Bear

I got Bear back in February 1990 and I have to confess… I stole him. 

I was working in an apartment building and one of the tenants was bragging on how their junky neighbors thought it was funny giving their cats heroin. So I asked her to show me. There was a mother cat and a kitten. The mother cat was almost dead and the kitten was sick.  I had to leave because I was getting sick to my stomach. As I’m walking toward the door, the kitten climbed up my leg and got in my jacket pocket. Nobody noticed, and I kept walking! I called the police so they could get the other cat out! Unfortunately she passed away.

I took Bear straight to the vet, told him the story, and of course, he didn’t believe me until he found a few fresh needle marks and Bear went through his first withdrawal.

Bear was about six weeks old when I took him. The first couple weeks were the hardest. After that, the withdrawals were easier on him. For the other animals… Not so much!