Yesterday what I thought was just a trip to the vet to get the latest and best medications for Arthritis turned out to be one of the biggest heartbreaks in my life. X-rays showed that Gigabyte had a huge tumor on his left knee, never felt or seen because of the thick long hair that covered so much of his legs. The cancer was Osteosarcoma that extended up his femur and had eaten up a lot of the bone. We know that cats hide their pain, but there was no sign of any discomfort until I recently saw a slight limp. I have always felt that if you ever find someone you love more than love itself, whether it be a person, dog or cat or anything, and you experience in your life time, then you truly have been given a special gift. Gigabyte was my one in a life time. Whether a friend, judge at a show, breeder, visitor to my home, or person who worked in the field of veterinary care, if they met Gig they fell instantly in love with him. Gigabyte was so unique, loved beyond words, and showed his love for life through his big beautiful sparkley eyes. Gig was given less than 6 months to live, and there was fear that his femur could break leaving him in excruciating pain. We couldn't remove his leg because the other hip had been broken when he was younger, and would not have supported his weight. After a long long discussion with my vet Heidi Thompson, the decision was made to let Gigabyte rest. I can't begin to tell all of you how unbelievably sad and totally heart broken I am. I will never have another Gigabyte despite the fact that I love and adore all my other cats. When I sit down, they are all around me. They must know that something has happened since I'm still crying. To Heidi Thompson: the things that you said about Gig were all true. Couldn't have made it without your sweetness and compassion. Now Gig is gone.. .... I feel so empty and lost right now! Love to all who knew Gig!! !!!!!

One of the most precious things I now have of Gigabyte

Special thanks to Kris Jugo who made this video for us.  Kris, this video will always be very special to me.  Gigabyte walked on sunshine every day!  How in the world did you ever pick such a perfect song to go with such a wonderful boy?

Burt, 07/23/2007 - 11/28/2022

Hi Pat,

We wanted to let you know that our perfect Burt crossed over the rainbow bridge yesterday. We are so sad. We adopted him back in 2007. He was Orange Sher-BURT in the litter named after ice cream. My poor kiddos don't ever remember a life without sweet Burt. You told us how wonderful he was, and you were so right. He was perfect. Thank you for our sweet Burt.

He had a good life. We are heartbroken.

Tara

Fitzy

Hello Pat,

Hope the season finds you well.

I am sending you a photo of our Makanacoon Fitzy, taken on his 19th birthday January 29, 2018. We hoped he would make it to twenty but passed away yesterday, just 6 weeks short. His larger littermate brother died two years ago. Still a long time. At the end, Fitzy still had a good heart, but had complications from thyroid disease.

My husband and I are both senior citizens and are asking you to consider us for one of your retired cats sometime in the future.

Thank you for all the good years your cats have given to us,

Gerry & Margaret McK.

Leo Lionheart

We recently received this note from RoseAnn:

Dear Pat,

It is still so hard to believe that our Lion went to the Rainbow Bridge on March 24th at 10:50 a.m.

I just wanted you to know that for 15 years no one could have loved him more. He was loved cherished and pampered all of his life. We will never stop missing him.

RoseAnn

My Dearest RoseAnn,

I had no idea that Lion was gone. Oh my gosh, what a story behind him that most people wouldn't believe. A baby that was born transparent, who had no fur, whose head wasn't totally formed, whose mother wouldn't have anything to do with him, who weighed well under 2 ounces, and who was saved by a surrogate Mom named Chic A Pea who would lay still for hours so that Lion could be propped up against her with towels so that he could nurse eventually from her. I didn't want to part with him, but you wanted and needed him, and so he went to you. I know he had an extraordinary life with you, and I'm so glad that you had the chance to share 15 wonderful years with him. I'm sad that he's gone, and share your heartbreak because he was such a special boy. He was always a story that I should have written about, but never did until now. He was named Mr. Lion Heart because he was so small when he was born, but had such a will to live. And, that he did!

Sending you all my Aloha, Rose Ann.

Thank you for letting me know!
Pat

Yes, Smokey was my love.  The first Black Smoke Male I have ever had, and I was so proud to show him as there weren't a lot of Black Smokes on the show circuit.   So many breeders, spectators, and judges also commented on how beautiful he was with his sleek black coat and its flowing silver undercoat.   He started out at the age of 8 months accumulating his points toward being a Grand Champion.   He was not an overnight success, but a constant winner, and easily accumulated 114 out of the 200 points he needed to get his title.

Regretfully, in April 2006, a huge mass was found in the abdomen of Smokey by my vet, Dr. Mark Honaker.  Dr. Honaker felt that a mass that big, in such a young cat (Smokey was just a year old) was probably malignant and very invasive.   We made the very difficult decision to put Smokey down.  The decision turned out to be the right one as the cancer had invaded Smokey's intestine and liver, and one of his lungs was collapsed.   My heart is still very heavy from the loss of Smokey.

When Rainbow was born on 10/5/2000, I saw the most beautiful array of colors I had ever seen on one of my kittens.  I knew from the beginning she was going to be something special so her name became "Follow Your Rainbow ".  It didn't take Rainbow long to start picking up points toward becoming a Grand Champion.   At many of the shows she got points over males that were much bigger and older, and we were so proud of her.  It was judges like Kitty Angel, Rickey Carroll, Jo Ann Cummings, Doug Meyers, and Robert Molino that proved that girls could compete against boys, and be held in high esteem.   I wish I could hug all of them now for the 177points she acquired in such a short time out.  And had I not botched up the 24 points that Rickey gave her at a show by putting her in the wrong cage, she would now have the status of Grand Champion.

But GC is just a title.  Rainbow was a big, beautiful loving girl.  Everyone who saw her fell in love with her.  She was the kind of girl I dreamt of breeding once in a life time.  And the colors, such a rainbow of vibrant colors!

As she got to be close to a year and a half of age (there were months at a time that I was unable to get out to shows), she was becoming hormonal and not enjoying shows as she used to.  We decided to let her take a break from her show career to have her first litter. She was bred to GC Purricoon's Bohemian Zebulon, and we were excited because this was to be her first litter, and Bo's last.  The kittens, I felt, would be fabulous!   But as is true of life, serious curves can be thrown your way when you least expect it, and unforeseen circumstances can befall us all.  On Sunday April 14, 2002, I lost Rainbow (about 8 weeks pregnant) on the way to the Tidewater Emergency Clinic.  She died of complications due to her pregnancy.   There were no warning signs that she was in pain or had an ongoing uterine infection due to kittens that had died envitro.   No signs, until I came home that Sunday to find her breathing hard, salivating, and going into seizures.

As I look around my house I can still see her sitting on her favorite stool in the kitchen, or sleeping at the foot of my bed every night.  I will always cherish the memories of her ... and I am grateful for every minute I was blessed to have her in my life and family.

To anyone who reads this poem, and knows what it's like to love an animal so deeply.   I now give this to you in memory of the love one you lost, and most especially from me to you in the memory of Rainbow...

Hulia Lana (in Hawaiian means something that takes unhappiness and changes it) came into my life as a fiery little puppy, and except for a couple of months when she went to NC, we were constant companions for almost 11 years.  She was a lover of her kitties, and  everyday one of the cats was either sleeping with her, cleaning her ears, or giving her head butts.  

Even our young kittens when let out of their rooms at 9 weeks learned quickly to love her and walk around her.  Actually everyone who met Hulia fell in love with her!  Her favorite spot was a lounge chair that she owned, and slept on by our front door.  A lot of kitty and dog kisses  happened on that chair.  

The above picture is of Hulia and Me Now (CH Makanacoon's Hey Look At Me Now) on that lounge chair.  Now precious memories...

Some of my fondest memories of Hulia were the days I worked outside in the gardens.  No matter whether I was in the front or backyard, she was always by my side.  I could trust her totally when other dogs were walked by our yard, and everyone marveled at how wonderful she was.  I'm sure she changed many fears that people had about the Doberman breed.   She was a typical loving velcro Dobie, who even in sleep, knew when someone's hand came off her body.

We shared many a day that I fondly called "Our Girls Day Out ".  We would get in the car, go to the bank where she would always get a biscuit, then go to Starbucks where I would get a cup of coffee, and she would get a cup of whip cream.  She really loved whip cream!   After that we would head for the beach or a local running park.  I remember loving to watch her run, and the beauty of her gorgeous black body that glistened in the sun, and moved so gracefully.  Even now I can visualize how beautiful she was!

Every morning I drank my coffee with her by my side, and every evening (all year round) either my husband or I sat outside with her when she ate her dinner.  It was the only way we could get her to eat!  My goodness, she sure had us trained!   Just being herself taught us to love her so deeply, and she loved us back with all her heart.

It was after August of 2009 when my mother died of cancer, and through 2010 that I really  learned how important the love of Hulia was in my life.  Hulia became my special girl during this time as her love was so genuine and unconditional, and this became one of the most beautiful things in the world to me.  Hulia was always generous with her love, and I miss her so terribly.   

In July  of 2010, Hulia was rushed into Emergency with distressed breathing.  Xray showed her heart and lungs were full of fluid.  Later after being seen by a Cardiologist, we found out that she  had advanced Cardiomyopathy, and was given a few months to live.   But something neurologically started happening to her in Sept of 2010.  By the morning of Sept 30, 2010, she was losing her balance, and had lost the use of her back legs.   Her mind was intact and alert, but her precious body had given out.

It was a heart wrenched decision that led to our final good-byes.  We all know the heartbreak of losing one of the best friends we've ever had. Hulia was my sunshine, my laughter, my rainbows, my hugs, my life, my love, and my forever friend!

So now as I have shared with many of you, I'd like to share this good-bye poem that I again give to all of you who have loved so deeply, and lost your dearest friend.  

WHEN SUNNY SKIES SHALL SMILE NO MORE
WHEN WAVES NO LONGER WOO THE SHORE;
WHEN EVERY SWEET VOICED BIRD HAS FLED,
WHEN EVERY SUMMER ROSE IS DEAD;
WHEN STARS FORSAKE THE EVENING SKY,
WHEN HEARTS WITH LOVE SHALL CEASE TO SIGH;
WHEN SILVERY MISTS DESERT THE GLEN,
I MAY PERHAPS FORGET YOU THEN
by
Maurine Hathaway

This is CH Thunder Rose Cookie of Makanacoon. She was beyond wonderful! The thing she loved to do every night as her special thing was to wait for me outside the shower to be picked up and held. There was something about that time and that act that she found to be special to her and I loved it. I would pick her up and hold her on my shoulder like a baby, and that was our special cuddle time. We continued to do this for years, until I had to say goodbye to her because of cancer.

This brings me back to memories of Carolyn Perry of Thunder Rose who, when she became ill, entrusted me with Cookie and her two sisters, China Doll (Dolly) and Foxey Lady. There are many of us that benefited from the wonderful kittens produced from these 3 girls, and the hard work Carolyn put into her breeding program. I have always felt grateful to Carolyn for giving me the gift of having these girls in my life. It was one of Cookie's sons (Makanacoon's Silverman) who took this pedigree across the "Pond". I was so thrilled that this happened!! Cookie lives on in many pedigrees in the U.S. and The Netherlands.

Whinney