Bears Story

Bear was a beautiful large male cat who was part Maine Coon, part Tiffany.  He was pretty to look at, with a big plumed tail and strong carriage.  But his fur was a mess because they had botched the breeding process and he ended up with very fine fur that tangled easily.  When we found him, he was covered in sandspurs and his fur was tangled into tight balls that cut off his circulation.  He was starving and scared.  He followed us around and cried all the time.  We rescued him, of course.  We had a houseful at the time but there is always room for one more.  :-)  Anyways, Bear was with us for about 5 years before he died of Leukemia.  It was believed he had been born with it.  We detangled his fur, had him shaved, fixed, got his shots and kept him inside for the most part.  He was known for "busting out" however, getting free and staying gone for days.  So perhaps this is where he got the disease.  He had a personality disorder or a brain injury, we were never sure which, because he would freeze into place, stare and growl at nothing for hours and couldn't be distracted.  Also, he would get into fights with very large animals, one time injuring a large dog very badly.  He was a containment problem.  But in close quarters, he was gentle and loving, with a tiny meow that sounded like a kitten.  He and the other males spent hours grooming each other and cooing.  We gave him the best life we could after his harrowing start in life.  R.I.P.  Sweet Bear.  We will always love you.

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