We
found Sebastian at our local shelter four years ago as a bedraggled but
darling, very young (about 5 weeks) kitten. Since we know our local
shelter folks very well, they let us take him home before he was really
ready. We were told by our vet (the wonderful Dr Neil Weiner in Lewiston,
CA) that he was indeed a Turkish Angora. Deceased
Sebastian of The Wood
At about the age of one year, he
developed a severe and usually deadly liver dysfunction! After many weeks
of daily shots (he finally forgave me) and a complete change in his diet
to all natural sources and supplements, he miraculously recovered and is
now the Ruler of House and Office, the sweetest, smartest cat we've ever
known.
He loves to learn new tricks, and to this date he can sit, sit up,
shake paws and dance in circles. He has trained us that when he goes in
his cat carrier, that means he wants to go outside to lay in the shade and
watch birdies. He lets us know he is ready to come back inside when he
simply lifts his paw and gives us The Look.
He knows he's not allowed
outside unless he's in his carrier! He loves the other kitties and dogs
in the family, and routinely gangs up with his best friend, our tigercat
Montague, to chase our 75 pound Dobie, Hiedi, up and down the stairs.
Barbara Lee
( Thursday, April 26, 2001 )
Rory, the Gentle Giant
See Below
Since we have no children of our own our four house-pets have been
subjected to and get both
mothering and smothering by my wife and myself. Becoming pet owners
started out the same way
for us as it does for a lot of folks. We took in a pet from a family
member who could no longer
properly care for it. That’s how Rory the cat came to live with us. He
was already full grown and
despite his pretty orange exterior and fluffy coat, he was a determined
and willful cat. Rory did not
want to be an indoor pet. He also did not want to be neutered and he
did not want to be anybody’s
fuzzy wuzzy cuddly baby. He was determined to be free and tried nearly
every type of escape known
to man (and cat) quite often getting on my sorry nerves. Over time he
did learn to adjust to this quiet
and comfortable lifestyle, but every once in a while he would sit in the
downstairs window and let
out a mournful howl, usually at four in the morning. I believe this was
a result of his long lost
freedom that Mommy and myself had robbed him of and his way of letting
us know it..
To keep Rory from dying of boredom we purchased a kitten from a pet
store. We did this in hopes
that he could have a compatible playmate. Compared to Rory, who by this
time was becoming a
massive lion, this little black kitten (whom I named India) was just a
little sprig. Feisty from her
days in the cat orphanage she stood right up to Rory and warned him off
with a few hisses. With that
he dropped ever so gently onto his back and thrust forward his right paw
in offering friendship and
trust. His actions seem to say to her “There are no enemies here”.
India gave him a good going over
and soon the two of them were inseparable. They slept together on the
rocking chair or curled up
together on the cat bed on the trunk in the hall. The two of them were
content with each other’s
company and so onward went our clean, quiet and indoor life.
I believe that everything I ever learned about comfort I learned from a
cat. Each one of or pampered
pets have enjoyed the luxury of their own personal sunbeams and
favourite lounging areas. Slumber
was a big part of this existence and one might only life their groggy
head long enough to give Daddy
a goodbye glance as he left home for work. Rory and India had a
glorious two years together until
Daddy did the unthinkable, he brought home another half-grown kitten.
India was furious not just
at me but at Rory and the new cat, Angel.
She dissolved any feelings
she had for Rory and found
comfort at the foot of Daddy and Mommy’s bed. She has resided there
ever since. Rory, as with
India was a welcoming force to this street-wise and energetic tigress.
The two of them bonded right
away and a great comradery was formed between them making them
inseparable. Why he took to
these strangers was something I could never quite figure out but it was
satisfactory to him that they
came into what was once his sole home and now a shelter for cats and
kittens alike. Angel took the
opportunity to ingratiate herself into his life and did her best to keep
him in line. Quite often she
would put the run to him if he were bothering her or might give him a
big bath if that’s what she felt
he needed at the time. Whatever it was, this little vixen, at half the
size of Rory was totally in charge
of him and that’s just the way he liked it.
What I didn’t know at the time of Angel’s arrival was that she was sick
with feline-leukemia, a
deadly and contagious disease. It ultimately took her life. The
disease should have been passed onto
Rory as he and Angel were so close but it was India who picked up the
virus. I was shocked and
saddened by both the death of Angel and the repercussions that this
disease left behind. Confused
as to what to do next I did the necessary research to see if there was
indeed anything we could do to
prolong India’s life. I was unsure of India’s fate.
That summer I felt my wife and Rory could use some cheering up so I
brought home a kitten from
a lady who had lots of them and plunked him on the ironing board in
front of my wife. Still hurting
from Angel’s passing she was not so receptive to this handsome beige and
white kitten with a striped
tail and a goatee. It took a while but she came around. I named him
Robbie and soon he too was part
of our family. Robbie had to live a solitary life in the living room
for a couple of weeks until he was
old enough for a vaccination against feline-leukemia. During this
sequester he amused himself but
most certainly had to be curious as to what was on the other side of the
door. Daily, Rory would lay
on his side at the door and push his paw under and Robbie was able to do
the same. This meeting
and greeting was a great introduction to the two of them and once again
Rory was proof that
gentleness came come in all forms and in this case....a gentle giant.
After the inoculation the door
was open and Robbie soon found his place in our family especially with
Rory whom he came to
admire greatly.
As if that wasn’t enough I just had to bring Bette Davis home. Now she
is indescribable but I’ll try.
This little girl is a fireball who warms our very hearts. At first it
seemed like Angel was back among
us because she was so much like her in her actions and she too took to
the gentle giant. Like her
predecessor she also had to live in the living room until she came of
age (12 weeks) and this was
during the Christmas season so she certainly had lots to occupy her.
Her daily routine of paw tag
was just like Robbie’s was with Rory but it differed in such a way that
it made me chuckle. Every
day there would be from Bette, an offering pushed ever so gently under
the living room door. A
small tree ornament, or a deer from the nativity scene or even a twist
tie or two. I couldn’t help but
fall in love. Rory did too. All of the others no matter who they were
have been made to feel
welcome by him. He is accepting of the differences in personalities and
to the vast amounts of
thumping, biting and scratching involved in forming these
relationships. Rory had certainly had to
learn to endure and yet, hey! He does it!
So, have you heard enough? I wanted to find a way to present Rory to
you so that you could
understand the gentleman that he really is and what a valuable part of
this household he has become.
At fourteen years of age he is more handsome and regal than ever and we
couldn’t be happier. He
also photographs very well. He has been diagnosed with diabetes and
requires daily shots of insulin.
We have been criticized for the decision to prolong his life as it can
be expensive but hey, what are
we if not responsible pet owners That is exactly who we are. Despite
many trips to the vet to
regulate him and with all the prodding and poking that boy has had to
endure, he has proven to one
and all that he is a resilient and patient soul and is able to take
whatever we dish out. The last time
he went to the vet for a day visit he was so ragged looking that it
broke my heart. As the vet’s
assistant took him into the room for yet another sample I could see the
weariness in his eyes. No
biting or scratching here, just compliance. At home Mommy tests his
blood with the gluco-meter
and Rory sits ever so cooperatively on her lap purring, while she does
her work. Afterward he goes
about his routine as casual as can be. All who know him have come to
love him and I am no
exception. Now that he seems to be regulated and is noticeably feeling
better I can safely say how
happy that makes Mommy and me. Robbie and Bette appear to be happy as
well and India, well she
just couldn’t care less.....but that’s another story.
Todd Canton
( Thursday, April 26, 2001 )
Update on Rory
The Gentle Giant is gone.
In March of 2002 we battled something greater than ourselves, fate.
Cancer
set into Rory's system and despite major attempts on our part he
succumbed.
It is never easy to finds the words to properly decribe exactly what
someone means to us so I will offer the following.
What Rory didn't know was that he made a family. He took two caring
people
and brought out the very best in them. Rory showed us compassion that
the
pair of us were unaware existed. He was our first and he opened the
doors
to all the others, some of whom he will never meet. His kind and tender
quailities will be forever an example of what a true blue gentleman he
was.
At the top of our stairs there is a stunning photograph of Rory that
greets
all that come into our home, just the way that he did. If a picture is
worth a thousand words, his speaks of spirit and pride and hope and of
love. That's what he was and that's what he will always be. Rory
Canton,
our Gentle Giant (1989-2002)
Todd Canton
( Sunday, August 11, 2002 )