HAPPY ENDINGS - RESCUE STORIES
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Soul came to me in a very bad state. One day, I was looking through the classified ads in a local paper. As usual, I stopped to read the 'Pets' section, and an ad for 'Black Persian Female' caught my eye. Although I wasn't exactly looking for another cat, I decided to call the number. The woman who answered said that I could come and see her the next day.

When I arrived, she opened the door to the kennel, and the sorriest, most pathetic cat I have ever seen came slowly out. I picked her up, and she was so skinny, I was worried I would hurt her. She was literally a skeleton covered in skin. She was very definitely pregnant; you could actually feel every kitten. I paid for her, collected her papers, and got her out of there as fast as I could.

When I got her home, I gave her a more thorough examination. She was filthy, matted, and so weak that she could not even jump onto the couch. She was starving, and eagerly gobbled down every bit of food I offered. My biggest worry that first night was that she would have her kittens before I could get her to the vet the next morning. She made it through the night, and we headed off to the vet. He gave her a thorough exam, and said that besides the obvious malnutrition, she was a healthy girl, and I had a week before I would be getting kittens. I picked up a container of milk replacer, and some supplements for her to try to give her as much nutrition as possible before the babies came. I also gave her a bath, and combed her out, which greatly improved both her smell and her mood!

When the kittens arrived a week later, Soul was a lot stronger, as she had been eating practically non-stop. She was able to deliver the babies with no trouble, and with a bit of assistance they began to nurse. I was so relieved! Within a couple of days however, it became apparent that the kittens were not all right. Despite numerous visits to the vet, I was not able to save them. The last one passed away at three weeks of age. I was devastated, and the best explanation we were able to come up with is that they did not get the nutrition they needed to develop properly in the womb.

Some time after this awful experience, I was put in touch with Soul's breeder. We had several long phone conversations, during which I learned a lot about Soul and her background, including the fact that my other black Persian, Finn, is her brother! I decided that I would breed Soul one last time, as I wanted to get a foundation kitten from her lines. This time, thanks to a healthy diet, and lots of love and attention, the kittens were just fine! Soul has been spayed now, and is looking forward to spending the rest of her days being pampered and loved. She deserves it!

Soul has come a long way. She is very friendly and sociable now, and is very devoted. She follows me all around the house, and always wants to be with me. She enjoys being held and cuddled, and she has very quickly become my favourite (please don't tell Finn though!)