I would like to thank Linda (N.Ca.) and Glenn (Arizona) for their donation
towards Whileys' surgery.  A thankyou to Linda, Lisa and Penny for their
constant e-mail support.  I've had to put off Whiley, Star and Meltdowns'
surgeries.  My personal monies I had earmarked for the surgeries went
towards a tragedy befalling my precious feline buddy Nautis, who is sorely
missed by his entire family of ferts, poodle and hoomuns.  My husband has
had field duty for 3 weeks and is gone for 18 a day.  Saturday last as he
left, Nautis slipped into the garage unseen.  When my husband opened garage
door to leave, Nautis made his last escape to go hunt for bugs and mice to
bring mom.  I was awakened to a horrible scream and ran outside to the
vacant house next door and in the back yard, he was being mauled by 4
Huskies.  I jumped in the middle and grabbed my baby.  He was in horrible
condition.  Breathing so hard he was in a frozen state of fear and shock.
He was supposed to have came home on Monday after I visited him that
morning.  He was not out of the woods, but I felt being at home in familiar
surroundings he would do better.  He was alert and responded to me well,
only he wouldn't eat or drink.  That is one reason I thought he would do
better with me at home.  The vet convinced me to pick him up late in the
evening... when I arrived he had taken a turn for the worse and was dying.
After some more X-rays, it showed his lungs were filling with fluid and his
heart had doubled in size and an artery from the heart was also enlarged
pumping to much blood to fast and he was in great distress.  I stayed with
him for almost 2 hrs before I could make the decision to put him down.  It
is still hard for me even now.  I pray I did the right thing, he would not
respond to the vets, but he would to my voice, so it is taking its toll on
me... second guessing myself... what if... I am grieving so badly, like
survivors guilt or something.  Don't get me wrong I love ALL of my babies.
Nautis stole my heart the moment he came into my home.  He would curl up
anywhere next to human flesh and sleep with his face down... I always feared
he would smother in his sleep.  He thought he was a ferret, a poodle and
lastly a cat.  He was an attention hound.  When he wanted extra food he
would open the pantry door and lay on the shelf next to his food and swipe
at my legs when I went by and meow like a sheep would baaa.  God I will miss
him.  His favorite food was Totally Ferret and Fancy Feast.  His bestest
fert friend was Meltdown, their energy level was the same.  He would sleep
under the covers like my poodle Dew.  He would give me, Dew and Meltdown
baths.  He would also give kisses.  I will miss him.  I spent every dime I
had and post dated checks into the next millinium to pay for his care.  But
I did not use Whiley's donations.  They are ear marked in his Vet File.  It
will just be a while before anything can be done.  All I ask is keep him in
your thoughts and all the good vibes will keep him safe for me.
 
Big I'm sorry this was not strictly Ferret ... but it was related, my Nautis
was a lover of Ferrets.  When 1 would hide... he always knew where.
[Posted in FML issue 2139]