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2 months after Jerry Cat went to the Rainbow Bridge, he sends me a friend
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Member Since:
22 November 2015
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15 January 2018 - 7:09 pm
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My tripawd Jerry Cat passed away on October 9th, 2017. Jerry became a tri kitty in June of 2015 at age 14 when we woke up one morning to see his shoulders were uneven and he was limping. Osteosarcoma was suspected, but it turned out to be chondrosarcoma, and so his scapula and right front leg was taken. Jerry lived almost two and a half years after his amp surgery. He was happy, healthy, and became so cuddly (when previously he hadn't really enjoyed being loved on before). The amputation did not hold him back in any way. It gave him (and us) a few additional years together. Unfortunately and seemingly overnight, once again, Jerry was rushed to the vet when he suddenly fell over one afternoon and was wobbly when trying to walk. He had a very rough weekend while we waited for tests to come back. My Jerry Cat did not make it. He had stopped eating and drinking, could no longer sit, or walk or use the litter box. He passed away on the exam table at the vet while waiting for our appointment. I was devastated. Jerry had been with our family for 16 years. He was a fighter. The vet's office was stunned and saddened - he was one of their favorite patients. I would often bring him into the office when my dogs had appointments, because everyone wanted to see the miracle tri kitty who made it through.

After Jerry's sudden and traumatic passing, I swore to my family I'd never be able to have another cat. Like, ever. Because Jerry was it for me. I didn't think it was fair to another cat...to have to attempt to "fill his paws."

I ended up donating many of Jerry's things to a cat rescue near me called Meow House. In the process, I began talking with one of the foster moms who had 15 cats! I told her I wasn't ready to adopt, but one day after work, I decided to stop by her house. Just to "look."

My young daughter and I stayed for over an hour and played with lots of kittens, but I had my eye on an adult female (Stella). #1, she was a Tuxedo, and I've always been fond of them. And #2, she had come into the rescue with four kittens. One hadn't made it, but the other three were cute and got adopted quickly, of course. And that just left mama. Waiting since May, for HER new home. The foster mom told me she was pretty tolerant of kids, and didn't mind dogs. She also mentioned that this mama cat was so sweet that she had taken in an orphan kitten and nursed him too, along with her own.

I left that afternoon and walked down the driveway to my car and turned to look back and who did I see sitting in the window? The only cat out of 15 to watch my daughter and I walk away...Stella.

Needless to say, I couldn't stop thinking of this cat who has been up for adoption since May. I told my husband we were gettin' a new cat.

A few days later, on December 9th, we drove back to the foster mom's house and picked up our new cat, Stella. She is a playful, cute two and a half year old Tuxedo girl. We love her so much.

A couple weeks after we adopted her, I invited the foster mom (who has become a nice friend) over for coffee so she could see Stella again. While we were talking, she started showing me pictures on her phone, of Stella when she first came into rescue back in May. In one of the photos, is my Stella, nursing her kitties and the orphaned boy she was tending to. And guess what this little boy's name was?

Jerry.

I don't believe in much nowadays. I'm cynical about a lot, but I 100% believe that my beloved Jerry Cat sent me to adopt this sweet Tux girl for our family to love. We have a lot of love to give and there are so many pets that need a home. Jerry just had to show me I could open my heart again and be ready to let Stella in.

Thanks for reading!

Hattie and Jerry (RIP), and Stella

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Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

Virginia







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15 January 2018 - 9:35 pm
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OMC!!!!   THIS MADE ME SOOOOO HAPPY FOR YOU, AND STELLA TOO!!

100% ABSOLUTELY JERRY SENT YOU STELLA!! 🙂  I love how all this unfolded under Jerry's watchful eye! Jerry k ew you have so much @ove in ykur heart and he didn't wa t it to be wasted.  Stella deserves to k ow what love feels like.  What it feels like to be loved.  What it feels like to be safe and secure.  And Jerry knew there was nobody better than you to do that for Stella.

Jerry is still a huge part of this community.  We reference him often to people just starting this journey so they can be inspired by his journey full of so many victories!! 🙂

Keep these pictures coming!  Little Stella is absolutely adorable!!   Sooooo cute!

Lots of love you you Hattie!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!

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16 January 2018 - 5:28 am
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Thanks, Sally! I don't know what happened to my photo of Stella. It showed up and I could see it when I posted this last night...oh well.

I've been trying to comment here and there on some kitty amp threads I see. I want to encourage people and reassure them about amputation, even though Jerry is no longer with me, he lived an extra two years with us because of it.

Thanks for reading and saying hi!

Hattie

Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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16 January 2018 - 7:13 am
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Yes indeedy, Jerry continues to have a pawsitive impact thrpugh you!

And the photo was here!  I saw it too obviously!

Did you use photovucket?  (We call it fubucket arpund here because it delayed all our pictures with that ugly thing).   But good for Zyou....you were able to sneak past their little ransom lrogram for a few minutes last nightht!

Anyway,, you have a blog and you cannpost from there.  

Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!

On The Road


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16 January 2018 - 11:23 am
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Awww YAY ANGEL JERRY! You done good my friend, Stella is just what your momma needed!

I'm only seeing the Fubucket image now. If you'd like help posting Stella's pic, let me know, we'd love to see it.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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16 January 2018 - 3:49 pm
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Congratulations on your new addition, I can't wait to see the picture! Isn't it just amazing how those things happen? I also agree that Jerry Cat gave Stella a nudge on the shoulder and she in turn listened and got your attention. I have had it happen more than once. I hope you have many happy years together heart

Jackie and Huck

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

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17 January 2018 - 1:49 pm
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Thanks again guys,

Yes, I made a photobucket account and when I typed out the original post the photo appeared. I thought it was a free account up to a certain amount of pics?! I read through the instructions to post using my instagram account, but mine is set to private and I'd prefer to leave it that way (I have lots of pics of my child), so that won't work.

We are snowed in, bigtime right now, so maybe I will play around with it tonight and try to figure it out. It's such a cute photo of her first day with us.

I have been blessed with six dogs and now two cats in my 44 years, and man, could I tell you some stories about the beautiful animal/human connection. Maybe some day I will post about what happened to my son and his dog (not a tripawd). It was in late 2005/early 2006 and I still have friends that tell the story to others and no one can believe it.

Thanks for the well wishes and support!

Hattie

Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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17 January 2018 - 2:19 pm
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We'll be waite for your  boy and his dog" story!!  

Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!

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17 January 2018 - 2:41 pm
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Let's give this a whirl...attempting to post a few photos:

If it works, then the first pic is of Stella when she first came to the Meow House rescue group with her kitties. Check out the bottom where it says the name of the kitty she was foster mom to!! This is the pic that I was shown a few weeks AFTER I adopted her. Meant to be... 

The second pic is of Stella on my daughter's bed, the first day we had her home with us.

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Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

Member Since:
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17 January 2018 - 2:47 pm
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Holy moly, it worked! You won't be able to stop me now!

I will include a few more of Stella, plus one of my favorite photos of Jerry Cat on the kitchen counter. His favorite place to be, but drove me nuts.

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Stella not sure about her huge Boxer brother, Sox, but is inching closer by the day. 

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Stella, finding a comfy place to sit, day 1 at her new home

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Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

Member Since:
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17 January 2018 - 2:52 pm
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I'll have to work up to it, Sally. It's one of those stories that is truly hard to believe, but my neighbors at the time, some of my friends, and my dad witnessed it, so I swear it is true!

smiley

Thanks for the suggestion to use the blog option. I'm finally able to post photos!

Hattie

Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

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17 January 2018 - 3:06 pm
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OMC she is BEAUTIFUL!!! So sweet.. and I love the kitty on the counter...look at that catitude!! I tried to find your blog but was unsuccessful. Stella looks like a sweet girl, I know she is a lucky girl 🙂

I also am looking forward to your boy and his dog story, you have sparked up that cat like curiosity!

Hugs,

Jackie and Huck

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

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17 January 2018 - 3:42 pm
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Hi,

Thank you, Jackie and Huck! Sorry I was not more clear, I made a blog, but am currently only using it to host these photos. Maybe someday I will type out Jerry's story . He had nine lives for sure! Jerry Cat was featured last week on the TriPawd Tuesday blog, if you care to go searching for it. It details a lot of what happened to him and what brought me here. 

Thanks for the compliments on Stella. She is completely different from Jerry Cat, in every way, and that is probably a good thing!

I don't mean to tease about the other story. It has to do with how/why both my young son and his dog passed within days of each other. I just have to take a deep breath and work up to it. Thanks for understanding!

Hattie

Hugs,

Hattie and Jerry Cat (right front leg and scapula amputation due to chondrosarcoma at age 14, lived 2 1/2 years post amputation, succumbed suddenly to suspected lymphoma at age 16)

10/2001 - 10/9/2017 R.I.P ~ Love you always

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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17 January 2018 - 4:14 pm
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Oh Hattie.....please.........as far as your  "boy and his dog" .heart....'we certainly understand why you need to be in a very grounded and centered space before you can share thatt story....if at all.     And thanks for giving us a little insight, otherwise I'm afraid we woukd have continued to hound you!

The pictures of Stella are sooooo darn cute!!   And you get an award for being able to break through Fubucket's nasty ransom heist!  Yes, that second picture actually made it ever so briefly!

I love the photo of Stella and Sox.  She's certainly making herself comfortable!

A very lucky kitty Jerry sent you!

Hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!

Member Since:
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17 January 2018 - 5:04 pm
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Oh wow, I am sorry. I had no idea it was a story so personal such as that. You are right with Stella. When people had such a tight bond with their heart babies, I always would recommend that when another companion came to be that it be totally different. It is too easy to compare the other way around and you both lose that way. 

I was surprised to see her next to your pup Sox so soon. If he is not objective about it, it looks like they may become close friends quickly!

Have a good night,

Jackie 

Hugs,

Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry

Huckleberry's Blog

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