Susan's Story |
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Susan,kitten from a friend born 26th February 1955 was 18½ when she died on 11th September 1973  |
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Susan
After moving with Richard to Long Lane we now had a small garden and more than one room. We then thought it would be a great idea for us to have another cat for ourselves and as a companion for Richard while we were out at work. Thus Susie came into our lives from a friend who had kittens to home. She was a lovely little tabby kitten who we named Susan after another friend of ours, but we thought that she was somewhat more scatty than a Susan, hence the more flighty, Susie. As it turned out, she was definitely one for the boys and became a pregnant Susie almost as soon as physically possible! She and Richard took to each other straight away although he would not follow her as far as the garden - his dislike of the great outdoors remained as strong as ever. He was about to get a surprise! By the next Sprng, Susie duly gave birth to three kittens. At first, she showed all the usual care and affection for them, proudly showing them off to us in her bed. She mothered them well and fed them properly so that they grew fast and soon had their eyes open. We were all, especially Richard, fascinated to see them develop, feed and sleep, and then start to become aware of the world outside their basket. Within a few weeks they were staggering around and at that point, Susie decided that she should catch up on the latest happenings in the world outside and that Richard was quite capable of keeping an eye on them while she attended to more important things. As it was now sunnier, she carted them outside bafore she went off - Richard got very worried about them and ended up babysitting OUTDOORS! 
After we got a puppy, Tina, Susie produced a second batch of four little kitties (so much for old wives tales about not getting pregnant while nursing), but by then we were wiseing up, and as soon as practical, we took her off to visit Mr Amsden for sterilising. Both sets of kittens were found homes without any problems. We gave them all names but apart from one, we can't remember them all. The one we remember was called Whisky! He managed to crawl into the springs of an old sofa we had and then got squashed when we sat on it. I quickly rescued him and then called Mr Amsden for advice. He suggested that a teaspoon of rum or whiskey (my mother had a bit in an old bottle) would revive him and so it proved. He started breathing properly again and was soon buzzing around as usual. Susie, sans kittens!, moved with us to Hamilton Way where she helped again with birthing, Eric this time, and treated our boys as kittens by sleeping in their pram and/or beds every time she needed a rest. She was with us from 1955 until she died aged 18½ on 11th September 1973. More of her story can be found in our History text. |
