(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Humans aren’t the only victims of the tanking US economy. Sherry and Tim Sterner of Caroline County, Virginia, are in foreclosure and need to find new homes for their 46 rescued cats now that they’re moving to a rental property in nearby Spotsylvania County.

Read more about the kitties, the couple, and the situation at Fredericksburg.com.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King

(www.meowbarkblog.com) — I’ve been putting off this post because I didn’t know how to write it. Julius is gone. He was missing for about a week when we took fliers to all the neighbors, searching for any news of his whereabouts. Julius had always been an adventurer, but when it got to be four, then five, then six days with no sign of him, we got worried.

On Sunday, a neighbor called and haltingly told us that she had seen a cat matching Julius’ description dead on the interstate just over the fence between our subdivision and the highway. It had been there for about a week, the same amount of time he’d been missing.

We took a very quiet, very tense ride one exit south before turning around and heading north again. Two miles before our exit, we slowed and pulled to the shoulder with our hazards flashing. About half a mile later, we saw the remains the neighbor had described, now largely unrecognizable.

Too small to be a dog. Too big to be squirrel. The right color to be Julius. Less than 1,000 feet from the property line of our closest neighbor to the highway.

It’s been almost two weeks since he disappeared now. It had to be him. We’re both devastated. I know you’re not supposed to have favorites, but he was definitely our favorite cat. Orange cats are the best, and he was the best of the best.

We miss him. It’s like a hunger I can’t satisfy, knowing he’s gone. I can’t find anything to fill the hole. Julius is the first pet that was mine I’ve lost since my cat Whispy died of feline leukemia when I was like 10. When my mom’s dog, Rocky, died, it sucked, but it wasn’t like this. I don’t know how to mourn a pet. I don’t want to have to learn.

Contents Copyright © 2009 Kristen King