A Lifetime of Cats: Jet

Jet : A Lesson Learnt

Whilst at art college, I lived on the top floor of a big Georgian house in Doncaster where I could not have a cat. Those two years of my life are the only time that I have been without one. The weekend after I moved into a small house in Sheffield, I went to the shelter in Broomhall and to seek 'a special cat'. Whilst many wound themselves around my legs, this big black cat sat in his cardboard box, calmly watching the proceedings. I enquired about him and was told that he was a big softie. It was clear that he was something of a favourite with the staff, so my mind was made up.

Jet quickly made himself at home and was popular with visitors. He was talkative and a lap cat. Shortly after, we were joined by a young stray named Morgan, and after a few initial spats, they became great friends.

Despite his size, Jet was something of a coward and on several occasions, he had to go to the vets for wounds to his back legs. It seemed that in a fight, he would always get bitten running away! Jet was a regular at the vets. He had recurring gingivitis which regularly caused him to lose his appetite. He acquired quite a liking for the yeast-flavoured tablets the vet gave him and once helped himself to a whole week's worth during the night! Thereafter, I bought him his very own pill box and he would come running when he heard the click of the lid being opened.

Later, I learnt that the gingivitis was a symptom of Feline Leukaemia and Feline AIDS. I don't know whether Jet had these at the time he was in the shelter, or picked it up from the bites he sustained. Although I always had my cats vaccinated against cat flu, no vet had ever recommended vaccinating against Leukaemia, and I had no idea that this awful disease even existed. It is passed on through saliva, and in a multi-cat household where they eat out of each other's dishes, it can spread like wild-fire. I lost three cats in just four months to this disease, and it was devastating. Whilst there is no vaccine yet for Feline AIDS (Jet had both illnesses), I now ensure that all my cats are vaccinated against Leukaemia and urge everyone to do the same.

You will be able to read more about Jet in my forthcoming book, "A Lifetime of Cats". I hope to publish later this year, but it is taking me much longer than expected. I could finish in a month or so if I used old illustrations, but feel this would be cheating. I want to create a new portrait of each cat - and there are many of them!