Visiting Henry...

I had to surrender Henry because I did not have the time to properly
integrate him into our two-cat household. Given the wildness of our
resident Bengal, it may in fact have been impossible to do so. With
Megan's help we found a permanent home for him, and I had a chance to
visit tonight, with my 16 yr old son.

This was several hours ago, and just now the sadness has hit me. He's
in a great place, in a multi-cat household where he's integrated
himself due to the skill of his new host, and he's happy - but this is
the first time I've had to "give up" on a cat, having adopted almost a
dozen strays and castaways since moving back to the Twin Cities.

He came out to greet me and my son as soon as we got there (though the
other visitors present reported that he was one of the first to greet
them as well). He was friendly, but strangely confused. I don't know
how much these little guys remember, or how poorly I can read a cat's
attitude.

Henry moved comfortably around the house, and even played with the
other cats from time to time. He's lost almost 3 lbs, and looks great.
The new owner discovered he had a Bartonella infection, and he's being
treated for that.

So, I'm convinced that the new owner knows cats (the other critters
were happy and healthy). And this last stop for Henry seems the best
for him. But I sure miss him. This is, of course, not his problem -
he's perfectly fine.

Perhaps it's a common reaction - "I've failed", "If only I'd tried
harder". But in reality, we can't be experts in everything. I've had
good luck with previous adoptees, but not enough skill to deal with a
problem situation. I'm a tremendous computer programmer and singer,
but with cat-culture I have a lot yet to learn.

Considering that at the time of adoption my alternatives were

1. Surrender Henry to a shelter
2. Subject him and our other cats to a segregated hell
3. Wait forever for an owner to come forward while the cats existed in
a segregated hell

... I think he's found a great out.

Good old Henry. He's led a charmed life - protected by people since
kittenhood, I imagine. The three little girls who sheltered him for a
while stopped by my door, and had a blanket that they'd let him sleep
on. I handed Henry (17 lbs and furry) to these 3-6 year olds, and they
helpfully wrapped him in the blanket and hugged him, barely able to
hold his bulk. He was happy to be manhandled this way.

I was one way-station in his progress, and his ultimate disposition is
good, yet I still miss him. Far better than the gas chamber...

BLink

PS - Mary, don't bother answering. Henry is happy, though I'm sad. The
only contribution you could make is in revelling in my sadness, So to
save time, I'll just add "**** you, get back on your meds", which
hopefully will cover any necessary replies.

Brian Link wrote:
I had to surrender Henry because I did not have the time to properly
integrate him into our two-cat household. Given the wildness of our
resident Bengal, it may in fact have been impossible to do so. With
Megan's help we found a permanent home for him, and I had a chance to
visit tonight, with my 16 yr old son.

This was several hours ago, and just now the sadness has hit me. He's
in a great place, in a multi-cat household where he's integrated
himself due to the skill of his new host, and he's happy - but this
is
the first time I've had to "give up" on a cat, having adopted almost
a
dozen strays and castaways since moving back to the Twin Cities.

That's good to hear. Don't feel too guilty. Just be happy for Henry. At
least you cared enough about him to realize he needed a second chance
and didn't throw him away like yesterday's newspaper.

Sherry

"Brian Link" wrote in message
...
I had to surrender Henry because I did not have the time to properly
integrate him into our two-cat household. Given the wildness of our
resident Bengal, it may in fact have been impossible to do so. With
Megan's help we found a permanent home for him, and I had a chance to
visit tonight, with my 16 yr old son.

This was several hours ago, and just now the sadness has hit me. He's
in a great place, in a multi-cat household where he's integrated
himself due to the skill of his new host, and he's happy - but this is
the first time I've had to "give up" on a cat, having adopted almost a
dozen strays and castaways since moving back to the Twin Cities.

He came out to greet me and my son as soon as we got there (though the
other visitors present reported that he was one of the first to greet
them as well). He was friendly, but strangely confused. I don't know
how much these little guys remember, or how poorly I can read a cat's
attitude.

Henry moved comfortably around the house, and even played with the
other cats from time to time. He's lost almost 3 lbs, and looks great.
The new owner discovered he had a Bartonella infection, and he's being
treated for that.

So, I'm convinced that the new owner knows cats (the other critters
were happy and healthy). And this last stop for Henry seems the best
for him. But I sure miss him. This is, of course, not his problem -
he's perfectly fine.

Perhaps it's a common reaction - "I've failed", "If only I'd tried
harder". But in reality, we can't be experts in everything. I've had
good luck with previous adoptees, but not enough skill to deal with a
problem situation. I'm a tremendous computer programmer and singer,
but with cat-culture I have a lot yet to learn.

Considering that at the time of adoption my alternatives were

1. Surrender Henry to a shelter
2. Subject him and our other cats to a segregated hell
3. Wait forever for an owner to come forward while the cats existed in
a segregated hell

.. I think he's found a great out.

Good old Henry. He's led a charmed life - protected by people since
kittenhood, I imagine. The three little girls who sheltered him for a
while stopped by my door, and had a blanket that they'd let him sleep
on. I handed Henry (17 lbs and furry) to these 3-6 year olds, and they
helpfully wrapped him in the blanket and hugged him, barely able to
hold his bulk. He was happy to be manhandled this way.

I was one way-station in his progress, and his ultimate disposition is
good, yet I still miss him. Far better than the gas chamber...

BLink

PS - Mary, don't bother answering. Henry is happy, though I'm sad. The
only contribution you could make is in revelling in my sadness, So to
save time, I'll just add "**** you, get back on your meds", which
hopefully will cover any necessary replies.

You did not have to give him up. Period. It is what I have been
saying all along. I'm happy Henry is happy in his new home.

On Mon, 9 May 2005 01:31:55 -0400, "Mary" wrote:


"Brian Link" wrote in message
.. .
I had to surrender Henry because I did not have the time to properly
integrate him into our two-cat household. Given the wildness of our
resident Bengal, it may in fact have been impossible to do so. With
Megan's help we found a permanent home for him, and I had a chance to
visit tonight, with my 16 yr old son.

This was several hours ago, and just now the sadness has hit me. He's
in a great place, in a multi-cat household where he's integrated
himself due to the skill of his new host, and he's happy - but this is
the first time I've had to "give up" on a cat, having adopted almost a
dozen strays and castaways since moving back to the Twin Cities.

He came out to greet me and my son as soon as we got there (though the
other visitors present reported that he was one of the first to greet
them as well). He was friendly, but strangely confused. I don't know
how much these little guys remember, or how poorly I can read a cat's
attitude.

Henry moved comfortably around the house, and even played with the
other cats from time to time. He's lost almost 3 lbs, and looks great.
The new owner discovered he had a Bartonella infection, and he's being
treated for that.

So, I'm convinced that the new owner knows cats (the other critters
were happy and healthy). And this last stop for Henry seems the best
for him. But I sure miss him. This is, of course, not his problem -
he's perfectly fine.

Perhaps it's a common reaction - "I've failed", "If only I'd tried
harder". But in reality, we can't be experts in everything. I've had
good luck with previous adoptees, but not enough skill to deal with a
problem situation. I'm a tremendous computer programmer and singer,
but with cat-culture I have a lot yet to learn.

Considering that at the time of adoption my alternatives were

1. Surrender Henry to a shelter
2. Subject him and our other cats to a segregated hell
3. Wait forever for an owner to come forward while the cats existed in
a segregated hell

.. I think he's found a great out.

Good old Henry. He's led a charmed life - protected by people since
kittenhood, I imagine. The three little girls who sheltered him for a
while stopped by my door, and had a blanket that they'd let him sleep
on. I handed Henry (17 lbs and furry) to these 3-6 year olds, and they
helpfully wrapped him in the blanket and hugged him, barely able to
hold his bulk. He was happy to be manhandled this way.

I was one way-station in his progress, and his ultimate disposition is
good, yet I still miss him. Far better than the gas chamber...

BLink

PS - Mary, don't bother answering. Henry is happy, though I'm sad. The
only contribution you could make is in revelling in my sadness, So to
save time, I'll just add "**** you, get back on your meds", which
hopefully will cover any necessary replies.

You did not have to give him up. Period. It is what I have been
saying all along. I'm happy Henry is happy in his new home.


So, I'm psychic -

Ya, well thanks, but of course your advice is worth what I scoop out
of the litterbox every day.

Normal Human: "Logical Point 1"
Mary: "But that makes you sad, so you're wrong"
Normal Human: "Logical Point 2"
Mary: Sarcastic comment (especially if it involves Megan)
Normal Human: "Non-sequitor"
Mary: I hope you're happy.

Blah. Not even in the same league as decent trolls. Go back to school.
You might fool noobs here but you're as transparent as glass to me and
most regular posters. Go to sci.physics.relativity and learn how the
real trolls work. A few weeks there and I might even enjoy sparring
with you. As for now, it's sorta like swatting mosquitos.

At one point I thought you might have some sort of mental defect, but
now I realize you're just mean-spirited, and not very talented. Which
of course doesn't prevent you from trying.

BLink

"Brian Link" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 9 May 2005 01:31:55 -0400, "Mary" wrote:


"Brian Link" wrote in message
.. .
I had to surrender Henry because I did not have the time to properly
integrate him into our two-cat household. Given the wildness of our
resident Bengal, it may in fact have been impossible to do so. With
Megan's help we found a permanent home for him, and I had a chance to
visit tonight, with my 16 yr old son.

This was several hours ago, and just now the sadness has hit me. He's
in a great place, in a multi-cat household where he's integrated
himself due to the skill of his new host, and he's happy - but this is
the first time I've had to "give up" on a cat, having adopted almost a
dozen strays and castaways since moving back to the Twin Cities.

He came out to greet me and my son as soon as we got there (though the
other visitors present reported that he was one of the first to greet
them as well). He was friendly, but strangely confused. I don't know
how much these little guys remember, or how poorly I can read a cat's
attitude.

Henry moved comfortably around the house, and even played with the
other cats from time to time. He's lost almost 3 lbs, and looks great.
The new owner discovered he had a Bartonella infection, and he's being
treated for that.

So, I'm convinced that the new owner knows cats (the other critters
were happy and healthy). And this last stop for Henry seems the best
for him. But I sure miss him. This is, of course, not his problem -
he's perfectly fine.

Perhaps it's a common reaction - "I've failed", "If only I'd tried
harder". But in reality, we can't be experts in everything. I've had
good luck with previous adoptees, but not enough skill to deal with a
problem situation. I'm a tremendous computer programmer and singer,
but with cat-culture I have a lot yet to learn.

Considering that at the time of adoption my alternatives were

1. Surrender Henry to a shelter
2. Subject him and our other cats to a segregated hell
3. Wait forever for an owner to come forward while the cats existed in
a segregated hell

.. I think he's found a great out.

Good old Henry. He's led a charmed life - protected by people since
kittenhood, I imagine. The three little girls who sheltered him for a
while stopped by my door, and had a blanket that they'd let him sleep
on. I handed Henry (17 lbs and furry) to these 3-6 year olds, and they
helpfully wrapped him in the blanket and hugged him, barely able to
hold his bulk. He was happy to be manhandled this way.

I was one way-station in his progress, and his ultimate disposition is
good, yet I still miss him. Far better than the gas chamber...

BLink

PS - Mary, don't bother answering. Henry is happy, though I'm sad. The
only contribution you could make is in revelling in my sadness, So to
save time, I'll just add "**** you, get back on your meds", which
hopefully will cover any necessary replies.

You did not have to give him up. Period. It is what I have been
saying all along. I'm happy Henry is happy in his new home.


So, I'm psychic -

Ya, well thanks, but of course your advice is worth what I scoop out
of the litterbox every day.

Normal Human: "Logical Point 1"
Mary: "But that makes you sad, so you're wrong"
Normal Human: "Logical Point 2"
Mary: Sarcastic comment (especially if it involves Megan)
Normal Human: "Non-sequitor"
Mary: I hope you're happy.

Blah. Not even in the same league as decent trolls. Go back to school.
You might fool noobs here but you're as transparent as glass to me and
most regular posters. Go to sci.physics.relativity and learn how the
real trolls work. A few weeks there and I might even enjoy sparring
with you. As for now, it's sorta like swatting mosquitos.

At one point I thought you might have some sort of mental defect, but
now I realize you're just mean-spirited, and not very talented. Which
of course doesn't prevent you from trying.

BLink

The fact remains that you just realized what I was telling you
all along. Spin it any way that makes you feel better. You did
not have to give him up.

Brian Link made this astute observation about when he
wrote:

At one point I thought you might have
some sort of mental defect, but now I
realize you're just mean-spirited, and not
very talented. Which of course doesn't
prevent you from trying.

No, it doesn't. Notice how she still goes on about how you "didn't have
to give him up," but has not offered anything in the way of positive,
non-stressful ideas of how you could have kept him?

Ignore her. You made your decision based on what was best for Henry,
rather than doing as Mary wanted and being selfish. You've seen for
yourself how well Henry is doing, how relaxed and happy he is, and it's
best to just ignore her garbage. That's her way, to disrupt and be
nasty, with an extra-large helping of hypocrisy. She doesn't care about
cats, only about being mean and trying to make others as miserable as
she is (and that's enough bandwidth wasted on her in this post.)

Anyway, I (and my dinner guests Joel and Cheryl) very much enjoyed your
and your son's visit Sunday night. I'm glad you stayed for cheesecake
and coffee and were able to enjoy the cats and chat for awhile. I also
want to thank you for letting me know about what a positive impact the
visit had on your son. It was heartwarming and it seems that Princess
(she sure was infatuated with him) is quite the little cat ambassador!

A cute Henry story:
This morning as I was getting things ready for breakfast for everyone I
spied Henry in the bathtub. Sam was on the other side and they were
popping up and batting at each other over the edge of the tub. I laughed
out loud and they both stopped and gave me "the look" as if to say I had
interrupted something important and shouldn't I be getting breakfast
ready?

Also, as promised, here are some more Henry pics:

Lounging high on the cat tree
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL320...6/96145228.jpg

Sam and Henry napping together
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL320...6/96145345.jpg

Caught playing under the towel (his favorite)
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL320...6/96145669.jpg

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

wrote in message
...
Brian Link made this astute observation about when he
wrote:

At one point I thought you might have
some sort of mental defect, but now I
realize you're just mean-spirited, and not
very talented. Which of course doesn't
prevent you from trying.

No, it doesn't. Notice how she still goes on about how you "didn't have
to give him up," but has not offered anything in the way of positive,
non-stressful ideas of how you could have kept him?

Ignore her. You made your decision based on what was best for Henry,
rather than doing as Mary wanted and being selfish. You've seen for
yourself how well Henry is doing, how relaxed and happy he is, and it's
best to just ignore her garbage. That's her way, to disrupt and be
nasty, with an extra-large helping of hypocrisy. She doesn't care about
cats, only about being mean and trying to make others as miserable as
she is (and that's enough bandwidth wasted on her in this post.)

Anyway, I (and my dinner guests Joel and Cheryl) very much enjoyed your
and your son's visit Sunday night. I'm glad you stayed for cheesecake
and coffee and were able to enjoy the cats and chat for awhile.

I am so glad you finally got someone to come to your house. Good
for you, Megan.

On 2005-05-09, Brian Link penned:

So, I'm psychic -

Ya, well thanks, but of course your advice is worth what I scoop out
of the litterbox every day.

[snip]

Drat. I thought you'd already said (well, implied, anyway) that you
wouldn't respond to Mary's posts on this matter.

More topically, I know what you mean about having to "give up" on a cat.
I have also had to do that, and it was absolutely awful. But he has a
new home now, and Oscar is no longer acquiring new scars (the two she
got from Eros will never completely heal), and DH is no longer in the
hospital ... all good things.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On Tue, 10 May 2005 14:59:21 -0400, "Mary" wrote:


wrote in message
...
Brian Link made this astute observation about when he
wrote:

At one point I thought you might have
some sort of mental defect, but now I
realize you're just mean-spirited, and not
very talented. Which of course doesn't
prevent you from trying.

No, it doesn't. Notice how she still goes on about how you "didn't have
to give him up," but has not offered anything in the way of positive,
non-stressful ideas of how you could have kept him?

Ignore her. You made your decision based on what was best for Henry,
rather than doing as Mary wanted and being selfish. You've seen for
yourself how well Henry is doing, how relaxed and happy he is, and it's
best to just ignore her garbage. That's her way, to disrupt and be
nasty, with an extra-large helping of hypocrisy. She doesn't care about
cats, only about being mean and trying to make others as miserable as
she is (and that's enough bandwidth wasted on her in this post.)

Anyway, I (and my dinner guests Joel and Cheryl) very much enjoyed your
and your son's visit Sunday night. I'm glad you stayed for cheesecake
and coffee and were able to enjoy the cats and chat for awhile.

I am so glad you finally got someone to come to your house. Good
for you, Megan.


This is so funny on so many levels, none of which Mary is remotely
capable of comprehending.

BLink

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2005-05-09, Brian Link penned:

So, I'm psychic -

Ya, well thanks, but of course your advice is worth what I scoop out
of the litterbox every day.

[snip]

Drat. I thought you'd already said (well, implied, anyway) that you
wouldn't respond to Mary's posts on this matter.

What's it to you, Monique?