A TRIBUTE TO DAKOTAH

 

March 31, 2000 – December 22, 2007

 

I first laid eyes on Dakotah (LA IW SGCA AnTarCin Dakotah of CarolsCats) in May 2000.  He was five weeks old.  His mother, Rakcoons Miss Friggles of AnTarCin (Fergie) lived near Chain Lakes, Alberta.  Cindy (Stelmaschuk) was going out to see the new litter (AnTarCin Ahnold was the Dad) and she asked me to tag along.  I really wasn’t planning on a new addition to my menagerie.  Rene Copeland also came with us.

 When we got there, we went up to see the kittens.  I saw the cutest red with white little boy, beating up on his two sisters.  We all laughed and sat down on the floor with them.  Well, you know how curious kittens can be and they trundled over to where we were sitting.  The little red and white guy crawled up on my lap and stayed there. Such a cutie!  Of course, Rene being a TICA Judge at that time, went over the kittens with a fine toothed comb as well as she could with them being only five weeks old.                               Yep!  That’s him on my lap at 5 weeks. 

 Time passed and four or five weeks later, we went back to see the babies again.  Of course, by that time, they were running all over the house.  We sat down in the living room and watched the kittens rough and tumble.  All of a sudden, the little red and white boy came over to me, hopped up on my lap and went to sleep, purring very loudly.  I sat there thinking.  I was into Red Silver Maine Coons, wasn’t I?  Do I really want this cute little red and white baby?  The answer was a definite YES!  He had picked me and by the time we left, he was to be mine.

 The rest, as we say, is an amazing history.  I showed him in TICA as a Kitten and an Alter over two seasons and he became a regional winner for both.  He received his SGCA after four shows as an adult.  The next season, he went full throttle and ended up as seventh best International Alter and Best International Maine Coon Alter, which also gave him his Lifetime Achievement award.  I retired him shortly after.

 He liked being retired and gave all his love and “maternal instincts” to the new kittens that came into our family.  He always loved and was very gentle with kittens, cleaning them and wrapping himself around them when they were sleeping.  He was the epitome of the “Gentle Giant” – all 24 pounds of him!

Dakotah died very suddenly from a blockage of the bladder (bladder stone)…it was so devastating.  It’s so hard to believe he’s not with us any more.  Sometimes I turn around quickly and see him sitting there, but only for a moment.

Dearest Dakotah, we miss you terribly, and you’ll be in our hearts forever, but we’ll see you again…over the Rainbow Bridge with all of the well loved fur kids that have left us before.

 All our Love, Hugs, and Purrs, Dakotah.  We'll meet again over the Rainbow Bridge

 Carol Juhasz and Family