PHOTO OF THE COVER OF THE BOOK BY JANE MARTIN & J.C. SUARES OF WHICH I HAVE A COPY
Originally written January 14, 2009 for Associted Content/Yahoo.Voices website which no longer exist
ABSTRACT: Scarlett perhaps became one of the most famous felines due to her heroic efforts in saving the lives of her kittens during a raging fire.
CONTENT: If ever there was a story that touched the hearts of many people around the world, it was that of a mother cat named Scarlett. I remember this story very well as it was to etch in my mind how devoted an animal could be especially when it came to the safety of her kittens. For those of you who don't remember the story, I shall give a synopsis of this brave feline and what she did.
The event took place on March 30, 1996, when a raging fire was burning out of control in an abandoned garage located in the Brooklyn area of New York City. Firefighters were there to contain and put out the fire, but not without noticing something truly amazing happening during the chaos. A bedraggled female cat, horribly burned and singed had made the trip back and forth five times to rescue her five four-week old kittens that had been caught in the blaze of the building which they all had made as their home and shelter. The female cat was in such horrific condition that her eyes had been blistered shut from the heat of the fire, and could only locate and find her babies by smell and touch.
One firefighter at the scene, a David Giannelli amazed at this brave cat's rescue of her kittens, realized they all needed medical help and gently gathered them all up and rushed them over to the North Shore Animal League located in the Port Washington area of Long Island, NY. It was to be a long road of recovery for Scarlett, as the female mother cat was to be named and of her kittens who all suffered from severe smoke inhalation. Sadly, one of the five kittens didn't make it and succumbed to a virus a month after being taken to North Shore. The remainder kittens however, survived and found new loving homes. Scarlett was to remain a bit longer at North Shore still recovering from all her injuries she acquired during her rescue of her kittens.
The story of Scarlett and of her bravery literally hit round the world, not just in America, and captured everyone's heart, so much so, that the North Shore Animal League was flooded by thousands and thousands of letters of those interested in adopting Scarlett. After careful scrutiny of people asking to adopt Scarlett, the lucky person to receive her was Karen Wellen who gave her a true loving home. Ms. Wellen's own story was a sad one as she had lost her own cat to an accident in which she herself had also been injured.
The story wasn't to end there however, as Scarlett continued to be famous worldwide, and scores more articles continued to be written up about her and several books were written about this heroic feline, including ScarlettSaves Her Family: The Heart-Warming True Story of A Homeless Mother Cat Who Rescued Her Kittens From A Raging Fire by Jane Martin and Jean-Claude Suares, a book I might add, I still have. Things however, weren't completely smooth sailing for Scarlett however, as she still needed constant medical care throughout her life, but care she did get by her loving owner Ms. Wellen. The North Shore Animal League had even set up a blog known as "The Scarlett Room" not only to tell of the bravery of this most famous cat that they saved and helped but of all the other success stories of North Shore Animal League rescues.
Just the other day, however, I decided I wanted to look back at some of the articles about this famous heroic feline. I literally broke down and cried. I was hit by the news that on October 11, 2008 after thirteen years of being loved and cherished not only by Karen Wellen, but perhaps by the whole world, had passed into what I call the "Land of Bast". I don't know why, but the tears couldn't stop flowing when I read of her death. It hit me as hard as if one of my own precious cats had passed away from my life. In fact, as I write this I'm crying and I think anyone who remembers the story of this dear sweet heroic feline will also feel a tremendous sadness as well.
I guess as a closing, I want to publicly thank Scarlett for showing the devotion a mere animal will have in showing love and devotion to her babies, risking her own life, and for showing and being an exceptional example of unconditional love that we humans could demonstrate more of.
RIP~~Scarlett
You will be missed.
Articles About Scarlett:
http://www.moggies.co.uk/html/scarlett.html
http://www.moggies.co.uk/html/scarlett.html
http://www.animalleague.org/blogs/scarlett/
http://www.animalleague.org/blogs/scarlett/
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/scarlett-cat-saved-kittens-1996-brooklyn-fire-dies-article-1.300103
Book About Scarlett
Scarlett Saves Her Family: The Heart-Warming True Story of A Homeless Mother Cat Who Rescued Her Kittens From A Raging Fire by Jane Martin and Jean-Claude Suares, Simon & Schuster, 1997
2 comments:
Unfortunately, I've heard about Scarlett's story just a couple of years ago...and it moves me inside Everytime I read it... I confess you that I cried while I was reading your article... I wish I had known Scarlett and her babies back then, but I thank God though for having read their story because it's as if they're relatives now gone but never forgotten...and I thank you for producing this piece of reading that I've definitely enjoyed!!! Greetings from buenos aires, Argentina!!!
Mario Alberto Diaz. Thank you ever so much for your wonderful words about my article
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