Cat of the Month: November 2016

Here’s how our Cat of the Month program works: Each staff member provides a nomination for the distinguished honor, and then we vote. The highest vote wins! Any kitty patients who visit us during the prior month are eligible. Meet our November 2016 winner, a persistent little kitty.

Luna

Three years ago, Chris Snow didn’t know that she was about to be adopted—by a cat. Chris was living with friends in Burien at the time, and a friend was feeding another neighborhood stray. “Well, word got out, and Luna started coming around,” Chris remembers. “He would wait for me after dark, when I got off of a late shift at work. I had to sneak food out to him because his persistent meowing for food and attention annoyed my friends.”

But Chris kept feeding him and couldn’t resist officially adopting the kitty. And we can see why: “When I would sneak food out to him, he would jump on my lap, ignoring his food, even though his protruding ribs showed how hungry he was,” Chris says. “Luna seemed almost more intent on getting love and affection than even food.”

Estimated to be about 6 years old, Luna is named for his dark coloring and Halloween-like appearance; plus, “luna” is the word for “moon” in Bulgarian. (Chris speaks both German and Bulgarian as well as has an interest in language.) “But when I chose the name, I assumed Luna was a female,” Chris admits. “I was wrong. She was a he! Suffice it to say, his neutering was very thorough. Plus, he’s very small for a male—under 10 pounds—and very laid back. And it was too late to change his name—we all know him by Luna.”

Luna has a handful of nicknames: Luna-loo, Luna-baloona, Luda Luna (“crazy moon” in Bulgarian), and Luna-tuna (tuna is Luna’s absolute favorite). But perhaps the most apropos nickname is Velcro. “I call him that because he loves to cuddle,” Chris says. “He acts unusual for a cat in that he likes to roll on his back and have his belly rubbed. Even more peculiar, during the belly rubs, Luna sticks his front paws straight out and kneads them into the air.”

Sweet Luna visited Rainier Veterinary Hospital in October for a second round of dental extractions. Luna has an autoimmune disorder called stomatitis, a painful inflammation in the mouth and gums. “Luna is also FIV positive,” Chris explains. ‘It’s hard to know how much these conditions affect each other. My poor little kitty has been suffering from chronic infection, inflammation, and pain for almost the entire time he’s been with me.”

At this point, Luna has only his bottom canines and incisors left—but he still eats tuna, of course, and Chris says that Luna is recovering very well. “My hope is that the extractions curb the constant cycle of inflammation and infection, and that he is able to live free of chronic pain,” Chris says. “He really is one of the sweetest cats I’ve known.”

We couldn’t agree more. We love Luna!