I adopted Bailey when she was just 5 weeks old. She was my first show cat. I showed Bailey in the household pet class. Her very first show was the Black Eyed Susan Show held in February, 1985 at the Holiday Inn in Linthicum. She received her first ribbon at that show and I was hooked.
When Bailey was two years old I purchased my first Maine Coon Cat, Tomeran's Errol Flynn of Taelcat (aka Darby). Bailey and Darby became the best of friends. They groomed each other, they slept together, they played together. Bailey accepted every cat that came into this cattery. She mothered them all.
Bailey was nine years old when she was diagnosed with diabetes. I am very proud of the fact that she lived seven years with this disease. She received insulin twice a day. She was an excellent patient and actually purred when getting her insulin shots.
Bailey turned 16 in August of 2000. She began to show signs of her age. Blood tests revealed that she was also hyperthyroid. We attempted to give her tapazole, but it did not agree with her. I opted to have her thyroid removed, which was done on December 4th, 2000. Unfortunately, the surgery was too much for Bailey. She never quite recovered and on December 15, 2000 I said goodbye to her.
I loved this cat so much. Sixteen years is a long time to spend with anyone - animal or human. When I was saying good-bye to her for the last time, I told her that I loved her and to go be with Darby now and I would see them both on the other side.
Goodbye sweet Bailey. |
