I had never intended to have a cat, I was a dog person.
Then a stray had kittens in my daughter's garage and when there was only one left I took him home. Then a litter was born
in my garage and one by one they came in. Our household was growing. I visited a cat show and told my husband that I wanted
to pick the next cat into the house. Then I saw the most beautiful cat I'd ever seen, a silver classic tabby Maine Coon. The
cat's owner told me she was a breeding cat and not for sale. I really wanted a male anyway and negotiated for a male kitten
when he was born. That was sometime in the fall of 1996, two litters were born with no silver cats in either. Then in the
spring of 1998, May 28 to be exact 3 kittens were born, two silver tabbies and a tortoishell. So Magnum came into the world
with two sisters. I would have my baby sometime in September. My DH actually named him after the S&W 44 Magnum, at
the time the largest, most powerful handgun in the world.
Magnum was the most laid back, yet sensitive cat I have ever met. He would
curl up with me whenever I needed love. Nothing ever phayzed him. He was a consimate show cat. Loved to lay in his benching
area and have the people go by admiring his beauty. In the show ring he performed for the judges and the crowds. Whenever
he climbed the poll, gasps would come from the spectators. Even at his last show, a month before he died (he was very ill
and I didn't know) he was still showing off for the people. The Firday night before that show while giving him his bath, I
noticed he had suddenly lost a good deal of weight. He attended the show (one ring only) and friends told me to have him checked
out. He went to the vet and momentarily showed improvement, then on August 16, 2005 he crashed and we could not save him.
I will forever remember his beautiful silver coat and the magnificent golden
eyes (a fault by the way) that were his trade mark.
Rest in peace my Prince, I will meet you at the bridge.
