Kat, unfortunately, no pics of Specklebat Bertie (Bat, for short). He was an all black kitten who almost died as a result of being rejected by his mother, the evil Belinda. I fed him warm, watered down yogurt to keep him alive. He was doing quite well, then at five months I took him for his distemper vaccination.

At that time he and my two other (immunized) cats were all indoor city kitties. Within a few days, he became deathly ill - with distemper. The vet would not admit that the only place he could have caught it was at the clinic or from the shot, but they did not charge me for five days of i.v. feeding and hydration and medication. I brought him home, a limp bundle of bones and dull fur, with a tube of sticky nutrient stuff to smear on his mouth to help him start eating.

Less than a week later, some idiot let him outside. I had moved to a new house while he was at the vet. I figured I'd never see him again, but let the people at my old place know. Three weeks later and about twenty blocks away, they called to say he was in their porch. He didn't get off my lap for a week!

It was at that point the speckles showed up. He was evenly dotted with eighth inch to quarter inch white spots all over back, sides, belly, tail, head and face. His ears were smaller than average and his head very flat, and his neck seemed a bit too long. His body was long and slender, his legs proportionately just a bit too short.

He was never sick again a day in his eighteen years. When I moved to the country, he turned into a super-hunter, wouldn't even eat cat food. I saw him one day hunting Chimney Swifts. I felt bad for the birds, but his technique was astounding to watch, crouching in the tall grass, waiting till the Swift was just near the bottom of a steep, fast dive, then a leap and grab so fast you blinked, you missed it.

He was addicted to Valerian root. I had a back accident and was using Valerian for relief. He'd go to extremes to get at it and I'd find him passed out in a mess of it. He was a great cat - but very odd.

(Oops - 'nother long story, sorry!)