Dayton "Dirt" - June 23, 2017

Sadly in the afternoon on Sunday, June 18th, our nursery cat L.B. died after having a seizure and then lying down with heavy labored breathing. The past year he had trouble from an animal bite from which he recovered but then in March slowed down from eating which caused him to lose weight and become lethargic. A visit to the vet last week revealed he had bad teeth and an overactive thyroid which caused weight loss. After a shot of antibiotics and a topical treatment for the over active thyroid, L.B. seemed to eat more and maybe was on his way to better health. This spring, some customer’s were concerned that he was being starved or mistreated because of his appearance. One suggestion was offered that he should be euthanized. I was offended by that comment as L.B. sill came out to eat something and would purr when I picked him up and stroked and petted him as he looked excitedly out the window. L.B. came to the nursery by accident in December of 1997 and decided to adopt us as his family. After almost 20 years, he survived the busy road, prowling coyotes, other wild animals, fertilizer and insecticide bags that he used as a bed sometimes and a wolf that a customer brought into the store. He could not survive his old worn out body of almost 20 years. I buried him on a well-drained site on a hill in the shade garden where sometimes he would roam. This gentle, loving cat will be missed for years by all at the nursery.

Tom