Nicknames: Ash, silly girl, pretty girl, little dickens! Quick Bio:
-purebred
Birthday: May 17th 2000 Coloration: Sable Likes: Petting, brushing, affection, running through the house, jumping to high places and getting into small spaces. Pet-Peeves: Beepers, sometimes. She doesn't 'love' having her claws trimmed. Favorite Toy: Ribbons! Strings! Someone (me) has to be on the other end dangling them or pulling them along the floor, though. Favorite Nap Spot: She likes the heated bed or the heated baby buggy and the window perch in the morning sun. Favorite Food: Fancy Feast. For treats, she loves Halo Liv-a-Littles freeze dried chicken, Evo Wild Cravings treats and chicken baby food! Skills: Being adorable. Dwells:
indoors Arrival Story: It was a little Burmese sweetie, Lola, who helped mend our hearts after Scooter went to the Bridge. Lola's time with us was so short, though, before she, too, went to the Bridge that I felt there must be a purpose. When a Catster friend offered to help us locate a "retired" Burmese show cat -- if we were interested and when the time was right -- I wondered if that was the 'purpose,' so I accepted her offer but told her it was still too soon. I wanted to see where it led, though. We really wanted to adopt two older cats and our 'ideal' was a bonded pair, but I doubted that came available often. It WAS available! Her friend had a pair of older Burmese she wanted to place in a good home: a male, Beepers, age 11, and his daughter, Ashlynne, age 9 1/2. They had a home with her and always would have if she couldn't find another good home to take them, but they were confined to one room because Beepers didn't get along with her other cats and picked on some of them. He got along well and was bonded with his daughter Ashlynne, though. Their owner wanted them to have the run of the house and be able to sleep with their people at night -- something she couldn't provide them. She would not separate them, so it had to be a home with no cats that would take two older cats. That was us! I felt that was the 'purpose': we were meant to give these two Burmese a chance for a better life... for Lola, for Beepers and Ashlynne, for their owner as well as for us. They were a long way from us, in Cleveland, Ohio, though. We weren't comfortable having them flown to us in pet cargo because they couldn't get from Cleveland to Albuquerque without a transfer. So on January 9, 2010, we flew to Cleveland and returned home with them the next day. Huge thanks to my Catster friend -- the mom of PJ, Callie Jean, Velvet Rose and Katrina -- for telling us about Ashlynne and Beepers and for immeasurable help in carrying out the mission to bring them home. Bio: Ashlynne's a former show cat and breeding queen, born at Laki cattery in PA, where she's still featured in their website Gallery. She was a breeding queen at Evita Burmese in St. Paul, MN, giving birth to 11 kittens from 2002-2005. Ashlynne and some of her offspring can be seen on Ashlynne's Page on Evita's website. Retired from breeding in 2006, she moved to Ringapurr cattery in Ohio, where she returned to the show ring and earned more awards. When she no longer enjoyed being shown, she was allowed to retire from that, too. Some of her achievements as a 'show girl' are listed separately below. We adopted Ashlynne in January 2010, and she's been a joy to us since then. She has us laughing daily at her sweet silliness. .......... In February 2011, Ashlynne's right eye was removed. See below for more on that. Lives Remaining: 9 of 9 Forums Motto: Silly girl The Groups I'm In: Hunka Hunka Burm Love, Pawsome Pages, Special Kitties (Kitties With Disabilities), We're One-derful!
Iris Melanoma in Ashlynne's right eye: When we adopted Ashlynne, she had spots in her right eye that had been there for a few years, diagnosed as eye freckles or iris melanosis. In February 2011, I noticed some changes in her eye which led to her being referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist. He determined the melanosis was transitioning to iris melanoma (cancer) and was in danger of spreading beyond her eye. On February 14, 2011, her right eye was removed. The histopathology showed it was, indeed, iris melanoma. It was in the early stages, not yet aggressive, and appeared to be contained within Ashlynne's eye. Removal of her eye will hopefully prove to be the permanent cure. The first few days after surgery were rough, but then Ashlynne bounced back. It was soon apparent she felt better than before -- her eye had bothered her more than we knew. A year later, Feb. 2012, Ashlynne had her first annual chest x-rays to see if her lungs were still clear of tumors, as they were at the time her eye was removed. Iris melanoma often metastasizes to the lungs, but thankfully, Ashlynne's lungs were still clear. She continues to be lively and active. UPDATE March 2013: Ashlynne's chest x-rays were again clear - there was absolutely no sign of metastasis from the melanoma that was in her eye.
Ashlynne - Show Girl: Ashlynne is registered in both CFA and TICA. She achieved CFA Champion in 2001, Grand Champion in 2002, 'Best of Breed' and 'Best of Color Class' [Sable] in the Great Lakes Region in 2001-2002. After she retired from breeding in 2006, she returned to the show ring as an alter, earning more awards:
Premier and Grand Premier (CFA) 2006,
Supreme Grand Champion Alter (TICA) 2007,
Best Burmese Alter of the Year 2006-2007 (TICA),
Sixteenth Best Alter of the Year 2006-2007 (TICA).
She even flew to Hannover, Germany, in Sept. 2006 to compete in the TICA Annual Show. Ashlynne has been in shows all over the Great Lakes region and from PA and NY in the east, to Florida in the south, and as far west as Las Vegas, NV, and Tucson, AZ. The furthest she travels now is a few miles to the vet, hopefully only a couple of times a year. She's still a good traveler, but she's always very happy to get back home.
Today's my lucky 13th birthday! I know it's lucky because I'm healthy and happy, with a good home that I love.
I wish our Dad could be home with us today but Mom says he's getting better and he'll come home as soon as he's healed. Beepers is the therapy cat for Dad and visits him once or twice a week at the rehab place, but I give Mom purr therapy every morning and every night, right here at home.
I already got some treats this morning, then I ate some of Beepers' breakfast! *giggles* Mom says there are more treats and some presents for me when she gets home this afternoon, plus she'll play some 'wand' games with us. I gotta go rest up for that!
Last month I went to the vet for my regular 6-month checkup, and it was time for x-rays of my lungs again. Since my eye was removed two years ago because of iris melanoma, I get yearly x-rays to make sure the nasty cancer that was in my eye has not metastasized to my lungs.
My lungs are still clear! The vet said there is absolutely no sign of metastasis. Good!
When I had the poopies this past December I lost nearly half a pound, though, and both the vet and Mom were concerned because I didn't gain any of it back. So how did they show their concern? Mom gave the okay for the vet to steal my blood and pee for more tests! Don't you think Mom could have found a better way to show she loves me?? More treats would work!
But I passed those tests, too. My thyroid, liver and kidney numbers were all good and the vet said there's no indication of GI problems. As long as I don't lose any more weight, I'm excused from any more tests for now.
The vet said I'll need my teeth cleaned again this fall, though. *sigh* I already know that means more tests...
Why Does My Cat Always Use the Litter Box Right After I've Cleaned It?
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