In memoriam

Marco of Happy Song
10.6.2013-07.10.2016

Marco had turned three years in the summer he fell ill. He had trouble breathing and fluid in his lungs. At the time, we suspected he had fallen ill with HCM for which he was successflully treated for some time. But soon he got stomack pains and started to vomit his food. It was clear that something else was wrong with him. We had to let the poor boy go.

The post-mortem examination revealed pancreas cancer as well as prolonged gall bladder infection in the liver but no trace of HCM. The ultrasound performed in the summer showed some signs of thickened left heart chamber but the post-mortem understanding is that the thickening was caused by high blood pressure and later fixed by medication. But we of course cannot know not for certain about the HCM. As Marco has plenty of offspring, we will need to follow up them closely in the future. However, I am happy he continues to live on in his children.

Asolan Whit Kristmas, Urkki
13.12.2012-28.5.2013

Urkki fell ill with a high fever a few months after he moved to his forever home. He was treated with antibiotics and cortisone without any effect. All signs suggested he had FIP. After a week's intensive care and no sign of recovery, the owner decided to let him go, which was the toughest news I have ever had to face in cat breeding. Urkki had grown here with us and he had by far the nicest character I have ever withnessed. Our kids still remember him and ask about him.

In the post-mortem examination, he was instead of FIP found to have anemia and insufficient red blood cell production, which hadn't shown in the blood sample collected earlier. This was a hard lesson for us that thought never take a FIP diagnose as a fact and always buy the insurance. Nobody can put thousands of euros to cat examination and life support especially with a low chance of recovery. We miss you Urkki.

Starstruck's L-litter
1.5.2013-4.5.2013

Starstruck's Jane Bonham, my perfect Russian in looks, had really bad luck with her first and only litter. The kittens were not responsive and their weights did not increase despite of extra milk given. As the first one died at the age of 3 days, I decided to send the other 4 to cat heaven later that evening to accompany their poor brother. Two of the kittens were examined in post-mortem and we found to have E. coli infection. Bonzo had suffered of diarrhea during the last 2/3 of the pregnancy but I never dreamed that it could have been E. coli. The kittens were born with the bacteria and two, three of them non-responsive since the birth. I am writing the story here to save some kittens of some other unlucky breeder. If your kittens are non-responsive without a clear reason, immediately put them on strong antibiotics before it is too late.