Ivory and Tani Scott

[KITKAT]

In 1997, I met Tani (pronounced Tawney) Scott on an email list.

The more she and I got to know each other, the more we became friends.

Tani purchased her first show cat from me, and I got into rescue because of her. By the year 2000, we were close friends, and founded our cat rescue together.

We also discovered that we shared a love of snakes. Tani went to the Daytona show and purchased an albino corn snake. She rescued many Florida Blue garters from her outdoor rescue cats, and took them to the pond behind her house... but in some cases, kept a few as pets.

In 1998, I had purchased a garter that was sold to me as a T sirtalis "Flame" female... but when I received the snake, I found it to be a California Red Sided female.

Since I had no other of this species, I eventually gave Ivory to Tani... and Ivory lived in a huge viv with several Florida Blues for a number of years.

In 2003, Tani found "a lump". Unfortunately, the biopsy came back malignant, and Tani began her battle.

A few months later, after chemo and radiation, as well as surgery, Tani was put on a heightened watch for recurrances, but otherwise resumed her normal life.

As Tani neared her three year mark - a time when cancer survivors breathe a sigh of relief - disaster struck. Tani discovered that she had what would turn out to be cartiledge cancer in her voice box.

She resumed her battle, but doctors could not agree on a course of action, and in the few weeks after her surgery to remove her thyroid and some cartiledge from her throat, more tumors were discovered.

We lost Tani in September of 2006.

I went in to high gear to rescue and rehome the 50 some rescue cats that Tani was sheltering at her home near Daytona... and of course, I rescued her snakes.

The Florida Blues were gone... I assume that when Tani learned that she was dying, she must have released them in the pond area behind the house... but the corn snake (Sarah) and the California Red Sided garter (Ivory) were still there, waiting to come home with me.

I sold Sarah a few months later, to a corn snake fancier who had just purchased a male and was seeking a female.

And I brought Ivory home and set her up in a 20 long, in the garter corner of my basement.

Last Wednesday, when I went to feed the garters, I found Ivory sleeping her last sleep peacefully next to her water dish. I am not sure how old Ivory was, because I did not know her age when I bought her in 1998, but of course she was at least 10 years old, since she was a full adult when I got her.

I have a suspicion that she was alot older... perhaps 12 or 13, based on her size in 1998.

I miss them both, and hope they are friends again... Tani and Ivory.

[zooplan]

Sorry, for your loss,but

remind that Ivory became a kind of Metusalem
you must had a very good care of her.

[Sid]

Sorry to hear of your losses. It's always sad.

[Snaky]

Such a sad story
Sorry to hear of your losses...

[anji1971]

KitKat, I am so sorry to hear of these losses, but also so grateful to you for sharing the story of such a wonderful bond between friends. Tani and Ivory are together now, smiling down at you........

[enigma200316]

Sad story KitKat, sorry to hear you had to go through that......
May they both rest in peace............

[Lulu Bennett]

Kitkat, that is a very sad story and my heart goes out to you for both of your losses.

[adamanteus]

Sad story, KITKAT.

[Lori P]

Kitkat, that's a wonderful memorial to both Tani and Ivory. Now they can both watch over you and smile.

:-)

[drache]

KitKat
sorry for both of your losses
even though Tani went a while back, the loss of Ivory must be like loosing another part of her
and thanks for sharing about your wonderful friends