20 years ago and long before he met me Jimwas biking on the Sparta-Elroy bike trail in Sparta Wi (about 25 miles from where we live now) when he saw a little black kitten on a rock ledge so he stopped and put her back on the ground . He continued on his way only to have this little kitten running after him...everytime he turned around there she was trying to catch up. He kept trying to lose her ( he didn't want a cat) but she just wouldn't let him be ..so finally he picked her up and took her back to the B&B where he was staying.
The next day he visited a few farms in the area asking the farmers if they would like an extra barn cat; none of them did.
When he went back to Chicago he took her to the humane society downtown and surrendered her.
The next morning he was so overwhelmed with guilt that he went back and attempted to readopt her. They , of course, would not give her back as he seemed to not know what he wanted (true)
He had his ex-wife adopt her and that is how Jim came to have a cat named Sparta who was his cat when I first met him .
Sparta had thyroid problems, one blind eye from being hit by one of our cattledogs and some arthritis but she was always waiting for her food when I would get up in the morning .
Being so old she looked like a little skinny minny but she was a strong little lady who could hold her own with William ( our bigger cat)
Today we had Sparta PTS because of a cancerous tumor on her abdomen . it had opened some .and she was bleeding a little so we decided it was time.
I usually talk about my rabbits so now I feel as if I should pay homage to a little black cat with a quiet disposition that is gone but not forgotten
I love you Sparta :cry1:
The next day he visited a few farms in the area asking the farmers if they would like an extra barn cat; none of them did.
When he went back to Chicago he took her to the humane society downtown and surrendered her.
The next morning he was so overwhelmed with guilt that he went back and attempted to readopt her. They , of course, would not give her back as he seemed to not know what he wanted (true)
He had his ex-wife adopt her and that is how Jim came to have a cat named Sparta who was his cat when I first met him .
Sparta had thyroid problems, one blind eye from being hit by one of our cattledogs and some arthritis but she was always waiting for her food when I would get up in the morning .
Being so old she looked like a little skinny minny but she was a strong little lady who could hold her own with William ( our bigger cat)
Today we had Sparta PTS because of a cancerous tumor on her abdomen . it had opened some .and she was bleeding a little so we decided it was time.
I usually talk about my rabbits so now I feel as if I should pay homage to a little black cat with a quiet disposition that is gone but not forgotten
I love you Sparta :cry1:
I'm going through exactly the same thing -- a little skinny 20-year-old cat (I've had her since birth) who has to be PTS this week. 
