Cupid the Amazing Valentine's Day Cat
 
 

Hello, my name is Cupid.  This is my story. I was born in 1995 in the junk yard.  I had a severe birth defect, which I will tell you about later, but most kittens born as bad off as me do not survive.  Me, I am a survivor!  I was taken into the Humane Society Animal Shelter in Washington, Iowa on February 14, 1996.  They named me Cupid in honor of the day.
I was so small and skinny that the staff there thought I was a kitten.  Imagine their surprise when I turned around and showed them I was a fully developed boy cat!  I smelled of auto fluids and worse.  My nose ran all the time, and I sneezed a lot.  It was decided to take me to see Dr. Mark [Leichty] .  He removed my boy parts and discovered I had a cleft palate.  Most kittens can't nurse with a cleft palate, and they die.  I got along somehow, but that's my secret.


My palate was repaired twice, but it kept coming apart.  Dr. Mark said to Cara (my first human mommy) "What do you want me to do with this cat?"
Cara said, "I want you to save him!"  Cara knew I was special.  Dr. Mark had read in a journal  about a nasal prosthesis for humans who abused cocaine.  He thought it could be used for my palate, and ordered it.  Three good ladies from the Humane Society donated the money to pay for it.  Thanks, ladies!
The doctor cut it down a little and installed it in the roof of my mouth.

WOW!  When I ate, the food didn't go up into my nose anymore!   For the rest of my life a vet must clean under my prosthesis every three months.  I also have chronic sinusitis with runny nose.
     Here I am at the shelter: 
MY STORY,  PART TWO. . .
I finally got out of isolation at the shelter.  One of the volunteers taught me how to groom myself and removed a big, stinky plug from my nose so I could breathe on both sides.
On the one year anniversary of my arrival, I went to Cedar Rapids to be on TV.   Everybody loved me, but no one wanted to adopt me, so I ended up back in the shelter again.
That Spring, I started to be able to roam free a little bit...I could hang out on top of the refrigerator, sit by the window,  or run through the dog room.  It was nice, but I felt like spreading my [imaginary] wings.  The opportunity came when my friend Mary decided to fly to Florida.  Mary's Mama was my sponsor, which means she sent money every month toward my expenses.  I decided I would go on vacation with Mary and Steve, her husband.
The night before, I spent the night at Mary and Steve's, then we went up to the airport.  I had to get in a tiny carrier so it would fit under the seat.  I meowed some on the way to St. Louis, but slept from there to Miami.  Everyone said I was so pretty, and kept calling me "she".

MY STORY, PART THREE . . .
While we were waiting for our baggage, Mary's Mama arrived.  I looked at her, and she looked at me . . . I knew she was my sponsor and that she loved me.  It was a special moment.  When we got to her house, I made myself comfortable right away.

Here is a picture of me resting: 



And here is a picture of me rolling on the warm  bricks out on my screened in patio :
I guess you could say I've come a long way from the junkyard!


MY STORY, PART FOUR . . .
I had surgery awhile back.  You see, I like to sit in the windows and watch lizards and other interesting stuff going on outside.  One day something startled me and I flung myself backwards into a coffee table, dislocating my elbow.  It hurt so bad, I began to moan low, like this: "MOOOOOOOO".  My Mama grabbed me and put me in that horrid little carrier and I went to see Dr. John.  Even after being put back in place and splinted, my elbow still popped out.  I couldn't use that leg at all!
My folks took me to a big Animal Hospital and another Dr. John.  This guy was from Iowa.  I said "that's funny, I'm from Iowa, too!"  He just smiled and started examining me.  He operated on my leg and  fixed it.  I stayed there a few days and when I left one of the ladies there even kissed me!
Some time later, my regular doctor took the cast off and I walked  across the exam room with just a slight limp.
Sometimes now I show my paw to Mom, and flex my toes to show how well they work.

MY STORY, PART FIVE . . .
In Sptember 1998 I stopped eating and pooping.  Dr. John said "bring him in NOW!!!"  So Dad took me.  My prosthesis was gone.  It was nowhere to be found at home.  Everyone thought I'd swallowed it.  Soon I was headed up the road to the big Animal Hospital again.  They did lots of tests where they looked in my belly, but could not find my prosthesis.  The doctor wanted to try closing my palate again, so that is what he did on September 24th.


Mary's update:  Cupid is resting comfortably, bleeding a little from one nostril, being fed VIA a feeding tube.  He hopes to go home in a week or so.  Prayers, candles, or whatever your personal faith uses to communicate with our creator, are appreciated.
Update II : The operation was unsuccessful. Cupid went home and his parents tube fed him for two weeks, but the hole opened up again. He will have to get a new prosthesis installed. Poor fellow, it's always something!

MY STORY, PART SIX, December 31, 1998 . . . Hi folks, it's me, Cupid. Guess who came to my house last week - MaryAW! I remembered her right away (she wasn't sure I would). Our dog Lhasa remembered her too. I slept right by her face every night, and when our Dad went to Atlanta Lhasa slept in our room. Mary got me some tasty fish flavoured food (IAMS catfish) and some good cat toys. She gets this really satisfied look on her face when she sees me on my patio. I LOVE my patio!
It's just like being outside except I can't catch the birds. Somehow, a few insects and lizards DO get in and I eat them. There's a little cat jungle in the corner, where I can hide behind the plants.
 

You should see how I cuddle with my Mama, Ruth. I flatten myself on her chest and nudge my head up under her chin. Sometimes I sneeze all over her and she has to go clean her blouse. Sorry about that...my sinuses are always in an uproar. I really love my Mama. She cleans my sneezy marks off the wall with shampoo. January 4th I get my new prosthesis! Dr. John in Miami will put it in. Then I will be able to eat crunchy cat food again. Please say a prayer for me that the procedure goes well. I have had more than my share of medical troubles, but I am a survivor. Your prayers have helped. MaryAW says she will post my latest pictures when they are developed. Hope you all have a wonderful new year. You can write me c/o MaryAW. Love and hugs, Cupid
 
Wow!  Aren't I cute?  I'm the best old cuddle cat!
Mary calls this photo "fangs":
(I'm really just yawning)
 

MY STORY, PART SEVEN . . . January, 1999 My new prosthesis is in and I am home, content to sit on my patio, sleep on the bed, and eat my crunchies. My Mama says I am about the smartest cat in the world. I learn very fast what my humans want me to do or not do. They do NOT like me to get on the kitchen counter, but sometimes I just have to do it...if they don't want me up there, they shouldn't leave meat loaf out and then go answer the phone, right? Anyway, I hope this prosthesis stays in for a long time, because having a new one put in is scary.
 
 

MY STORY, PART EIGHT . . . Into the new Millenium Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's me again, Cupid. Can you believe a cat like me with a prosthesis has lived to be over TEN YEARS OLD? Mary never thought it would happen. I am a miracle cat. I hate to tell you this, but my dog friend Lhasa, passed away. He got very old and skinny. His bones hurt him and sometimes he would go in the corner and bark at nothing. Mama and Papa gave him medicine but finally it didn't do any good so Lhasa had to go to the Rainbow Bridge where he would feel better and wait for us there.
I have converted a number of people to loving cats. Isn't that great??? I just give them the LOOK and don't take no for an answer. They see what a marvelous fellow I am and how much my family loves me. When my Mama and Papa play cards sometimes I am allowed to sit on the table and watch. That would never have happened years ago. They let me sleep in the bed, too.
Let me tell you something you might not know. If you adopt a shelter cat, or a shelter dog, you are saving a life. If that animal is smart like me, it will KNOW what a good home it has and give you LOVE LOVE LOVE like I give my family! We cats understand what you say...just about every word of it.
Well, I got to go now. There is so much to do around here...lizards to watch, pillows to sleep on, bricks to roll on, food to beg for...it never ends.
Love and hugs,
Cupid
 
 

When you see rainbows on my pages, they are in memory of my sweet human rainbow child, Michael Benjamin, born and died May 13, 1986. I know he would have loved animals as much as his dad and I do.
Spay and neuter your companion animals. Leave breeding to responsible, knowledgeable breeders. Every year millions of fine dogs and cats are euthanized in America. This is no way to treat our best friends, so when it's time to adopt a new family member, go to a shelter and SAVE A LIFE.
Thank you for visiting my home page.
MaryAW (Animal Woman to my friends)
 
 
 
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