Kāhili's Story

Those of you who followed Tommy's health condition 3-4 years ago on the Animal Communicators Group in Facebook, know why and how this little ginger boy came into our life.

Secretly I had hoped that Tommy will come back into our life as a ginger kitten. I was desperate to have him back and was looking for signs everywhere that can lead me to him in his new vassel. I needed to ease my pain from my grief.

I found feathers that held meaning, heart shaped kitten food in the snow outside (where there should be none) and little anomalous quirks that I hoped were just that, signs of my desire.

Tommy died on January 28th and on March 29th I was outside tending to Rosie's and Tommy's graves when all a sudden this little pile of leaves had this beautiful spiralling dance around me. It was a whirling little caress of dead leaves come to life all around me.There was no wind nor breeze out there. My husband had just come outside and he saw this little whirlwind. I was smiling and told him, "That's my Boy!" At that time I did not yet know but a little ginger was born and was about to make me aware of his arrival.

He was in the Brown County Humane Society, New Ulm, MN 125 miles away from us. I was checking in at all the shelters and rescues online. A stray momma cat called 'Goat' with her six kittens were just born that day and there were three orange kittens (all boys) in the litter. My heart was beating so hard with excitement as I followed the Humane Society's posts, watching the photos of how these kittens grew. I contacted the worker there and told her that I need one ginger kitten and we will going to see them. She was asking, do I want the one with a white back legs? I said, wow, how did you know that?

Two weeks after their birth we arrived to the shelter and she was surprised but thankful that we came all that way to see 'Goat' and her litter of delightful little puff balls. I had a chance to hold the kitten, snuggle with him and I was in love. Though the future little Kāhili took most of my attention and heart. He had peed in his travel kennel and that too was adorable to me. :) We paid the adoption fee and filed out the paperwork. We would still need to wait a while for them to reach an age they could be weaned and then separated from 'Goat'.

Later that day I saw a cute post with a photo of Baby Kāhili and hes mommy and it mentioned he was no longer available. I was beaming with pride in knowing that I was his new hooman mommy.

A cute note from the shelter lady after our visit:

"DON'T CRY MOMMIE

Today I stumbled from our bed. A very nice lady picked me and hugged and cuddled me. Said I was hers. I liked the love I felt from her and her husband. They filled out the adoption form and in a few weeks will I go live with these wonderful people in my forever home. Then I was placed back in the kennel by my siblings and my mommie. Then I noticed my mommie was kind of sad and I said Don't cry mommie, mommie please don't cry. You still got me and my 5 siblings for a few more weeks. Together we will have lots of fun. Mommie please Smile again and let us crawl all over you and let us sit on you back again when your laying down. But mommie please don't cry. We will find a brand new mommie and so will you, cause you a very sweet and great mommie, so please don't cry. I know we will be the last of you children, and you take such good care of us, and love us and feed us and cuddle us when we are scared and comfort us every time we cry, Tonight will be the same and we love you for it. It will hurt all of us when it is time go our separate ways when we get weaned from you. At first it seems cruel, and don't seem right. But we will be fine, cause you are teaching us to be strong good kitties. We will always love you, so mommie please don't cry." Then I noticed my mommie was kind of sad and I said Don't cry mommie, mommie please don't cry. You still got me and my 5 siblings for a few more weeks. Together we will have lots of fun. Mommie please Smile again and let us crawl all over you and let us sit on you back again when your laying down. But mommie please don't cry. We will find a brand new mommie and so will you, cause you a very sweet and great mommie, so please don't cry. I know we will be the last of you children, and you take such good care of us, and love us and feed us and cuddle us when we are scared and comfort us every time we cry, Tonight will be the same and we love you for it. It will hurt all of us when it is time go our separate ways when we get weaned from you. At first it seems cruel, and don't seem right. But we will be fine, cause you are teaching us to be strong good kitties. We will always love you, so mommie please don't cry."

He definitely helped me to go through the grief after Tommy passed. Somehow, he healed my heart, eased my pain and allowed me the redemption to apply my new found knowledge on animal medical observation. I vowed to never be complacent and to not be overly enamored in the opinion of just one doctor of veterinary medicine. He's a shy boy and very jumpy from even the smallest of noises but at night he comes close to me to rub his belly, massage his back and he's purring away. In early "morning", approximately 2-3PM, he's the first one who makes trouble. A constant barrage of noises in order to make sure I won't sleep any longer and feed him right away. To achieve this goal of getting me out of the bed, he is really doing his best by banging the doors and even rattling Tommy's picture off the wall. He knows the connection and what it means so how can I get mad at him, though I pretend to be and tell him so.

Kāhili will be three years old on March 29th, 2020 and each of his birthday is now a reminder of Tommy's passing and my healing.

Kāhili arrived just 60 days after Tommy crossed the bridge into the great hereafter. He's a big boy now and about 15 lbs. With fat fuzzy cheeks and a proud fluffy butt he likes to show off. He earned his pretty name after Uncle Tommy who once lived in Hawai'i and showed up into my life in the right moment. "Tommy2" has a little more bravado but he has earned it after his ordeal.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is dangerous!

Nose Pad Cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) in Cats is a malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells. In this case, it is a tumor of the nasal planum or the tissues in the nose pad.

“At first, a skin lesion will appear to be fairly benign, looking like a little scab or maybe a small scratch, and over time it may flake off and the cat’s skin will look normal.
But eventually — perhaps months or a year later — it will reappear.”
Several treatment options are available for lesions that are diagnosed at an early stage,
notes Dr. McEntee. “We can perform surgical removal of the affected portion of a cat’s nose or ears,” she says. “And multiple facial lesions that are less than approximately two millimeters deep can be treated successfully with radiation therapy. Some veterinarians use cryotherapy, which will destroy a lesion by freezing it. And in some cases, directly injecting chemotherapeutic substances into the tumor may be useful. For SCC in the mouth, a combination of surgery and radiation therapy may be successful and result in long-term control, but only if the cancer is detected at an early stage.

Don't get fooled by a cute nose freckles. Not until you sure about it.

However, says Dr. McEntee, when an SCC lesion is more advanced, “We may not be able to control it. We can attempt to do so with a full course of radiation, which will require more than three weeks of treatment. But even this aggressive approach isn’t likely to be successful once the tumor has progressed and has spread internally. This is why it is so important for owners to spot these lesions at an early stage, when a tumor is still very treatable.”

Please look for any symptoms:

• This tumor progress slowly, often starting as a superficial crust and scab
• Decreased air through the nose (i.e.,  more mouth breathing)
• Sneezing and reverse sneezing (i.e., sudden, involuntary inward breaths)
• Nosebleeds (epistaxis)
• Nasal discharge
• Swelling of involved area, including swelling of the eye, loss of sight
• Facial deformity
• Excessive tears from eyes (epiphora)
• Neurological signs (from pressure on brain) – seizure, disorientation, behavioral changes.

Please, please dear cat's lovers, if you notice small spots on your cats nose, do not

hesitate to take your kitty to the vet. Also please make sure that your vet is experienced and has enough compassion for animals to not put the business before patience and explore all possibilities. Listen to your gut feelings and always get a second opinion. Do not think good news is good enough and remember to please do it quick. I know now that Tommy was here in our lives and yours to teach us a lesson. He was a brave kitty and his love reached people all over the World.

To recognize Squamous Cell Carcinoma early, you have to make sure that the surface wound did not go deeper than 2mm (millimeter). It could already too late if wound goes deeper. :(

Heartworms are deadly!

Ever wonder what a heartworm positive dogs heart can look like? 

This is why we are so adamant about heartworm prevention, especially in the spring and summer months when the mosquitos are out. A heart like this cannot function properly. Heartworms are deadly!

Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets, mainly dogs, cats, and ferrets. It is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis.The worms are spread through the bite of a mosquito.  The dog is the definitive host, meaning that the worms mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring while living inside a dog.  The mosquito is the intermediate host, meaning that the worms live inside a mosquito for a short transition period in order to become infective (able to cause heartworm disease).  The worms are called “heartworms” because the adults live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal.    

In the United States, heartworm disease is most common along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from the Gulf of Mexico to New Jersey and along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries, but it has been reported in dogs in all 50 states. 

The Heartworm Life Cycle in Dogs

In an infected dog, adult female heartworms release their offspring, called microfilariae, into the dog’s bloodstream.  When a mosquito bites the infected dog, the mosquito becomes infected with the microfilariae.  Over the next 10 to 14 days and under the right environmental conditions, the microfilariae become infective larvae while living inside the mosquito.  Microfilariae must pass through a mosquito to become infective larvae.  When the infected mosquito bites another dog, the mosquito spreads the infective larvae to the dog through the bite wound.  In the newly infected dog, it takes about 6 to 7 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms.  The adult heartworms mate and the females release their offspring into the dog’s bloodstream, completing the life cycle. 

Heartworm disease is not contagious, meaning that a dog cannot catch the disease from being near an infected dog.  Heartworm disease is only spread through the bite of a mosquito.

Inside a dog, a heartworm lifespan is 5 to 7 years.  Adult heartworms look like strands of cooked spaghetti, with males reaching about 4 to 6 inches in length and females reaching about 10 to 12 inches in length.  The number of worms living inside an infected dog is called the worm burden.  The average worm burden in dogs is 15 worms, but that number can range from 1 to 250 worms. 

Can Cats Get Heartworm Disease?
Is Heartworm Disease Different in Cats?

Cats can also get heartworms after being bitten by an infected mosquito, although they are not as susceptible to infection as dogs.  A cat is not a natural host of heartworms because the worms do not thrive as well inside a cat’s body.  Both indoor and outdoor cats are at risk for heartworm disease.

Heartworm disease in cats is a bit different than in dogs.  Heartworms in cats do not live as long (average lifespan is only 2 to 4 years) or grow as long, and fewer of them mature into adults.  Worm burdens are lower in cats than dogs. Usually a cat has only one or two worms. However, due to its relatively small body size, a cat with only a few worms is still considered to be heavily infected.

In cats, it takes 7 to 8 months for infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms and produce microfilariae.  This is about one month longer than in dogs.  The presence of microfilariae in a cat’s bloodstream is uncommon.  Only 20 percent of cats with heartworm disease have microfilariae in the bloodstream, compared to 80 to 90 percent of dogs with heartworm disease.  Also, the presence of microfilariae in the bloodstream is inconsistent and short-lived in cats.   

It is harder to detect heartworm infections in cats than in dogs. Veterinarians generally use two types of blood tests in combination to check a cat for heartworms.  However, negative test results do not rule out heartworm infection, and positive test results may or may not mean that there is an active heartworm infection.  A veterinarian uses the results of both blood tests, along with the cat’s symptoms and the results of other tests such as x-rays and an ultrasound of the heart, to determine if a cat has heartworm disease.

Again, Prevention is the Best Treatment!

Several products are FDA-approved to prevent heartworms in cats.  There are both topical and oral products for cats, and all are given monthly and require a veterinarian’s prescription. Some heartworm preventives contain other ingredients that are effective against certain intestinal worms (such as roundworms and hookworms) and other parasites (such as fleas, ticks, and ear mites).

Again, year-round prevention is best!  Talk to your cat’s veterinarian to decide which preventive is best for your cats.

Can Your Pet Help You Be Healthier?

Source: Pet Ownership and Cardiovascular Risk: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association, May 2013

Besides the obvious value of a good snuggle, what’s the connection between pets and our health? Studies have shown pet ownership may help increase fitness levels, relieve stress, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and boost overall happiness and well-being. Pets also provide social support, which is an important factor in helping you stick with new healthy habits.

It’s no surprise that people who walk their dogs are more likely to get the recommended amount of physical activity than those who don’t. One study found that pet owners who walk their dogs got up to 30 minutes more exercise a day than non-walkers.

Try these tips for being active together:

• Go on a picnic. Pack some healthy snacks such as fruit, veggies, mixed nuts and plenty of water (including a bowl for the pup). Bring a ball or other fun toys.
• Cool off in the sprinklers. When it’s hot, grab swimsuits and sunscreen and run around in the cooling spray with your kids and pooch.
• Take a dip. If you live near a dog-friendly beach, lake or pool, jump in!
• Go for a walk. Participate in local fundraising walks (like the Heart Walk) or fun runs with the whole family. Check to make sure dogs are allowed. You’ll be getting active together while supporting a great cause.
• Park it. If your dog plays well with others, hit up the local dog park.
• Play ball. Head outside anytime to enjoy some fresh air and a quick game of fetch or keep-away. Even if you only have 10 or 15 minutes, you and your dog will get some exercise and bonding time.
• Walk home from school. Dogs and kids will be excited to see each other after a long day apart, and the trip home gets a lot more fun.

Your dog — and your heart — will thank you!

Welcoming a dog into the family is a big decision with big responsibilities — and many wonderful benefits. And if you end up getting more active with your new loving companion, it’s a win-win.

Bottom line: Being more active and less stressed can help you live a longer, healthier life with your pet.

My Giving Story 2019 - Quality over Quantity

Well, we did not won, but we will keep trying. ;)

Ever since our senior dog Rosie passed, we had our eyes on the neighbors property that has three suitable buildings on two acres so as to create Rosegate Retirement Home for Dogs and Cats. We had been excited about creating something good and big enough that it would give a home for a couple dozen dogs and many more cats.

We saved our money, opened up some donation pages, got the 501(c)3 status and even an old friend told us that she will help us out with a big chunk of money which didn't happened either. Only the owner of that property, an old farmer who didn't seem like he cared anything about this dream. We tried to get closer by being friendly with him and see if he had any interest but he was only going to talk about farming; corn, soy and spraying said crops. Some complaining about the industry and equipment but no other topics held his considerations. :(

With all these false hopes, the dream was shattered and slipping away. Well, at least the big part of it. Maybe he will never sell his property to us or he could live longer than us but there's no time to waste. So we decided to stop dreaming and start doing. that would mean a much more limited space but one paw in front of the other is our motto. We installed a full perimeter fence on our own three acres of property.

Not only do we have to make sure that all the animals can get along due to the Rosegate model of "comfy couches and not cages" but we also have to share our living space with them and thus, keep our own sanity. :) This has unfortunately led to refusing a few potential residents due to this reason. Thus we keep it small and give them a quality of life instead of hoarding them like merchandise in a warehouse.

We are still hoping that we can inspire some people to do likewise and every home helps those wayward furry friends to find a home. If they have some property and the desire to give senior pets a forever home, that is all that is required. Big or small, dreams will fill the vessel they are dreamt in... and helping those in need is a precious feeling that expands beyond those limits.

As silly as it seems, we also have a more distant dream, that If enough funds would come our way we could still be able to create a physical facility working with The Humane Society for both Big Stone County and Swift County. I guess that one breaks the vessel but this is the way of dreams.

Animal Communication Services and Reiki Healings

Rosegate is not your everyday rescue place. It is operating from a family home by a husband and wife team who are providing a forever home. There are no cages or kennels. There are no closing times. It is a home for these animals and we are always there for them. Rosegate is embracing holistic and alternative treatments along with standard veterinary medicine in a fusion approach to the happiness and well-being of senior animals (and any other wayward furry that stumbles upon us). Beginning the new year we would like to promote Animal Communication Services and Reiki Healing through our network of Certified Animal Communicators and Reiki Practitioners. They are available to do these services long distance depending on your proximity to any of them. We have used their services before while our cat Tommy was under hospice care here at Rosegate with great effect. If you need to help your fur babies either through an episode or situation, prepare for crossing the bridge, or adjust to having crossed over already, these ladies will be able to help you.

Please visit their websites/Facebook pages.

Jeannie Helton-Vos

Animal Path Reiki Practitioner, Animal Communicator, Animal Advocate, Reiki Master/Teacher, Writer.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalCommunicationSacredVoices/

Tonya Varien

FurEver Friends Animal Communication offers 

Communication to Living and Crossed Over Animals, 

Body Scanning, Energy Healing & Reiki Services.On all types of animals. 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fureverfriendsac/

                Cathy Collin             

Since childhood, I have always talked to animals. 

Having acquired a BA in Psychology in University and working

with people, my whole life, has given me the capacity to understand 

human and animal psyche. I see my capacities of enabling the connection 

human-animals even more. 

• Website: http://www.animalcommunication.gr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442383449299639/

Jenine Pontillo

I’m an Energy Healer who uses Earth’s Energy with Reiki Healing. 

I work on all animals and people too. 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnergyHealer01/ 
• Website: www.jeninepontillo.com

Sheetal Berg

Certified Reiki Master in Traditional Japanese (Usui Shiki Ryoho)
Reiki and Tibetan Raku Kei Reiki.
She has been practicing Reiki for over 5 years now.

• Website: https://www.sheetalberg.com/reiki

Mr. Mau's Story

In August 2018 I was gardening in the pollinator garden, digging a hole for a new flowering shrub. I got a few minutes break and was stretching my back when I felt sad again about Tommy. He was my best Ginger cat who had lost his battle with cancer just a little more than a year ago. I looked up at the sky and was asking out loud; "Where are you Tommy?" Since I have always believed in signs of a Spirit, I was hoping that one day I would get a message from him. As soon as I was ready to continue to dig a little deeper I heard a gentle meow.

I could not believed what I was seeing and had to blink. There was a skinny white-ginger cat just a few feet away, continuing this gentle greeting. At first he was shy but that only lasted for few minutes. He came closer to me, rubbed himself against my legs and looked into my eyes with a happy little hope. It was immediately obvious that he was a mature male cat.

My excitement grew and I went towards the house to let my husband know we had a new arrival. I asked him to bring out a can of cat food as I kept asking the kitty; Where you came from? Who are you? He answered: Mau. I asked him is that your name Mau? He said Mau. haha. That sounded silly but for me it was such a gentle and loving introduction.
Mr. Mau finished two cans of food in the first five to ten minutes.

Hubby stayed outside with us and he already adopted Mau. He held him, hugged him and kissed him. That was the moment I saw some worms just "jump" out from his little butt. I gave him dewormer immediately as well as sending my husband to our local vet to get something a bit more extensive since I had seen at least two or three different kinds of worms in him. The poor thing was so infested with parasitic worms that his anus and surrounding area was swollen.

We let Mau get used to us before attempting to bring him inside. We kept the garage door open for him at night time as well as the truck windows. We caught him sleeping inside of the truck many times, especially during heavy rain and storms.

One morning I saw him eating rodents and then a roadside squirrel. I told myself THAT's IT! No more disgusting food for him. I was upset that his continued wild diet would negate the dewormer and keep him in a cycle of infestation and then dewormer medicines. Since he was so nice and kind he let me to trim his claws and took him inside the shower. I gave him shower and we provided him an isolation room upstairs.
In the meanwhile we scheduled an appointment with the vet and started a Fundraiser for him. Through the kind donations of his new fans, more than enough for his first veterinary appointment and neuter operation was achieved. Mr. Mau was isolated for four weeks until he was cleared from worms, parasites and ear mites. Don't worry that we left him all alone. Hubby stayed with him all that time and they made friends.
I took him outside with a harness so he was easier to adjust to his new life. It did not take too long for him to get used to the clean, warm house with food, treats and other pets. He easily made friends with Kahili, the only other male cat here. They have became best buddies, but Mr. Mau is such a gentle cat, that he friends with all the pets here.

One year after we rescued him, a tiny black kitten (Augustina) found us as well. Mr. Mau loved this tiny kitten as well and they became friends. One day I caught Mau and Augustina on the window bed looking outside and he had one paw hugging her. Probably he was just telling the story to her of how he had arrived here and was now fat and happy and that she had come to the right house.

Lucy's Story

     Lucy was an 8th Anniversary gift from my husband in 2014. She was born in a barn in Benson, Minnesota, amongst two other siblings. One white, one black and little fuzzy grey Lucy. Rosegate did not yet exist but we had our three original rescue pets who already where seniors. Two cats and a dog; CeeCee, Tommy and Rosie. I thought it was a bad idea to bring a kitten home amongst these furry retirees. She needed a home and was way too cute so we accepted her in with open arms and melting hearts. She was tiny and her fur looked more silverish blue then just gray. We though she looked like a Russian Blue breed which would be astonishing due to breeders protocol. She definitely was full of energy and was a troublemaker so she might just be. 

     A few days after she was living with us, we almost took her to a cat rescue place, since she was constantly was bothering the older pets and we anguished at our stupidity. We had been too naive and did not realized that Tommy was so very sick already with cancer and he was very irritated with the kitten. He even sprayed in a show of dominance and territorial marking twice upon Lucy's arrival. Somehow we went through the hardest kitten time with her but she was so cute and she loved Rosie the old dog. She always slept with her and she even tried to get milk from her when she first got here. The morning when Rosie got sick, Lucy was softening her chest and snuggled up with her. That was their last time together because old Rosie dog died. Lucy lost her first true friend at the young age of one and we feel it was a tough time for all of us. 

     Even though Lucy was missing her doggie friend, we took a break after Rosie's passing and held off bringing another dog in. Unfortunately, Lucy got bored and was bugging the other two cats. Tommy's condition worsened and as Lucy grow older and more serious, she loved comforting Tommy. Snuggled with him and keeping him warm. Tommy had no choice but accepting the little love bug. Lucy was three years old when she lost her second fur friend Tommy. 

The next morning I found her curled up and sleeping alone on Tommy's blanket. 

     That broke my heart to see so I laid beside her and tried to comfort her. I could tell she was annoyed and she then left me. I felt she was blaming me for the passing of Rosie and Tommy. Lucy was never the same after she lost her two best friends. Now only CeeCee and her were left and with the house so very quiet, we decided to get a kitten for Lucy. That is how we adopted Kāhili, the little Ginger Cat from New Ulm Humane Society, MN. 

    These two had great times together and the little kitten kept Lucy busy and exercised. It helped her back away from her depression. 

Lucy always has been an active cat and since she was 6 months old we took her outside with her harness to walk and smell nature, otherwise she would drives us crazy with her never ending curiosity and boredom. She was pretty trustworthy around the age of three to go outside alone and whenever we called her name, she came back running to us. 

     At the time we had a new senior dog GiGi and sometimes we went for a walk, all three of us in a little parade fashion. It was fun and Lucy behaved nice. Although we saw her killing snakes, a ground squirrel and a bird. She never ate them, because she was not allowed. Then one day she did not came back. It was end of Summer. She was not answering when we called her name. Her disappearance made us more and more nervous and and then racked with guilt and fear. We were looking for her for days on end and losing hope. The neighbor farmer had about 900 acres of cornfield and Lucy must have been lost in there. I connected with my animal communicator group on Facebook in an attempt to do everything we could. Unfortunately they were unable to come to a unified conclusion and all were telling us different stories with clues we were to decipher as to her whereabouts. We followed all leeds blindly but with no positive answer or outcome.We were calling her and walking into the cornfield like a search and rescue party. Driving around the blocks aimlessly, making noises with her food bowls. We went outside at night time with flashlights feeling wretched with ourselves thinking she could be alive and scared or worse. Slogging through flooded drainage ditches and poking into buries drain pipes and decaying old barns. Examining roadkills like forensic detectives judging teeth and fur just to be sure she had not gotten into an accident. One day we moved her litter box outside near the wood area close to the corn fields, since we heard that could help her to find her way back home.... Nothing but broken hearted despair with the ever growing thought that we had failed her and she was not coming home. 

     One morning GiGi and I took a walk and I kept calling Lucy out of mechanical desperation and finally I heard a scared and meek meow. I did not believe it at first until a second scared and pathetic meow came. I was so happy but still scared too since I could not see her and had to be holding her for assurance that she made it home. I called my husband and he located her in the field. He had a dickens of a time getting her to come to him and she even wrenched herself free from him. He had to grab her again and hold her in a bear hug until they got back inside. The poor thing was so frightened and scared that she was almost wild from her ordeal. 

     In those four days we had thunderstorms complete with winds and lighting. The corn was dry and muffled sounds but for its rustling leaves in all directions. The corn would have brought out many other wild critters too and some of them would have been happy to prey on little Lucy. 

     Since then she does not go too far, from the door and likes the assurance of her strict supervision. Lucy has become very smart and now she has settled down nicely as a house cat. She will be six years old this summer of 2020. 

LuciFur the beautiful Benson Russian Blue barn cat, born in the summer 2014 that needed a home and all she got was us and some other fur friends... and one hell of a lifetime adventure story to tell about the devil and the dry corn field. She tells that story to every new kitten and they look at her in amazement and wonder. :)