My first sighting of Black-Black was in the fall of 2008. He seemed to be living in the bushes across the street. He soon ventured to my sister-in-law's house (next to the bushes) and across to our house as well. By this time there were several strays that regularly ate at both our houses, and Black-Black loosely joined the group. That winter (rainy but not frigid), I made him a cubby on the side of our house and he came and went as he pleased, but he never went far and he always came back to sleep in his cubby.
It wasn't long before Black-Black became very interested in my husband who was restoring a '39 Chevy in the garage. If Ron was working on his '39 Chevy or anywhere outside, Black-Black was usually close by; he had picked his person. Ron really liked Twinkie and often spent time brushing and petting him, but the connection and bond that formed between him and Black-Black was a very different and truly special one. Ron was now owned by a cat!
Though they got along well together, Twinkie always stayed put in the back yard while Black-Black ventured out at will. At that time, Twinkie's former yard mate "Rocky" (real name Harley), still regularly came into the back yard to eat and eventually brought an apparent relative with him (also a Himalayan, who remained with us until her death in 2019). Rocky was a regular for about a year, then only sporatically before disappearing from the near neighborhood, but the number of loose felines steadily increased as the housing market collapsed and more people abandoned their cats.
In the fall of 2009, Ron put a pillow in a large box and Black-Black started sleeping in the garage with dishes of food and water, and of course a litter box. It was soon apparent he had been an indoor cat. Ron would let him out in the mornings and Black-Black was always ready to come in when the garage door opened. By mid-December, it was near freezing and the garage was quite cold; it was time to give Black-Black a chance to prove himself as a trustworthy inside cat. He passed with flying colors and became inseparable from his man. He was let outside frequently, but usually spent most of his time indoors.
As he settled into his new home, Black-Black's reticent nature emerged and he generally preferred to spend much of his time in quiet out-of-the-way places. Outdoors, he could be quite aloof and would often pass by and ignore the other cats, inspiring Ron to call him an "Aristocat." However, over time as the other strays settled into a loose colony on both sides of the street, Black-Black would join the group to help "unwelcome" other cats from staying. (No fighting, just group intimidation.)
Black-Black became quite friendly with the people he saw frequently; my sister-in-law and brother-in-law of course, the man who worked for us, our daughter's son, our son and his two daughters, and a friend or two. And if he liked you, he would not be ignored or distracted away from the object of his affection! He was my little buddy too, especially when I brushed him and gave him a pinch of catnip! His contentment and healthy years ahead gave no hint of how difficult and sad his life would become in six short years.
In mid July of 2015, we noticed a subtle change in his behavior and he stopped being vocal (no meows); it was time for a check-up. He was hyper-thyroid and would require medication every 12 hours for the rest of his life (gel applied inside the ear). A few weeks later he started bleeding from the mouth; he needed extensive dental surgery which caused an unexpected bleeding complication from low red blood cells (later confirmed to be Feline Infectious Anemia), which required a blood transfusion and stay in the Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Though he eventually recovered from the dental surgery, the anemia was incurable and he was also diagnosed with chronic kidney disease; a cruel, progressive and insurmountable disease. It was an exhausting, heartbreaking, and stressful challenge for all three of us. After a very hard fought battle, Black-Black would succumb to end-stage renal failure. Though his birth year is unknown, he was possibly about fourteen years old at the time of his death.
A heartfelt thank you to Abby Pet Hospital for their compassionate, patient, and diligent efforts in treating Black-Black. We are ever grateful to Dr. Duran who was so attentive and relentless in pursuing treatment options, to the numerous staff and technicians who worked with him, and to Dr. Hannon who made his passing so peaceful. Though the final outcome was never in doubt, they gave him a quality and extension of life that meant so much to Ron and I.
****************************************************************************************************
July 29, 2016
School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Companion Animal Health
... Abby Pet Hospital recently made a financial donation to the Companion Animal Memorial Fund in memory of Black Black...
Michael S. Kent, DVM, DACVIM, DACVR, Director
It wasn't long before Black-Black became very interested in my husband who was restoring a '39 Chevy in the garage. If Ron was working on his '39 Chevy or anywhere outside, Black-Black was usually close by; he had picked his person. Ron really liked Twinkie and often spent time brushing and petting him, but the connection and bond that formed between him and Black-Black was a very different and truly special one. Ron was now owned by a cat!
Though they got along well together, Twinkie always stayed put in the back yard while Black-Black ventured out at will. At that time, Twinkie's former yard mate "Rocky" (real name Harley), still regularly came into the back yard to eat and eventually brought an apparent relative with him (also a Himalayan, who remained with us until her death in 2019). Rocky was a regular for about a year, then only sporatically before disappearing from the near neighborhood, but the number of loose felines steadily increased as the housing market collapsed and more people abandoned their cats.
In the fall of 2009, Ron put a pillow in a large box and Black-Black started sleeping in the garage with dishes of food and water, and of course a litter box. It was soon apparent he had been an indoor cat. Ron would let him out in the mornings and Black-Black was always ready to come in when the garage door opened. By mid-December, it was near freezing and the garage was quite cold; it was time to give Black-Black a chance to prove himself as a trustworthy inside cat. He passed with flying colors and became inseparable from his man. He was let outside frequently, but usually spent most of his time indoors.
As he settled into his new home, Black-Black's reticent nature emerged and he generally preferred to spend much of his time in quiet out-of-the-way places. Outdoors, he could be quite aloof and would often pass by and ignore the other cats, inspiring Ron to call him an "Aristocat." However, over time as the other strays settled into a loose colony on both sides of the street, Black-Black would join the group to help "unwelcome" other cats from staying. (No fighting, just group intimidation.)
Black-Black became quite friendly with the people he saw frequently; my sister-in-law and brother-in-law of course, the man who worked for us, our daughter's son, our son and his two daughters, and a friend or two. And if he liked you, he would not be ignored or distracted away from the object of his affection! He was my little buddy too, especially when I brushed him and gave him a pinch of catnip! His contentment and healthy years ahead gave no hint of how difficult and sad his life would become in six short years.
In mid July of 2015, we noticed a subtle change in his behavior and he stopped being vocal (no meows); it was time for a check-up. He was hyper-thyroid and would require medication every 12 hours for the rest of his life (gel applied inside the ear). A few weeks later he started bleeding from the mouth; he needed extensive dental surgery which caused an unexpected bleeding complication from low red blood cells (later confirmed to be Feline Infectious Anemia), which required a blood transfusion and stay in the Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Though he eventually recovered from the dental surgery, the anemia was incurable and he was also diagnosed with chronic kidney disease; a cruel, progressive and insurmountable disease. It was an exhausting, heartbreaking, and stressful challenge for all three of us. After a very hard fought battle, Black-Black would succumb to end-stage renal failure. Though his birth year is unknown, he was possibly about fourteen years old at the time of his death.
A heartfelt thank you to Abby Pet Hospital for their compassionate, patient, and diligent efforts in treating Black-Black. We are ever grateful to Dr. Duran who was so attentive and relentless in pursuing treatment options, to the numerous staff and technicians who worked with him, and to Dr. Hannon who made his passing so peaceful. Though the final outcome was never in doubt, they gave him a quality and extension of life that meant so much to Ron and I.
****************************************************************************************************
July 29, 2016
School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Companion Animal Health
... Abby Pet Hospital recently made a financial donation to the Companion Animal Memorial Fund in memory of Black Black...
Michael S. Kent, DVM, DACVIM, DACVR, Director
My first sighting of Black-Black was in the fall of 2008. He seemed to be living in the bushes across the street. He soon ventured to my sister-in-law's house (next to the bushes) and across to our house as well. By this time there were several strays that regularly ate at both our houses, and Black-Black loosely joined the group. That winter (rainy but not frigid), I made him a cubby on the side of our house and he came and went as he pleased, but he never went far and he always came back to sleep in his cubby.
It wasn't long before Black-Black became very interested in my husband who was restoring a '39 Chevy in the garage. If Ron was working on his '39 Chevy or anywhere outside, Black-Black was usually close by; he had picked his person. Ron really liked Twinkie and often spent time brushing and petting him, but the connection and bond that formed between him and Black-Black was a very different and truly special one. Ron was now owned by a cat!
Though they got along well together, Twinkie always stayed put in the back yard while Black-Black ventured out at will. At that time, Twinkie's former yard mate "Rocky" (real name Harley), still regularly came into the back yard to eat and eventually brought an apparent relative with him (also a Himalayan, who remained with us until her death in 2019). Rocky was a regular for about a year, then only sporatically before disappearing from the near neighborhood, but the number of loose felines steadily increased as the housing market collapsed and more people abandoned their cats.
In the fall of 2009, Ron put a pillow in a large box and Black-Black started sleeping in the garage with dishes of food and water, and of course a litter box. It was soon apparent he had been an indoor cat. Ron would let him out in the mornings and Black-Black was always ready to come in when the garage door opened. By mid-December, it was near freezing and the garage was quite cold; it was time to give Black-Black a chance to prove himself as a trustworthy inside cat. He passed with flying colors and became inseparable from his man. He was let outside frequently, but usually spent most of his time indoors.
As he settled into his new home, Black-Black's reticent nature emerged and he generally preferred to spend much of his time in quiet out-of-the-way places. Outdoors, he could be quite aloof and would often pass by and ignore the other cats, inspiring Ron to call him an "Aristocat." However, over time as the other strays settled into a loose colony on both sides of the street, Black-Black would join the group to help "unwelcome" other cats from staying. (No fighting, just group intimidation.)
Black-Black became quite friendly with the people he saw frequently; my sister-in-law and brother-in-law of course, the man who worked for us, our daughter's son, our son and his two daughters, and a friend or two. And if he liked you, he would not be ignored or distracted away from the object of his affection! He was my little buddy too, especially when I brushed him and gave him a pinch of catnip! His contentment and healthy years ahead gave no hint of how difficult and sad his life would become in six short years.
In mid July of 2015, we noticed a subtle change in his behavior and he stopped being vocal (no meows); it was time for a check-up. He was hyper-thyroid and would require medication every 12 hours for the rest of his life (gel applied inside the ear). A few weeks later he started bleeding from the mouth; he needed extensive dental surgery which caused an unexpected bleeding complication from low red blood cells (later confirmed to be Feline Infectious Anemia), which required a blood transfusion and stay in the Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Though he eventually recovered from the dental surgery, the anemia was incurable and he was also diagnosed with chronic kidney disease; a cruel, progressive and insurmountable disease. It was an exhausting, heartbreaking, and stressful challenge for all three of us. After a very hard fought battle, Black-Black would succumb to end-stage renal failure. Though his birth year is unknown, he was possibly about fourteen years old at the time of his death.
A heartfelt thank you to Abby Pet Hospital for their compassionate, patient, and diligent efforts in treating Black-Black. We are ever grateful to Dr. Duran who was so attentive and relentless in pursuing treatment options, to the numerous staff and technicians who worked with him, and to Dr. Hannon who made his passing so peaceful. Though the final outcome was never in doubt, they gave him a quality and extension of life that meant so much to Ron and I.
****************************************************************************************************
July 29, 2016
School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Companion Animal Health
... Abby Pet Hospital recently made a financial donation to the Companion Animal Memorial Fund in memory of Black Black...
Michael S. Kent, DVM, DACVIM, DACVR, Director
It wasn't long before Black-Black became very interested in my husband who was restoring a '39 Chevy in the garage. If Ron was working on his '39 Chevy or anywhere outside, Black-Black was usually close by; he had picked his person. Ron really liked Twinkie and often spent time brushing and petting him, but the connection and bond that formed between him and Black-Black was a very different and truly special one. Ron was now owned by a cat!
Though they got along well together, Twinkie always stayed put in the back yard while Black-Black ventured out at will. At that time, Twinkie's former yard mate "Rocky" (real name Harley), still regularly came into the back yard to eat and eventually brought an apparent relative with him (also a Himalayan, who remained with us until her death in 2019). Rocky was a regular for about a year, then only sporatically before disappearing from the near neighborhood, but the number of loose felines steadily increased as the housing market collapsed and more people abandoned their cats.
In the fall of 2009, Ron put a pillow in a large box and Black-Black started sleeping in the garage with dishes of food and water, and of course a litter box. It was soon apparent he had been an indoor cat. Ron would let him out in the mornings and Black-Black was always ready to come in when the garage door opened. By mid-December, it was near freezing and the garage was quite cold; it was time to give Black-Black a chance to prove himself as a trustworthy inside cat. He passed with flying colors and became inseparable from his man. He was let outside frequently, but usually spent most of his time indoors.
As he settled into his new home, Black-Black's reticent nature emerged and he generally preferred to spend much of his time in quiet out-of-the-way places. Outdoors, he could be quite aloof and would often pass by and ignore the other cats, inspiring Ron to call him an "Aristocat." However, over time as the other strays settled into a loose colony on both sides of the street, Black-Black would join the group to help "unwelcome" other cats from staying. (No fighting, just group intimidation.)
Black-Black became quite friendly with the people he saw frequently; my sister-in-law and brother-in-law of course, the man who worked for us, our daughter's son, our son and his two daughters, and a friend or two. And if he liked you, he would not be ignored or distracted away from the object of his affection! He was my little buddy too, especially when I brushed him and gave him a pinch of catnip! His contentment and healthy years ahead gave no hint of how difficult and sad his life would become in six short years.
In mid July of 2015, we noticed a subtle change in his behavior and he stopped being vocal (no meows); it was time for a check-up. He was hyper-thyroid and would require medication every 12 hours for the rest of his life (gel applied inside the ear). A few weeks later he started bleeding from the mouth; he needed extensive dental surgery which caused an unexpected bleeding complication from low red blood cells (later confirmed to be Feline Infectious Anemia), which required a blood transfusion and stay in the Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Though he eventually recovered from the dental surgery, the anemia was incurable and he was also diagnosed with chronic kidney disease; a cruel, progressive and insurmountable disease. It was an exhausting, heartbreaking, and stressful challenge for all three of us. After a very hard fought battle, Black-Black would succumb to end-stage renal failure. Though his birth year is unknown, he was possibly about fourteen years old at the time of his death.
A heartfelt thank you to Abby Pet Hospital for their compassionate, patient, and diligent efforts in treating Black-Black. We are ever grateful to Dr. Duran who was so attentive and relentless in pursuing treatment options, to the numerous staff and technicians who worked with him, and to Dr. Hannon who made his passing so peaceful. Though the final outcome was never in doubt, they gave him a quality and extension of life that meant so much to Ron and I.
****************************************************************************************************
July 29, 2016
School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Companion Animal Health
... Abby Pet Hospital recently made a financial donation to the Companion Animal Memorial Fund in memory of Black Black...
Michael S. Kent, DVM, DACVIM, DACVR, Director
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