Tiger's History With Us

It all started back in 1985. We were living on CFB Montreal South Shore at the time when it was decided that the constant badgering of two young girls would be answered by their parents.

We were going to own a cat.

My Mother told me the story that led up to the purchase of the elegant white and ginger long hair we came to own. She had arrived at the Animal Shop and had headed straight for the kitten pen in the back of the shop. A number of adorable balls of fluff romped and played among themselves as all kittens do. It had been my preference to get a grey furred kitten and that was what my Mother had decided on. She paid for him and he was reserved for us to be brought home on the night of October 10^th, my birthday. The night came for my Mother to fetch the little grey kitten to bring him home when she noticed one particularly sad kitten sitting by himself, looking pitifully adorable, holding his right forepaw off the ground. My Mother's heart melted and this ginger and white kitten came home instead.

The shop assured us that this kitten was over the four weeks recommended for a kitten to be weaned and sold, but we later found out that he was only three weeks. Severed too early, he suffered separation anxiety. But through it all he showed a ferocious temper. Hence his name: Tiger.

Due to his small size he was often referred to as the tennis ball with legs. As the years passed we learned that small animals often turn into mastodons. Tiger was no exception. He graduated from tennis ball sized, to small watermelon sized, finally to the size that led us to determine the dominant breeds within him. He had the size and all the traits of a Maine Coon and a Norwegian Forest.

Problems plagued this poor feline throughout his life. During a routine neutering we are certain he was hurt more seriously than the operation should have. He never liked going in his cage or going to the vet after that. He got into innumerable fights with other animals. And I do say other animals for we still don't know what animal can rip open a cat's shoulder to reveal the muscle. Fourteen stitches and an Elizabethan Collar later no sign remained of this massive injury. The collar though was not his most embarrassing moment. This happened when, covered in too many matted hair balls, we had to get him shaved lion style. He only conserved the fur on his head, paws, and tail.

In August of 1993 we were faced with our first problem with Tiger. We were moving to CFB Borden, some 5 hours away, and this was our first move with a pet. Not wanting to be separated from him we decided he would ride in the car with us. The vet gave us some "kitty tranquilizers" for him, but I believe the dosage was off. Tiger was so drugged that he would fall asleep in mid-bite. Nonetheless, he took the transition to the new house in stride, comfortable with his new surroundings.

In August of 1994 we again moved, this time to Ottawa on the base CFB Ottawa North. This move was easier that the first for him. He was again drugged, but this time we figured out the right dosage ourselves. Once in Ottawa we found a vet that specialized solely in cats. A Goddess send. Here was a place where the vet wouldn't get confused on which disease attacked which animal.

In 1997 Tiger developed his first major health problem. One morning I awoke to him having some sort of seizure. He had several more in the hours that followed. Terrified for his life we rushed him to an emergency medical clinic. They found nothing so we then took him back to the cat hospital we had found. There he was diagnosed with a potassium deficiency. Everyday after that he received 100mg of potassium to help stabilize his system. It worked. On top of that he was given baby ASA twice a week for his developing arthritis pain. Things were fine after that.

In November of 1999 we moved to a new house off base in Ottawa. Tiger took to this house immediately. He loved the living room carpets, letting himself fall to his back or side without fear of getting hurt. And the windows were low to the ground so he could see outside without having to climb anything.

At this point he was fourteen. The days came and went until we had to go to my Sister's wedding out in the West. Tiger went into boarding. Something must have happened to him there for he was never quite the same when we got him back a week later. He was more affectionate and cried when he believed he was home alone. Little by little he seemed to get better.

November 2000, Tiger had the first of what we believed to be a heart attack. He went as limp as a rag doll, eyes glazed, and his breath was labored. He recovered some hours later and was back to his usual self, but his breathing was still labored.

The night of January 10^th, 2001, Tiger had another one of these strange attacks. He sequestered himself behind the couch at first, then retreated to the basement a day later. He didn't have the strength to return upstairs. Knowing the end was coming we brought his food and water and bed downstairs with him. He went through five days of semi-lucid states where he would stare ahead of himself wondering where he was or how he could get from one place to another. It was hard watching him go through this, but we knew that taking him to the vet at this point would kill him. The stress of being in the car would have been too much for him.

At 1:00 am on January 16^th my Mother woke me and called me to Tiger's side. He had tried to get up, but strength had left him and had dropped like a stone to the concrete floor. I picked him up and helped him to the laundry room where he seemed to want to go. He let loose a howl, seized up suddenly, and finally expired at 1:15 am.

Thanks you for sharing you life with us, Tiger. You will be dearly missed.