I got Mouse as a pet for my 7 year old son (he had developmental difficulties and the doctor said a cat or dog would be good for him. We weren't allowed dogs in our apartment). We were told Mouse was a girl and that she was 10 weeks old. We got her home only to discover that SHE was a HE. He looked like a Mouse with BIG ears and a LOOOONG tail - hence the name (although originally he was supposed to be Mistress Mouse... so became Master Mousers lol).

When I took him to be neutered (when he was 12 weeks old) the vet said he wasn't more than 8 weeks... so too young.. which meant the person I got him from had given him to us when he was only 6 weeks old!!

He was part Main Coon - and was absolutely HUGE. He was THE best thing for my son. They slept together.. and Mousers would lick Cullens hair all night long and sleep on his pillow.

Cullen taught Mousers to 'sit up' and 'roll over' and 'shake' for "mustard" (those little temptation cat treats) - I'm not sure why Cullen called them Mustard but Mousers LOVED them. He also LOVED biscuits - we had to get him Science Diet because the pieces were bigger - when we gave him the Friskies or normal biscuits he would just swallow a ton of them whole, and then throw them all up - but with the Science Diet he would bite them in half and then chew each half - he would eat the gravy part of the wet food, but none of the actual food.... he was a funny boy lol.

When my son turned 21, he moved out on his own - but couldn't have pets at his new place, so Mousers became mine. He would sit on my bed and purrr so loudly that I sometimes thought we were gearing up for a thunderstorm lol.

He would jump up on the couch and bump his head on my leg to get my attention so I would pet him, and then he would purrr and drool all over my leg LOL.

The last few years Mouse had slowed down - particularly after his sister, Shugie, went to Jesus. (Milner Vet Hospital helped us with her as well... she was 20 years old and was so very ill). Mouse moped around until I got Maki - a new kitten - and then he would romp and run and play like a kitten again :)

Then... suddenly he took a turn for the worse... he was in such pain from arthritis in his hips and couldn't see very well (I didn't realise he was almost completely blind at that point) and he started lashing out for no reason at me, and my 4 year old granddaughter and my son, when he would come to visit. We took him into Milner and discovered he was in such pain - he was 19 years old and so we had to send him to Jesus so he wouldn't suffer any more. :(

Once again, Milner was wonderful. I just can't say enough good things about them...they are compassionate and caring and understanding and gentle.
I only found out the day before yesterday that they had made a donation to OSU (my daughters Uni) vet school in Mousers name :)