GIC Positively Cloten
The name Cloten is a 4-letter word in the Dutch language, involving “crown jewels”, which caused some good-natured sniggering at shows when his name was pronounced at the prize-winning ceremony. When Cloten arrived from the UK, this name was far too grand for a kitten so he was called “Baby Balls” and somehow this name stuck (though we’ve also heard “Magic Balls” because of his lovely children). Cloten’s father, the legendary Grand Champion Positively Uther Pendragon, meant a lot for the British Shorthair. He died on October 24th 2006 at the age of 15. Even in his last year on earth he produced beautiful babies! Cloten is a very short, stocky and cobby fellow, as broad in the chest as in the waist and at the rear. His eyes are very dark hazelnut, his coat is very dense. He is calm and easy-going and very strong.
Cloten needed eye surgery a few times and Metacam was used as a painkiller. We didn’t know then that Metacam was notorious for its side effects on kidneys and Cloten became very ill in 2009. However, being a very strong cat he recovered and had another four good years. He had nice females visiting him, and threw lovely babies. We thought it would never end.
Positively Cloten was tested regularly for HCM and was still negative for HCM at the age of 10. According to the cardiologist this is conclusive, especially as there have never been doubts about the sound condition of his heart. This is the result of screening when he was 10 years old.
The dates of these tests and the contents of the screenings have all been checked and found in order by Neocat registrar Mrs. den Hollander. After checking this list of screenings has been validated.
But in spring 2013 Cloten started losing weight (4,8 kg may be a fine weight for other cats but for him it was far too low). Metacam had caught up with him and was winning after all. We had a few good days together, just the two of us in the living room. I made the other cats go upstairs as cats hide illness when other cats are present and I wanted to know how Cloten really felt. When Cloten started to vomit, I knew what he wanted. On May 17th Cloten died with dignity, not of exhaustion. His big, healthy, brave heart would have gone on beating, Cloten would have gone on drinking, peeing and vomiting for a while: but that is not how he would want to be remembered.
To me he is the best, a legend like his father Positively Uther Pendragon. Like him Cloten died with his boots on: there are Cloten babies expected still. He had a good and happy life, he lived with me from the time when he was a baby until the end when he died in my arms.
“Farewell my lovely, say hello to your brother King Lear, tell him that after three years we still miss him too. You will live on in our home in your two daughters, grandson, granddaughter and great granddaughter. Next week we hope to see your great great grandchildren being born – life goes on but you were (at) the top of all these generations and it will never be the same again. Thank you Balls, for your life and for the friends you made me in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the UK and in Russia even.”
It was such a comfort to me that on the night of his death, at 10 p.m. many, many friends who had known him in the fur, or had a descendant of Positively Cloten, raised a glass with me on Facebook, to toast a grand cat called Cloten.
