[wittykitty]

A few years ago my husband and I had a kitten from a litter over at his mom's. This cat was long haired and tiger striped black and gray. He had the most beautiful tail, all fluffy and silky. He also had the most beautiful personality I have ever seen. Unfortunately he became very ill and stopped eating. When we took him to the vet he was found to be badly constipated. The vet examined him all over and gave him a pill which relieved him, but he was dehydrated and weak. The vet did some sort of a test and apparently there was something lacking in the poor fellows system so that he would only have a normal elimination system if he was given a pill every day. It was really expensive and we don't have the means to support that kind of need. Also he said there was a possibility that the baby still might get backed up even with the meds. We ended up putting him to sleep and my husband joked that he wanted to save the cats tail to wave from the car antenna. Of course we DIDN'T do that, as I would find it rather morbid, but he loved that cats tail and I do have to admit it was beautiful. Although we didn't have him for a long time and it was several years ago, we still talk about the little guy and his lovely tail.

[softpaws]

What a beautiful story. Poor kitten. Sometimes its so hard to decide to put an animal down, but he was so young, it would have been expensive to treat him all his life. I was just wondering if a vet would honor that kind of memorial request of letting a pet owner keep the pet's body (say for taxidermy) or a part of it (like a rabbits foot or a er...cat's tail). Any idea about this?

[stormy]

Good cat story!! They do work their way into our lives. I had one, now gone, that had the constipation problem..had do do pills and daily meds,,finally paid to have his colon removed..it solved the problem..he got a few extra years, med free..didn.t have to chase hime around the house every morning before work to give him pills..... About the TAIL..why not buy a phony coon tail..make believe it is him...and fly that flag!!!

[Catrancher99]

Sorry to hear about this. It's something I've never heard of before. I have heard of kittens sometimes being born without an anus, and I've only known of one instance that happened to the kitten of a friend many years ago - she was so heartbroken when she had to euthanize the tiny thing. One note, however - I had to chuckle about the cat tail, as whenever my beasties annoy me I threaten to hang theirs on my car antenna; they just stare at me so bored, like "yadda yadda, warden."

[wendywenpet]

Oh my... I have never heard of such things. I guess I learn something everyday.

One time I lived in Sarnia, Ontario... and had a friend there. I was invited into her place and saw a cat sitting on the mantle above the fireplace. I thought ... that is odd ... the cat wasn't moving. Well the owner had it taxidermated. Kinda freaked me out abit.