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Here is the photo of Wendy Taylor and her husband. Wendy is famous in many areas of activity. She is on the Board of Directors of the cats club, the Club news letter and Club web site. She is an world known radio amateur (KC2BZJ) and finally she is managing two cats right now, Rusty 15 1/2 & Puds 1 3/4 years young. Wendy have sended us an exelent (unfortunately very sad) story writen by unknown autor. With great plesure I place it here, translated it into Russian and have placed on the Russian page of my site.

Ugly Cat

Hi Guys and Ladies,
The following true story was one that has touched me deeply, reading it still sometimes brings tears to my eyes. I am sure that there is a little of "Ugly" in all of us, constantly searching for, and craving love and affection. The most powerful part of the story for me comes in the second to last paragraph. Read on ....
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage and shall we say, love.
The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside, had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner.
His tail had long since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type cat, except for the sores covering his head, neck and even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one UGLY cat!!"
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find. One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbors huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly I thought.
Then I felt afamiliar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear - Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battle-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long ime afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful.
He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for. Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.
Author unknown


"He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside,
and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply."
We all have inner scars that affect the way we live and relate to others.
If only we can learn to put aside those scars and to love and to live
with some of the pureness of spirit that "Ugly" did, then I am sure
our lives and the lives of those we come into contact with would be greatly enriched.


Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you it's only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes a chance
It's the one who won't be taken
That cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the suns love
In the Spring becomes the rose

When the nights have been too lonely, and the road seems too long,
remember the words of
this very powerful song and open your heart, dreams and soul to the
wonders of a life lived
through love rather than fear and watch a beautiful and exciting life
unfold for you.
May your God (or life, if you don't believe in God) bless you with joy,
love and abundance of
spirit to help you on your journey.

~Shari~ and