Message-ID: <4269225.1075851772148.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 07:54:00 -0700 (PDT) From: beth.cherry@enform.com To: chris.guidroz@ctp.com, obreeden@gateway.net, pat.campbell@nextel.com, currensp@hotmail.com, zziliak@entergy.com, veronica.cherry@awc-inc.com, ashley.landry@enform.com, jason.wolfe@enron.com, bullyboy1@yahoo.com Subject: Big Cat Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: "Cherry, Beth" X-To: "Guidroz (E-mail)" , "Josh (E-mail)" , "Mom (E-mail)" , "Shawn (E-mail)" , "Zeke (E-mail)" , "Veronica (E-mail)" , "Landry, Ashley" , "Jason. Wolfe@enron. com (E-mail)" , bullyboy1@yahoo.com X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Jason_Wolfe_Nov2001\Notes Folders\Saved-04 X-Origin: WOLFE-J X-FileName: jwolfe.nsf probaby not real...but quite amusing...getyourspeedreadon Message-ID: From: "Ratcliff, Jennifer" To: Javier Chavira , Jeff Woodall , John Teague , Jon VanDeVoorde , Juan Morales , "Mandy Thiebaud (wk)" , Marisha Negovetich , Ryan Lewis Subject: FW: Big Cat Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 14:27:40 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="----_=_NextPart_002_01C0CE8A.B88CFC70" this is amazing... > >How would you like to have this kitty? > > > > > This is amazing! Rodger Degagne, a former employee with AECL in Chalk > > > River, may be embarking on a new career as Feline Breeder. Relaxing > > > in his spacious home on the shores of the Ottawa River, Mr. Degagne > > > recalls how 15 years ago he befriended two stray young cats on the > >old > > > AECL research facility at Chalk River. The kittens had appeared in > > > late > > > summer and apparently had gotten under a security fence around the > >old > > > labs > > > abandoned since the late 50's. With the help of his tuna sandwich, > > > Mr.Degagne was able to coax the kitties close enough so that he could > > > pick them up. A self described animal lover, he did not want to > >place > > > the > > > kittens in the local Humane Society. In this largely rural area, cats > > > of all stripes and ages largely go unwanted and are humanely disposed > > > of > > > after a few days. > > > > > > Later that evening his wife Louise and their two children, > > > Nicole and Kelly came to a family decision to keep the kittens > > > which they named Lost and Found. Lost turned out to be female and > > > Found a male. When nature finally took it's course, a litter of > > > kittens > > > was born 6 years later. One of the litter was a big white female > >with > > > a unique black markings on her side and tail. Something about the > > > kitten captured the hearts of the family and while her siblings > > > eventually found homes elsewhere, Snowball stayed with the Degagne's. > > > > > > > > > While Lost and Found are no longer with us, their progeny live on. > >In > > > her 9 years Snowball's size has seemed to snowball. Put simply, > > > Snowball > > > is no ordinary cat, she measures 69 inches from nose to tail and > > > weighs > > > in at 87 Ibs. She started out a big kitty and she just seemed to > > > keep growing. She always meowed for more food and would climb up on > > > the > > > food which I forgot to cover. Chicken is her favorite. "Once I left a > > > cooked chicken on the table that I was going to use for a boat > >picnic, > > > an hour later the chicken was gone", Louise said. We knew that > > > snowball > > > wasn't your average cat when the neighbor's German Shepherd ran > > > yelping > > > away from his first encounter with her. She just isn't afraid of any > > > animals. After we found a half eaten raccoon out by the garage, we > > > decided > > > that maybe Snowball should be kept fenced in. We soon discovered > >that > > > while we can keep snowball in the yard, we couldn't keep raccoons > >from > > > Snowball. At least it kept the food bills down Rodger laughed "Like > > > all female cats she is very territorial, but with us she is just a > >big > > > ole kitten" he said. > > > > > > So what does a 87 pound cat eat? Snowball goes through about 3lbs of > > > cat food a day, > > > supplemented with deer and moose that Rodger hunts in the fall. She > > > likes > > > Pike a lot, so I don't throw them back any more. Snowball often > > > accompanies > > > Rodger fishing on the Ottawa, eagerly peering over the side of the > > > boat as soon as his line goes tight. > > > > > > So what do the Degagne's attribute Snowball's size to? > > > Rodger says "Well, the vet thinks it could be her thyroid,but she > > > isn't > > > fat, she's just a real big cat. I think maybe her parents got into > > > something at Chalk River that they shouldn't have". > > > > > > (see photo of Snowball attached!) > > <> > > - BigCat.jpg