| The Story ConcludesIt's been quite a while since | | | | advertised email address went unanswered and |
| Ginger's original story was posted. I thought I'd let | | | | after several aborted phone calls, I got a |
| those of you who followed the story know the | | | | message saying that they'd moved and had a |
| conclusion.Ginger (a.k.a. "Redpuss") is a half-ginger, | | | | new phone number. I tried that only to get a |
| half white, 12-year-old tom who suffered some | | | | message saying they were unavailable for several |
| bad health problems a year or so ago, including | | | | days and to leave a message. I did, but with less |
| cat flu, 6 rotten teeth (with accompanying | | | | than ten days remaining before a final decision |
| toothache) and associated chronic infection, a | | | | would have to be made as to whether to have |
| septic lip, ear mites, skin allergies and a heart | | | | him put to sleep or not, time was running out for |
| murmur. His story is documented at the Help | | | | Ginger. (this was back in April 2005).Then, on the |
| Save Ginger page on my Cat-oholics website if | | | | weekend prior to what could become a fateful |
| you'd like some background information. You may | | | | day, I received a call telling me that a home had |
| have already read my previous articles about him | | | | been found for Ginger. It seems that a |
| and how a number of generous people donated | | | | grand-niece of Ginger's original owner had stepped |
| funds to cover his vet bills.While his health | | | | in to take care of him. So, with just one day to |
| problems were sorted out, finding a new home | | | | spare, Ginger was whisked off to his new home.It |
| for him proved to be something of a problem. | | | | was a relief knowing that the Sword of Damocles |
| Neither friends nor family were in a position to | | | | no longer hung over him and that the thought of |
| take him in for two reasons - he's a cat-flu carrier | | | | having to have him put to sleep was no longer a |
| (and my vet was insistent that Ginger should not | | | | consideration.He's made a great pet for his new |
| go to a house that already has a cat) and his age | | | | owners as he's a very affectionate cat. With the |
| (people are too worried that an ageing cat just | | | | exception of being a cat-flu carrier, his health is |
| meant big medical bills down the road). Notices | | | | otherwise good. Given what he went though that |
| stuck up in supermarkets, libraries and vet clinics | | | | previous year, he deserved to have a few good, |
| didn't get a single reply. Neither did putting appeals | | | | happy years ahead of him and now he has.Gary |
| in classified ads papers.I contacted a few catteries | | | | Nugent, a software engineer by profession, has |
| to see if they could offer any leads I could follow | | | | been a life-long animal lover, especially of cats and |
| up on. While they couldn't suggest anyone to place | | | | is the webmaster of - a site that helps you make |
| the cat with, they suggested contacting an animal | | | | the best choices to keep your cat healthy, happy |
| shelter who didn't euthanise unwanted animals. | | | | and long-lived. Information about cats in general, |
| Unfortunately, when I contacted them, they told | | | | health issues that can affect them, some of their |
| me they only now dealt exclusively with dogs | | | | weird and wonderful behavior patterns, their |
| (apparently there'd been unholy war between the | | | | history, and how to choose various products, |
| cats and dogs when they catered for both). They | | | | supplies and toys for your feline furball. And, not |
| advised me to contact the local Cat Protection | | | | to forget about you...there are a few things on |
| Association through their webpage.Emails to their | | | | the site to keep cat owners amused as well. |