Sole’ - The Beginning
The beginning - Sole'
If you spend a little time reading about various pet companies, charities, and media sites, you will find that it is quite often the case that the inspiration was someone's beloved pet. Sometimes the company is even named after the pets, as is the case with "Stella and Chewy's". RejuveCat is no different. It started with a love of cats and the first few blog posts will stroll through the stories of life, love, and endings that led to the initiative to help our furry friends live healthier than ever before.
I grew up on a classic Midwest dairy farm. We had a lot of animals including what could be described as a "horde of cats". Because of the sheer number of animals, I never became too attached to any one cat. I enjoyed the company of the felines but was too busy working to spend much time with them. In addition, cats were not considered a very valuable animal on the farm. In spite of the fact that they are very efficient at keeping the number of vermin down to a minimum, because of their large numbers, cats were almost viewed as disposable. Worse yet, even though it was not in wide practice, some country-folk would shoot feral cats for "sport". I shudder to think about it now and I am glad it is no longer an "activity" in farm country.
The “horde” of cats in the barn on the farm
Once I moved away from the farm and adopted my first cat, I found out why people become quite attached. Spending time and growing with a companion animal develops a deeper connection. Conan was our first adoption but not the first cat we had to part with - that was Sole'. As her name alludes to, Sole' (the "sun") was a brightly colored cat, perhaps the prettiest cat we have given a home. She wasn't exactly a cuddly lap cat - more of a solitary soul - but she fit right into the household and gave us a few years of rewarding companionship.
She died an unfortunate early death in the 10 to 12 year-old range. It was the first time we had a serious illness with a cat and the first time I realized the limitations of modern veterinarian medicine. It began with Sole' not eating regularly and losing weight. We brought her to the clinic a couple of times but the vets could not find anything obvious wrong with her. As it turns out, she either had a serious infection - but more likely cancer - in her throat. If it had been caught earlier, surgery might have been an option. She might have lived a couple more years. Once the problem became obvious, it was too late. An area of her throat swelled up and she could barely eat. After the swollen area burst, it was time for a compassionate end.
Sole’ was a truly beautiful cat with near uniform cream-colored fur and icy blue eyes
At first, like many grieving pet owners, I was upset that the vets did not spot the problem, but it isn't always easy to diagnose problems in the early stages - especially cancer. Also, this was back in the 2005-2006 time frame when diagnostic tools were not as advanced. They are still not as advanced as we would hope them to be, as you will read in future blog posts, but they are definitely better. In general, our personal vets have always provided great care. It is just a fact that the options for saving an older pet - once ill - are not as good as we would like them to be.
You could say the Sole’s end was a beginning because this is the first time I thought about developing a business or strategy to advance the science of pet health. The onset of this effort was delayed by various life circumstances. As you can see, it has been quite a while since that first sorrowful parting. Now is the time for action. Follow along with the RejuveCat story and help turn the tide against the ravages of aging and disease.