The world is full of bullies that will use any token to stimulate themselves. You must remember them from the grade school playground? Hopefully sweet kitty was rabid and bit him! Hopefully your little friend was adopted by a teenageish girl that dotes on his every whim providing him with a happy life of luxury. If you live near Michigan I can offer a two year old fixed female that still has her claws. I named her Favorite because that is who she aspires to be in a seven cat household. Her sister Star Trek is also people friendly and a bit bolder in personality. While friendly, sister Chrissy is shy so I'll keep her where she is comfortable. The others, Yoko, Lulu, Annie, and Jessy are fairly established as residents and have no plans to let me give them away. WAIT... I think I found your kitten's online diary... DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from shredding the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant and cough it up on the carpeting. DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favourite chair...must try this on their bed (again). DAY 762 - Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of the night. DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was...Hmmm. Not working according to plan... DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth and the tiny bit of flesh under my claws. DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer." More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage. DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The Bird on the other hand has got to be an informant. He has mastered their frightful tongue (something akin to mole speak) and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time. : ) lyra

I know this thread is old but I really need to discuss this at the moment (forgive me of the following is long). I moved cross-country a year and a half ago leaving behind my two dogs. 1 is a senior dog who loves with my mother and I and the adjustment would be too much. The second is a 110 pound lab/Shepard that is really my brother's and it wouldn't have for in my new apartment anyway. I have always had a pet. Even in college I had a mouse. I have genetic depression and while I am perfectly normal thanks to my medication, I have found that having something to take care of helps me function above-average as well as keeps me emotionally positive. After settling down in my new home I decided it was a good time to adopt a new dog. I'm 25, financially independent, and able and wiling to care for a dog (I am also certified to groom dogs, know numerous training techniques and own two training books, I volunteer at two local shelters and am this able to recieve discounted training and vaccinations for any pets; I have clipped my own dog's nails for years; know the best toys for a stimulated mind; and have even been asked to show my dogs before at local competitions (I declined); I live a mile from work and I work with only two other people who are fine with me bringing in a pet). And yet, I have been unable to adopt a dog the last year and a half and yesterday was the 6th time I was "burned" by the shelter system. Time number 1: not so much a shelter system as a coworker's dog had a litter of puppies. One was promised to me, pictures were sent, promises and dates for exchanges were made. And then her sister took all the puppies to Portland and sold them for $300 each, including the one that was promised to me because one woman up there wanted a boy and a girl dog. I cried, this was a disapointment. But it was the easiest compared to the following year... Time number 2: a dog I regularly walked at the shelter and I hit it off. I stated formally that I would like to begin the paperwork. The woman who normally runs adoptions was out on vacation so a note was made and I was given the paperwork. Meanwhile, one of the admin workers at the shelter decided that her friend would like the dog. She contacted her friend that day (after my note was made) and discarded my note and set up an adoption on her own citing it as an "emergency exception". Time number 3: I found a dog on petfinder at a shelter in Northern California about four hours away. They have a policy (and this is the humane society) that potential adopters need to fill out an i Irish wave of paperwork, deliver it in person with app family members present. The family must undergo a personally evaluation and spend four separate hours with the dog under the supervision of a pet psychologist. Then a second set of paperwork is filed and the dog is sent home on a temporary basis while the shelter checks in 1-3 times before the dog is officially allowed to be registered and adopted. Obviously, living four hours away this was a bit much. But I contacted the head of the shelter to set up an expedited version. I would undergo my evaluations over video chat, and meet with the dog once for 2 hours before driving it home. I sent in the first paperwork (a lengthy list that asked my marital status, income, smoking and drinking habits, references, two essays, a quiz on my beliefs on various pet-related things, etc). I was told that no one else was in competition for the dog. Until two days later when I was notified that someone local wanted the dog and my paperwork was void. Time number 4: I was fostering a dog I fell in love with and she adored me. However, due to a genetic condition, she needed surgery on her legs and was unable to be adopted until after the 1st of the year. I told all the official channels that I wanted to adopt her. I was told this was great and not an issue. Her surgery was on December 20th. On December 21st the vet that performed her surgery took her home and adopted her. Time number 5: a friend of a friend had a dog he was giving up to the shelter. It was a puppy/Christmas present for his kids that went un-taken care of, unloved after December 25th and left outside 24/7. It was a long-hair chihuaha/Pomeranian. My friend contacted him and while we were fine for him to just give me the dog, his wife wanted is to go through the local shelter system as a way of keeping an official record. Big mistake. Someone got wind that the chi-Pom was coming in and offered to make a $500 donation to the shelter in exchange for the dog. When I went in to pick up the dog an hour after it was dropped off, I was told he was adopted. (I only learned the true story from a friend who volunteers at admin as well as through the shelter e-mails). Time number 6: last week I met with a shelter dog at it's foster home. I fell in love but wanted to make sure he and my roommate got along. I arranged that I would be able to have an overnight stay with the dog (I was also fostering a cat that the shelter wanted to see how it handled other pets). I contacted the shelter Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday to day that I Could pick the dog up on Friday (this just so happened to be the single busy work week I have). On Friday I contacted the foster parent of the dog who informed me that she decided to show the dog to a couple during the week. And that then it was between me and them and the shelter prefers people who don't work to adopt pets (yes, that is literally what they said) so I was not allowed to adopt the dog. (The dog also came from an a used situation like the dog I had at home and thusly I knew how to handle it but apparently that is a moot point when it comes to the fact that I work a 9-5 job). These were just the situations where I thought I had the dog before it was adopted from under me. There is also the shelter in Portland that had a requirement of a 4 hour driving radius. Southern Oregon is 5 hours away, this eliminating people in the shelter's own state. They was the shelter in north Cali that is 45 minutes away with a two hour driving radius who, upon finding out I live in Oregon told me they only adopt to residents of California. There is the shelter near Portland that has a minimum $900 adoption fees for male dogs and $1200 for females. There is the shelter that needs you to have a previous pet or a signed letter from a veterinarian (I believe this shelter is on the Oregon coast). There is the local shelter who turned me down for fostering because I work (again, I live 1 mile from work. I come home at lunch and I can bring the dog to work). And a few other shelter stories from friends that posted on my wall when they heard I was once again denied a dog: The friend who was 24 and had to get motorized permission from her parents to adopt a cat because they only adopt to people over 25. The professor who was denied because he was not married. The friend who brought in a start dog and was denied adopting said dog because she was the one who brought it in and was thus listed as the person who have the dog up. And finally, the family friend that was deemed too old to adopt. Do I think shelters are too strict? Yes. Do I think they drive potential adopters to go to a breeder instead? Absolutely. After being burned six times I realized my only option is to save my money and go to either an out-of-state breeder or an out-of-state pet store. Was this this my first, second or third choice? No. It's my seventh choice, but it is the only choice available to a woman that works.

Arggggg another good post disappeared... I will try to do a short version again... Miss kitty does in fact have the beginning stages of kidney failure. I have been through about 4 vets, 3 cysto urinalysis, and 1 blood panel...I think Im up to about $600.00, but have alos had help from some great folks... The second vet place had 2 vets that kind of condradicted each other, which made me feel like something was not right. I had to go to one other vet, then I was ok with everything... One vet that viewed the blood panel told me that all her stuff was excellent for a kitty of 15...except some marginal stuff in the high which was creatinine, urea, and i thought she said cholesterol (kitty is not fat). Vet was surprised by the cholesterol ...Vet said just feed her that reduced protien stuff and these reading s will go back to normal...Their blood work machine didnt read things correctly at first so they did some manual, and stuff over again, I believe. The manual thing was a blood smear that revealed 15% white blood cells, which the vet again thought unusual...What do you guys all think of that? I heard that can be from virus, scared cat, and just cause of the kidney prob itself... Vet 2 called me and said, your cat has kidney failure and has 1 year to live ...I told her she should have a talk with her colleg, getting their stories straight! Anyways they want Miss kitty to go on Benazepril...What do you guys think of that stuff? Thanks big time for your guys support, I really appreciate being able to discuss with you. I havent always been poor, but i do love kitties. My cats have always been healthy and now are seniors.

We have four dogs, three adopted from rescue, one purchased from my nieces as a puppy (then away from me with my ex-husband for 5 years and now back to me after he passed away). The three rescue girls were 1, 3 1/2, and 9 1/2 years old at adoption. The 1 and 3 1/2 year old were adopted at the same time, the 9 1/2 year old later on. Ginger Sue, our oldest, is now 14 1/2. She went to rescue when her elderly owner had to go into a senior home. She is blind in one eye (happened after we owned her - the vet believed she must have poked a stick in her eye while we were walking her and yes, it did cost us many vet bills, but could have happened at any age). She is also deaf. And, she pees on the floor if we don't listen and take her out when she needs to go (she only gives us one chance), or if she's feeling a little off color. But she loves us (all the girls do) with her whole heart. And she understands a hand signal when we want her to 'come'. And we love her. Tessa Marie, our now 9 year old is slowing down. I believe she was abused somewhere along the way, before we owned her. She has problems, both mental and physical. But she is also so loving and so happy to be with us. She loves me and absolutely ADORES Gary. And we love her back. Lexie Lee and Sophie Louise, both in the 6 - 7 1/2 year range, are both way young in body and spirit. They are best buddies and so glad to have each other to play with. At the same time, they are very competitive with each other for our attention. They are so much fun to have around. And we love them. Once our girls are no longer with us, we will probably not own multiple dogs again. I think one will be enough, because we are getting to an age where we want to travel a little (ok, a LOT) more and it's difficult with 4 girls. But I wouldn't trade any of our puppy girls for anything. Regardless of their ages! Doesn't matter how old they are or how old they were when you got them. Puppies are all about love.