Erissa - My friend of 14 years

Status
Not open for further replies.

bear

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2005
Messages
395
Purraise
815
Location
South Coast of California
I don't wish to start a long thread and replies are discouraged. Writing this is helping me tonight.

Tomorrow, I take my girl in for her last Vet visit.

She has compound illnesses, with crystals, IBD and now a large cancerous liver tumor.

She has refused to eat for the last three days, and only minimally a few days prior to that.

In early 2002, I received a call from her caring original TV breeder, asking if I could pick up a purebred Turkish Van that was in trouble. Erissa had recently had tumors and her ovaries removed at 6 months of age. Breeder #2 sent her to a home in California, via the lower cargo bay of a cross country air liner. The noise and difficulties were too much for her, one Vet had advised putting her down due to her being demented and mental issues.

Her original breeder, called to ask if I could pick her up and retrain what she felt had been a quirky, intelligent kitten and then find a home for her.  I was very active in feline rescue, so I picked Erissa up.  Only 10 months old, she came with new tumors in her scruff. I soon learned that she was strange in behavior, and my really good Vet had her marked as a caution for his staff. Within 6 months, I had reduced her striking and she returned to health except for the crystals.

Her very high IQ and athleticism let her get into anything. At 2 years of age and fascinated by water, she would turn the bathroom faucets on and find things like wash clothes to block the drain. She loved the water cascading down the cabinets and across the cobblestone floors and onto the wood floors. This occurred multiple times. For the next 8 years, visitors would ask why there were no handles on the faucets in the guest bathroom. 

Being very intelligent, unlatching the French door levers to my office was kitten play. After I replaced the levers with round knobs, she was still somehow able to open the door. When Erissa was about three years old, I needed to understand how she was doing it. One day I was able to watch from the reflection of another glass door, Erissa prodded my large male Turkish Van (also a rescue) to hang from the cat scratcher that was looped around the door knob. Erissa would then jump up onto the other side of the cat scratcher and swing her weight and his, until the rope spun the knob. Then out they would both go into the rest of the home. Fortunately I had always used the deadbolts on my doors to the garage and outside.

.    

Erissa matured to become a highly intelligent girl, that would spend much time with me and we normally got along. She would flirt with me get my close and then I might get claws just to show me I am not boss. I have never been able to pill her and trimming claws is risky. However, when she was not being controlled, she was a very good friend. She remains quirky to this evening. Tonight, she wants to be petted, yet gets upset by anything else.

Erissa was nearly taken out by a heavy bought with IBD in May of this year. It is likely that the reduced calorie consumption and the resulting physical stress during her very heroic battle weakened her other organs. Especially her liver. I have already received independent opinions from two Vets who have treated her over the last few years. This good Vet office has helped me take care of my cats for 16 years

I wanted to share with you a prior image of my Erissa, the only girl who could tolerate quirky me the last 14 years.

Thank You for taking a moment to view her image and hopefully some of her personality shows through in my girl friend of 14 years.  

Old Bear

Paradox Erissa Van Dearful,  I thank you for adding to my life these last fourteen years.  

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top