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Our Feral momma Punkin passed over the Rainbow Bridge this morning. Exactly 3 years to the day from when this picture was taken of her. We trapped her on Oct 18th, 2004 from a junkyard where the owner was threatening to have her killed. She was hugely pregnant and FIV positive when after a week or two of trying, we finally got her. She really wanted to be the bad ass feral, but was just too fat and malnourished to give much fight. A few weeks later she gave birth to 9 kittens, of which 7 survived the first day and still live with us. Poor Punkin needed lots of help giving birth, but was a wonderful and dedicated momma to her babies. Even as they grew up, she continued to herd them around the house or out of her food dish at feeding time. For a FIV cat she had few health problems other than getting some teeth pulled a few months back. But over the last few months she gradually started getting a big belly. As she always ate like a pig we really thought nothing of it until recently.

On Oct 18... 3 years to the day from when we trapped her, she started having a little trouble breathing. We took her to our vet and she he advised us she was in congestive heart failure. We were totally unprepared for the thought of putting her down as he recommended and grasped for any ray of hope. Our vet drained about a quart of fluid from her belly, and said we could treat her for the symptoms, but the prognosis was grim. We got her home and other than being tired she ate a normal meal and seemed comfortable. That changed over the weekend and we kicked ourselves for not listening. She stopped eating and grew lethargic, though she still loved getting lovings. We hoped she would fade and go quickly, but that did not happen... She got weaker and more uncomfortable as the weekend went on. This morning she was very weak and no longer wanted even water, so we called the vet and arranged to be there when they opened. As with all our animals when their time comes, she passed away in our arms, cuddled next to our heart. We brought her home and spent time with her and her babies (now almost 3 yrs old) and put her to rest in our critter cemetery.

It has been a gloomy and rainy couple of days here, both in reality and mood. We laid her to rest in a light rain only to have the rising sun break through as we marked her grave. It seemed fitting that a beautiful double rainbow filled the sky over the backyard as we looked back at her final resting place. But we know she isn't really there... and already the meekest of her girls has developed an attitude to her siblings... As often happens around here, I expect a few changes in personality as the spirit of the departed is absorbed by others. They never go far... Love is the most powerful of forces.

This is Punkin (in front) and her brood behind