Hi all...
I don't know much about Zeus and Hestias first 4 years, but I can tell you their story as I know it.
Back in 2008 I watched a tv programme on the animal planet where quite a few Bengals were rescued in America due to being used for breeding purposes...this made me think about the Bengal cat, I asked my husband Stuart if we could get one, so set out to research the breed...
This research brought me to this forum, Gavin and Siobhan Wightman were the founders of the board as they gave homes to Hestia and Zeus in 2004. They were born in the March I believe somewhere near Wales. They were both indoor cats, but Hestia the escape artist liked the opportunity to 'escape' when she could, she would jump out from an open window even on the first floor. Zeus was just a big softy and liked to snuggle with Hestia.
We asked a lot of questions and got a lot of great advice from members on this forum and we set out to find a breeder suited to us. We found a breeder in Lauder up in Scotland. We set out to make arrangements to buy Mitzy and came home with both Mitzy and Daisy. A couple of weeks later we came across a post on here asking if anyone would like to adopt their beloved cats as they were running out of time and were due to emigrate to Canada by the end of that month.. August 2008. I seen them and fell in love with them straight away. Hubby succumbed to my pleading and we made arrangements to go to the Wightmans to pick up Hestia and Zeus.
Hestia and Zeus were 4 yrs old at this point, and we had 4 month old kittens. It was a tough time for the first month trying to get Zeus to settle but one Felliway plugin did the job. After 2 weeks Hestia showed signs of Kidney problems. She was treated and everything was fine for awhile. In 2011 Hestia passed away with kidney failure. We where heartbroken, she was such a lovable cat, Hestia was 7 yrs old. We have kept her ashes.
Zeus was just a big softie. Over the years he has been very placid and would let you cuddle him but he wasn't a lapcat, He would wake us up on a morning by pawing at our heads. Zeus has been a pleasure to look after over the years, snuggling with Mitzy and Daisy and just being him.
We noticed some weightloss but thought it was old age, he went to the vets but ruled out everything possible..diabetes, kidney problems etc. This week his whole persona changed, he was was asking for food and water when he had it, he had intermitting vomiting and diarrhoea. We took him to the vets on Wednesday night to be told he had a golfball size mass in his abdomen. We chose at the time to give him a steroid hoping to shrink the inflammation around the mass, but the following morning there was no change, I would see it in his eyes he was ready. He was telling me. I took him to the vets at 12;30 on Thursday, Zeus was very calm and I feel he was allowing me to help him and he was giving me permission...Zeus will be a massive miss, we already miss his deep meows. We are getting his ashes back and he will be placed with Hestia.
He was 11 yrs old.
If there is anything else anyone would like to know please ask, Hestia and Zeus are the reason this forum exists, and many thanks to Gavin and Siobhan for that privilege.
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Hestia Gone but not forgotten, RIP sweet princess. Zeus Gone but not forgotten, RIP big fella, our Nookie bear.
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