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Samz5's Avatar
Catsey Junior
 
Cats owned: 3 Moggies
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 226
14-01-2009, 07:42 PM   #1

Rags


Welcome to Rags's page!

This is Rags





He's 14 now and I've has him since he was about 8/9 weeks old - and although I don't admit it to the other cats .... hes always been my favorite.

I first met Rags when I was 12 years old, I was walking back to a friends house after school and these 3 little kittens bounded up to me, one was a little silver tabby and she was much bigger than the other 2 who were both black. The little black ones were very skinny with bloated tummies, were missing quiet a bit of fur and had big ears, my first thought was that they must be homeless because they looked so bad.
As it turned out (after popping by to visit them everyday after school) they did have a home, but the family who owned them didn't intend on having 3 kittens - when they went to pick up a kitten the 'breeder' said that the black ones were going to be drowned so the family took all 3 to prevent them drowning to death. The kittens had fleas so they didn't keep them indoors, they had an outdoor dustbin cupboard where the kittens lived.
Then one day I saw one of the families little girls grab one of the black ones and bash his little head into the pavement like a toy, it was quite disturbing. I got my dad to come and look at them and gave him my best pleading eyes 'can we take them? ' he said we could ask if we could have them so we knocked on the door.... a guy just yelled 'come in - doors open!' turned out he just didn't want to get up the lazy git ... my dad asked if we could take the kittens and he said only the black ones so we had to leave the tabby, but she was in much better health.

We weren't supposed to keep them, we already had 3 cats, just look after them until they were healthy, we named them Rags and Bones as temporary names.
Turned out they had Ringworm and we all got it within about 2 weeks, and I got time off school (yay!).
Here is a picture of Rags (on the left) and Bones with ringworm, their fur had just started to grow back when this was taken:





The other cats loved them Tango and Rio used to lay on top of them to keep them warm and you'd just see a little head poking out.

Rags soon established that I was his human, he would follow me around all the time, if I ever needed to walk to the local shop or anything I'd have to get someone to hold him so he wouldn't follow me or I'd have to run as fast as I could out of sight and check he wasn't following... then he'd pine for me while I was gone and greet me enthusiastically when I returned. He came to bed with me every night without fail and purr his heart out and snuggle under the covers or try to sleep on my head.

Then we get to my teenage years, not a happy time in my life to put it lightly, my parents had many different problems (drink, drugs etc) and divorced, it was a lonely time for me, except I always had my cats and Rags could always just tell when I felt low or stressed and would seek me out, sniff my tears and purr loudly and he always made me feel loved and better.. always.

I moved out suddenly when I was 16, I had to leave Rags behind with the other cats, but I knew I'd have him back with me asap.
2 Weeks later I had somewhere to live and had to steal Rags and Courtney from my dads house in the middle of the night (long story - even longer than this one!) and I've had him with me since then, 6 months later my dad gave me the other 3 cats back in a terrible state and I had all 5 cats back together... they were so pleased to see each other again it was fantastic!
Rags continues to follow me around all the time and still sleeps next to me, or on my head every night, and he still knows if I feel down and is there trying to cheer me up every single time, I don't know what I'll ever do without him .

I could write so much about my Rags - hes a lovely, gentle and quiet cat, and to me hes the best friend I could ever have



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Mags's Avatar
Global Moderator
 
Cats owned: NA
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: South-West,UK
Posts: 37,618
14-01-2009, 08:13 PM   #2

Re: Rags


Oh.....what a happy ending to such a sad story, Sam. I'm so pleased everything worked out well for you and your cats in the end.



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calismum's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Two Tabby Girls
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Scotland, UK
Posts: 5,052
14-01-2009, 08:25 PM   #3

Re: Rags


It is so nice to have a cat that is always there for you. Moving story, pleased it seems to have worked out for not only the cats but you too.



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yola's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 1 Persian and one b/w moo-cat mog
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK
Posts: 12,771
14-01-2009, 11:30 PM   #4

Re: Rags


Sam, what a beautiful, moving story. I'm so happy you have your precious Rags with you (Bones too). It's strange isn't it that a cat can be such a soulmate and companion with whom we share our most troubled times.

I'm so pleased you badgered you Dad to take those two on . . .



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dandysmom's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
14-01-2009, 11:58 PM   #5

Re: Rags


What a lovely touching story, and with a happy ending; thanks for sharing that! Rags is obviously a very special cat. What a nice illustration of the human/cat bond!



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Moli's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Exotics,oriential,siamese,& Mogg...
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Scotland..
Posts: 27,164
14-01-2009, 11:59 PM   #6

Re: Rags


So nice to read such a happy ending, he is a beauty...



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Leesy's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Maine Coons
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: West yorkshire, uk
Posts: 2,443
15-01-2009, 12:21 AM   #7

Re: Rags


What a lovely moving story, I am a big believer in fate and you were ment to see those lovely kittens on your way home from your friends that day and to fall in the luvvv with them.

The bond between Rags and yourself must be so special your soulmate and best bud for life, something to cherish.



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angieh's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Magnificent moggies
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 21,718
15-01-2009, 05:28 PM   #8

Re: Rags


I've got tears in my eyes reading Rag's story. So glad you found each other and have been each other's saviour over the years. He's a lovely boy.



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Almost a Veteran Member
 
Cats owned: None
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 1,321
15-01-2009, 05:42 PM   #9

Re: Rags


The expression on his face in the first photo is one of complete contentment, and it is obvious why. You were made for each other

Such a wonderful story, which I really enjoyed reading.



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Phoenix's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 cats black/white and one tabby
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Somewhere or maybe nowhere
Posts: 4,296
15-01-2009, 06:51 PM   #10

Re: Rags


A lovely boy and a lovely story. It's clear you were meant to meet him!



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