Scarlett, the cat that saved kittens from 1996 Brooklyn fire, dies

NY Daily News ^ | October 24th 2008 | LARRY McSHANE

[Tabi Katz]

Honestly, I think animals have more compassion than humans.

How true! This mama risked her own life to save her offspring, while we humans are sacrificing ours to the god of "choice" and convenience.

R.I.P., dear Scarlett!

[Biggirl]

Yes I do remember Scarlett and her act of love for those kittens to have saved them from the fire that she got hurt herself. RIP Mother Cat Scarlett. :(=^..^=

[Biggirl]

Good night with LOVE Scarlett, as well as to Pumpkin, and to Mildred also called Queen Mary Gray Spots, a senior rescue lady cat I was going to have taken home last week after living outside the majority of her life but only became a retired inside cat fulltime for about a little over a month at the age of 15 from cancer, bleeding gums, and hyper thyroid medical issues. Pumpkin had passed a month earlier at the age of 10 from liver. RIP Scarlett, Pumpkin, and Mildred. All three of yous have earned each your Heavenly rest at the Rainbow Bridge. =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=

[MarkL]

I believe that love — or, in this case, the feline equivalent of love

I'm sorry, but I KNOW cats and dogs can, and do love. I've seen it, and been a part of it. I know it from the relationship my mother had with her "baby," Joshua. He was a big, short haired orange tabby. This tough guy in the neighborhood was her little baby. And while he was always a loving cat to her, when she was diagnosed with cancer, he seemed to know that something was really wrong, and when she was home, he rarely left her lap.

When she received a chemo-therapy pump, she'd get on the recliner for hours and endure the slow process, and Josh would climb up on her lap, lay across her chest, putting one paw on either side of her neck, and bury his head under her chin for hours, just holding and nuzzling her. And when she died, he pined and pined. He was a changed cat when his mommy didn't come home from the hospital the last time. This big, tough, outdoor cat didn't want to come out from under the bed anymore, and trying to coax him to eat was nearly impossible.

Eventually I thought that I was making progress, as he was starting to go outdoors a little bit at a time, but within about 6 months of losing my mother, he went out and never came home again. To this day I feel bad and miss him, and it's been nearly 24 years.

I really do hope, with all my heart, that my mother and Joshua have been reunited, because he LOVED her, and she loved him.

This is not anthropomorphism.

Mark

[MarkL]

Josh would climb up on her lap, lay across her chest, putting one paw on either side of her neck, and bury his head under her chin for hours, just holding and nuzzling her.

BTW, my mother is the only one he ever did this with. If someone else tried putting him on their lap, he'd put up with being petted for a while, but then leave. If anyone, myself included, tried putting him in a similar position, he'd give you this "what the heck do you think YOU are doing?" look, which would quickly change to a "just how much blood would you like to lose today" look, if you didn't get the hint from the first look.

Mark

[pj_627]

I teared up for Scarlett too, sniff. Well, thirteen is reasonable for cats. I have had several who made it much longer. But, they were indoor kitties for life, with access to their own personal physicians and much pampering. Our Samantha died a couple of years ago at almost twenty three. My current senior is my fourteen year old Siamese. Can’t imagine life without my multiple felines tormenting me, lol.

Just glad THIS kitty ended up as a beloved member of an appreciative family. She deserved it. RIP Scarlett.

pattyjo

[Monkey Face]

*snif*

What a brave Mom-Cat! I remember her. Bless her Kitty Heart.

*snif*

[GovernmentShrinker]

Don’t tar all humans with the same brush. Humans made the effort to save this mama cat’s life, so she could raise her kittens, and made the effort to provide good homes for all of them.

[Daffynition]

Thank you for your kind words. Special cats deserve special recognition.

[Daffynition]

We keep them close and in our hearts. Thanks Biggirl. ;-D

[Daffynition]

Can you please explain what you mean here: "And what is it that allows a man to transcend Reason, and this cat to transcend Instinct? Certainly nothing of this world. Aunty Ayn, she tell us dat Altruism be evil; Unca Charles, dat dere can be no evolutionary advantage to altruism.'

[Nowhere Man]

And what is it that allows a man to transcend Reason, and this cat to transcend Instinct? Certainly nothing of this world. Aunty Ayn, she tell us dat Altruism be evil; Unca Charles, dat dere can be no evolutionary advantage to altruism. Risking one's life for the sake of others is counterproductive from the standpoint of evolution. The successful member of a given species is the one that runs like hell from fire and lives to breed another day, amirite?

The oine thing I do agree with Ayn on is that if you push people too far, they will feel resentment and "Atlas will shrug." Beyond that, I think she is wrong where she does not take into account that people are emotional beings as well, people do things for good because of a higher power is calling them, it is the right thing to do or just for the sake of love for their fellow human being. Of course, you have the darkside of hate too. I think Ayn does not take that into consideration or even says it is wrong and weak, that is my main disagreement with her.

As to animals, they do have love, maybe it is tough to see at times but if you are familiar with your pets, you can tell it is there.

Again, tying into the Ayn argument, I'm reminded of the Star Trek episode, "Trouble With Tribbles," where Spock wondered why people keep pets and Uhura said in so many words to "give love and have it given back."

[Goonch]

[MEG33]

Who could forget Scarlett? She will have a special place at Rainbow Bridge.

[HungarianGypsy]

I never thought cats had a caring bone in their bodies until my cat and her kittens showed up.

[HungarianGypsy]

Dang! Now you got me crying over that.

[randomhero97]

Don’t tar all humans with the same brush. Humans made the effort to save this mama cat’s life, so she could raise her kittens, and made the effort to provide good homes for all of them.

I know and I agree. I guess I should of made that statement sound like I spoke in absolutes.

[HungarianGypsy]

I know that every time I am upset my cat, Shadow, will run to me. That the other cat, Abby, will lie down with one of my children when they are sick. Or that Snowtip will wait on the windowsill to greet anyone who comes home. Meanwhile, we have an old house with cracks in it. The cats have assigned themselves jobs. Abby kills any mice who try to get in. Shadow kills the bigger bugs. Snowtip kills the little bugs and flies.

Last week I was so mad about the cat box that I told my children with the little use our cats are (I was VERY MAD) that I would give them away if things didn't start getting taken care of. The next morning my husband woke up and got ready for work. He said, "Apparently, the cats were listening to you and decided to prove their worth." There was a dead mouse on my kitchen floor.

[randomhero97]

Yep, it seems that any time that I or the gf is down about something one of the cats is there to comfort us. It’s like they have a sense for it.

[moonpie57]

I read an account of someone that saw heaven and he said that there are animals there. I don’t know how true his account is, but I’d like to believe that there are animals there. I know heaven will be wonderful, but it will be even better with my babies there with me.