenses to a 
minimum because of Kolling's generosity.

C.C., which stands for California Cat, was nicknamed by the
vet in honor of the woman who agreed to pay for the surgery.

=================================================================

Way to go, guys!!!

  -- A CANINEr who thought you'd like to see this

    I just read this note and was deeply touched by the compassion that
    many of you had for the kitten named Jake.  I wish more people felt
    that way about cats and other animals too.  I have two cats  
    that I would do anything for and to care about a kitten you
    have never seen and is 3000 miles away is truly a very admirable deed.
    I wish there were more people like you Karen.
    
    thanks for doing what you did!  

    I've been catching up notes and just read this. It brought tears
    to my eyes - you people are wonderful!
    
    janet b. (owned by Merlin and Rascal)