Minky's Story Carol Haantz is a freelance illustrator and a volunteer foster parent for Kansas City Siamese Rescue. For information on having your pet sketched by Carol, please e-mail her at carol@compuservices.com Minky was a very special Siamese who came to live with his mom, Carol, after she had lost all of her kitties to feline leukemia, back in the bad old days before the vaccine. Carol had been very sad for about a year, but didn't want to get any more cats; she just couldn't stand losing them. But one day, Carol's vet called to tell her that he had a very special cat that needed a very special home. This cat, the vet said, had been at the local pound for six weeks, and was due to be euthanized, but Nora, the animal control officer, thought that he was too nice a cat to be put down, so she called the local vet, and he had kept him for six weeks, trying to find him a home. For the entire twelve weeks, the cat had been yowling very loudly. "He's a wonderful cat," the vet said, "and he needs a good home." "I'm sure you'll find him one," said Carol. "I was thinking of your home," the vet said. "No, I don't want any more cats, I just can't stand to lose them," Carol said. She had lost a beautiful Siamese named Cocoa, and a yellow and white kitty named Meintz, and two white siblings, Puffy and Scruffy. "Carol, he's Siamese." That did it. Carol said that she would come and look at him, just look at him. When she came into the clinic, she could hear him yowling all the way from the back. As the vet opened the cage door, the beautiful Seal Point flung himself into Carol's arms, put his front paws around her neck, clinging to her, and stopped yowling. "See?" the vet said, "he's been waiting just for you." Carol was convinced, but she had to talk to her gruff husband, "the Boss." "Just go look at him," she asked Jerry. "You know Siamese are special, just drop by after work and look at him." That night, when Jerry came home, Carol asked him what he thought. Jerry scowled at her. "Cat sure had a lot to say," he pointed out. "But do you like him?" Carol asked. Big pause. More scowling. "Oh, go bring him home," Jerry finally said. At first his name was Teddy, because he was huggable, and listened to everything, just like a teddy bear. But soon Jerry renamed him Minky, because he was dark brown, like a mink, and performed the antics of a monkey. Minky and Jerry would play tag, and run through the house like a couple of kids. Several years later, Carol was diagnosed with cancer, and had lots of surgeries, and seven months of chemotherapy. She was scared and sick, but Minky was always there, to hug and squeeze when she was scared, and to run and jump and cheer her up when she was sad. He was with her twenty-four hours a day, being her very best little friend, a source of unconditional love and acceptance. Carol got better, but several years later, Jerry passed away, and Minky was still there, whenever Carol needed her best little pal. Minky was Carol's best buddy for twelve years. Finally, his kidneys failed, and though the vet did everything he could to help him, nothing worked, and Minky went to sleep in Carol's arms. Whenever it thunders, she likes to think that it is Minky and Jerry playing tag up in the sky. Carol still has Siamese:  Jasmine, who is beautiful and has soft grey bunny fur, but tolerates no one except Carol;  Dalai, a sweet tempered long-haired Balinese;  Buddy Blue, whose face carries a perpetual look of concerned sincerity; and Yao Ling, who looks and kinda sounds like Minky. They were all rescued from shelters.
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