Aby-a-Day – 29 June: Mourning anniversary (Friday Flashback)

Yesterday, 28 June, was the 10th anniversary of Gun-Hee’s death. He succumbed to FIP at the age of 1 year, 9 months, 1 week and 5 days. He had such a short life, but he made a huge impact on my life, and he is the reason that this blog exists.

Sherry took this photo of Gun-Hee and his littermates. It’s one of my favourite photos.

This was the only litter that Pellburn Scarface Cat Pacino and Marica’s Bright Amber of Pellburn had together. Scar is, of course, Jacoby’s father as well. Amber was actually imported from Denmark and had Finnish, German, Norwegian and Australian cats in her pedigree. I made this image of them together in the style of those cheesy wedding photos set against fake backgrounds.

It was love at first sight when I met him. He was named after the title character in the Korean serial “First Love of a Royal Prince” because we were adding him to a household with two female cats and he would be spoiled rotten, much like Choi Gun-Hee in the series. I loved that character, and the name Pellburn Prince Gun-Hee was such an awesome name…so that’s why I gave him a Korean name.

He was there when I got engaged.

But he still only had one birthday.

In his short life, he did everything Jake did. If I had known about cat strollers back then, he would have been Strollercat.

He was a part of my life for such a short time…but he has affected my life for over 12 years. And I still think of him every day.

Abys are Everywhere: “Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds”

The other day I came across a Facebook post (in a Bengal group, of all places) that caught my eye for a couple of reasons: one, the Somali, of course, and two, it was a warning about Easter lilies.

As I have posted before, lilies kill cats. Easter lilies are among the worst, but it’s safest to avoid any sort of bulb plants (remember, garlic and onions are also bad for cats, and they are also members of the lily family).

Catalina hunts with Star Clan…and now, Jacoby is an orphan

I have the saddest of sad news to share. Last night, Sherry messaged me from her vetrinarian’s office. She was there with Catalina, Jacoby and Dillin’s mother. Catalina had painful cancer in her lower jaw which made it difficult for her to eat.

Ch. Instincts Santa Catalina of Pellburn was only 11 years old…just two years older than Jake!

I never met Catalina in person, but I know she was always a wonderful mother and she had many wonderful kittens. Here is a video Sherry made of Catalina with one of her litters.

My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today.

Other People’s Abys: Wild Bill Hunts With Star Clan

So sad to announce this…Jacoby has lost an uncle.

Last week, Sherry posted: “My 6 year old Wild Bill, the most playful and affectionate cat I’ve ever known, is in the hospital in critical condition tonight with sepsis after being blocked with urinary crystals. He has been in the hospital since Saturday morning and was seemingly recovering until this morning when he started to look weaker and ended up in septic shock from infection. I love him so very much and pray he makes it home soon – he’s missing rubs on his head and his favourite toy, Tim Horton coffee stir sticks – like so many people, he needs his Tim Hortons everyday.”

And then today came this sad news: “I am so broken hearted to let everyone know that my sweet boy Wild Bill passed away yesterday morning. I had him back to the vet the night before because he still did not have any appetite and seemed to be getting a bit worse rather than better with a below normal temperature. They gave him injections for pain and appetite but by yesterday morning he was very weak and a couple of hours after his morning syringe feeding he was barely able to walk and as soon as I saw his mouth open to breath I called my vet and rushed him right in – by the time I got there his heart had already stopped. I had no idea he could end up that bad that quickly after a urinary blockage. I am devastated to lose my Wild Bill – he was truly a special cat and will remain forever in my heart”

Wild Bill was Jake’s uncle. He was a younger sibling of Scar’s (same mother and father, but from a different litter). He was from the last litter of Ginger x TJ, born 3 May, 2010 – an uncle younger than Jake!

But it’s scary because Jake, too, has urinary crystals. He’s never had a blockage, but it’s serious motivation to make sure he only eats UT food.

My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend has stopped running today.

Aby-a-Day – 9 January: “Waltz” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Waltz.”

I just don’t even know what to do with that. So here’s a photo of Jacoby’s 19 day old nephew (his brother Dillin’s son) with his mother Georgie that Sherry posted on the Pellburn Abys Facebook page. Because…to get kittens, it takes two to tango? I have no idea.

Aby-a-Day – October 17: Like father, like son (Flashback Friday)

Look at these photos of Jacoby and his father, GC Pellburn Scarface Cat Pacino, both taken by Chanan six years apart.

This is Scar in 2006.

This is Jake in 2012. Of course, they aren’t identical twins; Jake was three years old when his photo was taken while Scar was only two, and Scar was a whole male so he had the fuller jowls, but you can definitely see the family resemblance!

And, just for fun, here’s Jake’s mother, Ch. Instincts Santa Catalina of Pellburn, in a photo taken last year. Jake takes after his mother quite a bit, too!

Aby-a-Day – February 22: “Amber” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Amber.”

Gun-Hee’s mother was Ch. Marica’s Bright Amber of Pellburn.

Here she is with Gun-Hee, his brother Rusty, and their two sisters. This is probably my favourite photo that Sherry took of Gun-Hee.