Happy Birthday Milo

Today is the old man's birthday. Milo, our first show cat, is 14 years old today. He was also the first cat that I brought home from work that never left.

Milo came into the animal hospital as a stray. A healthy 12 week old stray kitty that was named Mel, after me. Milo was tested and checked and put up front with the other kittens for adoption. One Saturday, someone asked to see him. So I took him out of the cage and felt skin and bones. Milo had dropped a lot of weight. Living with the other kittens, nobody had noticed that he had stopped eating. Milo was what they called a Fading Syndrome kitten. For no apparent reason, they just stop eating and start to fade. I told the woman that I would take Mel home that weekend and see if I could get him to eat. Well.......14 years later, that lady is still waiting to hear if she could adopt him or not. Just kidding. I told her that Monday that he wasn't leaving my house.

The rest is history. Mom and I went to a cat show and said that we should enter Milo. We were hooked on showing after that. Milo became SGM Milo in short order. We showed him for four years. He had his favorite judges. He was very fond of Beth Hicks, Lynne Sherer and Patti Andrews. Milo also had a thing for Judy Chappetta. At one show when she was clerking for Roz Drusch, he shamelessly flirted with Judy. In his second show, Milo was in a HHP congress. Beth gave him an award for being the shyest. It was a silver glitter ball. Milo still has it. It's one of his special toys. He had a great show career. Until one day Milo decided that he didn't want to show anymore. While on the judging stand, Milo turned around and punched the judge. He retired himself. Sorry Al, it wasn't personal.

There was one thing about Milo that some of the judges, Beth, loved. He had these ear wings that came from behind his ears. I know a lot of Maine Coon kittens get them, but then they shed them. Not Milo. I actually had to trim them they were so long. He had them for ears. They did eventually thin out, but he still has some wisps there.

Milo even had a fan club. One of our friends, Laura, even rewrote Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and turned it into Milo, the Long Haired Show Cat. Too funny. I can still hear it now.

Very unique, very special. That's Milo.

Milo of course is now retired. He's enjoying his time in San Diego. He does have some health concerns and Mom and Dad are doing their best to keep him comfortable and happy.

Happy Birthday Mo.

meow for now,
melissa