Rest in peace, Desi.

On February 2nd, 2007, at 3:15 pm, we put Desi to sleep. After weeks of what started with an upper respiratory infection, then transgressed into uveitis, and then finally becoming more and more apparent it was FIP, there was nothing left we could do. The medications were no longer helping him, he was refusing all food, and he was becoming incontinent. He lost a drastic amount of weight, and was only 4.1 lbs at the end, and nothing but skin and bones. Despite that, he purred all the way to the end.

Rest in peace, Desi.



"They say memories are golden
well maybe that is true
I never wanted memories,
I only wanted you.

A million times I needed you,
a million times I cried.
If love alone could have saved you
you never would have died.

In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place
no one could ever fill.

If tears could build a stairway
and heartache make a lane,
I'd walk the path to heaven
and bring you back again.

Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again."

- Anonymous

I got FIP.

I've been sick for the past few weeks, and after too many vet visits, they told Mom she should get me tested for FIP. So they took my blood and sent it off.

And I do. It's the dry form, but it's still FIP. Mom's so upset - she did everything they told her to after her last kitty, so she doesn't understand why I have it. She says she must just be unlucky. She's tryin' to find out if it's contagious to Max..or if he already got the coronavirus and won't develop it. I hope it isn't! If I get better, I wanna stay with him, not "go to sleep". I've been sleeping too much lately! I wanna be awake!

Yuckyuckyuckyuckyuckkk.

I got a cold, can you believe it? Mom took me to the vet yesterday and they took my temperature (which I didn't enjoy, and I let the entire clinic know it) which was 105-degrees! So now I got to take medicine two times a day, AND I have to stay in the bathroom with Mom when she showers 'cause the vet says the steam with decongest me.. and the worst part of all - Mom's supposed to give me BENADRYL once a day! Yucckkkkk. She bought the cherry stuff, and she gave it to me last night, and it was GROSS. I got so upset and started foaming at the mouth from it and I gagged and then I sulked behind the desk, so she couldn't give me any more. She says she was sorry, but I don't think she really is.

She says she hopes I act like a normal kitten once my cold goes away, 'cause I've been sneezing for a couple weeks now, but I was activer. I kinda hope so, too, 'cause I really really hate Benadryl.

Hmm. So he DOES exist.

Mom told us Santa Paws was gonna come and fill our stockings, but I didn't believe her. What kind of idiot would believe that tall tale?

But I guess he must be real, 'cause our stockings were all full this morning. He left me some felt mice, and sparkly pompom balls, and Cat Sip, and a feather stick.

And Mom bought me and Max a Star Chaser Turbo Scratcher, too, which is pretty cool (but don't tell her I said that). Max keeps hogging it, because the dumdum thinks it's some sort of bed, but when he's not being selfish, it's lots of fun to play with. I had to thank Mom by giving her headbutts this morning when she woke up, which surprised her 'cause I've never given her headbutts or approached her for petting. But I had to thank her SOMEHOW, y'know?

EXCUSE ME?!!?!!

Mom made me go to the vet today 'cause I had to get my stupid rabies shot. I told her I wasn't gonna get no stupid rabies, but she made me go and get the shot anyway. And would you believe they had the audacity to take my temperature? I guess they didn't remember how mean I was last time, so I had to yowl and hiss and make a fuss at the vet tech. Mom was laughing because she said she could hear me all the way from the clinic room. I didn't think it was very funny, though.

I guess she knows now why I hate going to the vet.

MAX! Just let me do it!

Goll-ee. Max doesn't know how to groom himself very well, so I had to do it for him today. He was all dirty 'cause he can't groom himself with that dumb cone on his head, and when it's off, he's not allowed 'cause he has ringworm on his paws and nobody wants it spreading. So I went and groomed him while he was sleeping today. He didn't wanna be groomed, so I put him in a headlock and laid on top of him so he couldn't move. And then I cleaned off his face as best as I could 'cause there's no way I was gonna nap next to a stinky, nasty, dirty kitten. No way, Jose.

Uh-uh. You are not poking things into me.

Can you believe Mom took us to the vet AGAIN yesterday? I TOLD her we just went last week, but she didn't care! She said we needed some dumb worm check and stuff. But I just think it's 'cause Mom wanted to torture me by making me go to the vet with them. So I made a racket the whole way there. I figured she'd get sick of me and just take me home, but she didn't. So I complained while we were in the waiting room, and then I complained to her some more while we were in the exam room waiting for the vet. But then the vet tech came in and PICKED ME UP AND TOOK ME INTO THE BACK! Man, I did not like that. I had to howl at him and wiggle and use my claws and try to get him to let me go. And Mom didn't even stop him! And he took me all the way into the back and STUCK THINGS UP MY TAIL-REGION and PRICKED ME WITH A NEEDLE and MADE ME STAND ON A COLD, HARD SCALE. Ooh, I was angry. I told Mom this is why I don't need to go to the vet! All they do is torture me! So I bit the vet tech. And he brought me back and called me a little stinker, and would you believe it? Mom laughed and agreed! Pssshh. And I can't believe I actually sleep with that human at night! She's a traitor.

Moooooom. Pay attention to ME!

Geez lou-eez. What's a guy gotta do around here to get some attention? It's like these humans think I'm supposed to go to THEM when I want some lovin'! 'Specially Mom. Doesn't she know that she's supposed to read my mind? Today I had to follow her around and meow and meow until she FINALLY picked me up and purred me. Geez. You'd think I was asking her to do brain surgery or somethin'!

Can't catch me, I'm the DESMOND!

Man, that dog is crazy! I slapped him upside the head today, and then I made a run for it. And he started chasing me, and I was saying to myself, "That dog is nuts if he thinks he can catch me!" So I ran under two baby gates, over the couch, through the desk, and onto my cat tree, and that dumb dog didn't get there for at least a minute after me! And then he sat down and barked and barked and just made a rucus, until Mom came in and told him to shut his stupid mouth. (Well, not in those words. I added the stupid part.) Haha. Dumb dog.

Speaking of Mom, would you believe she wanted to name my diary something dumb like "Maxwell's Tails"? Psshhh. I told her she can name baby Max's diary something wimpy like that, but my entry is meant to invoke FEAR and RESPECT and ENVY. I'm no wimp.