About Dasha

My name is Dasha, and I came to live with Sara Feb. 1, 2002. She busted me out of the Oakland SPCA. I was either two or three years old at the time-- but they also had me labeled as a long-haired gray male, so who knows.

On Jan. 28, 2012, after being Sara's purr-child for ten years, I passed away after a sudden onset brain inflammation of unknown cause.

I was known around the house by Sara as "sweet pea," "stripey girlcat," "sweet love," "my own private predator," "Dashenka," "zubnataya mlekopitayushaya" (Russian for "toothy mammal"), and a host of other affectionate nicknames. My specializations were absorbing and conveying heat, schedule regulation (especially mornings), and flippy string and laser pointer monitoring. I showed Sara my soft gold belly when she came home to the apartment and she held her ear to my purr-belly, then the other ear, to get my purr in both ears (it's important to be symmetrical with purr intake). I tapped the Achilles tendon at the back of her ankles when she crossed the room to remind her that I'm a cheetah and she's a gazelle in another time stream. In the mornings I would wake her up by kissing her hand, and she would kiss my ears.

You can see the one and only video of me here-- I'm trying to help Sara prioritize around her alleged need to unplug the printer cable.

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I was given excellent care in the last three days of my life by Dr. Evan Grossman at Alameda Pet Hospital, Dr. Erin Updegrove at PETS Referral Center in Berkeley, and Dr. Rebecca Windsor at the Sage Center for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care in Dublin, California.

The expenses were worthwhile, but they left Sara without any savings at a financially hard time in her life (unemployed in a recession). The total cost of three days of care was $4,010.55.

If you would like to make a donation to help Sara through this hard time, please click the donate button below:

Between Jan. 29 and Feb. 9, 2012, enough donations were collected to pay Sara's bills for my care ($3510 after veterinary discounts). Heartfelt broken-hearted humbled thanks go out to: Catherine K.,  Rowan F., Debbie N., Juli C., Lala H., Rachael H., Ken R., Ann M., Sandra W., Julia and Quin, Ranjan B., Rory and Krista, Greg and Robin, Won-ju H., John M., Ted P., Shye L., Cindy and Turx, Christa L., Laurie G., Jen D., Masha R., Klaus and Barbara, John M., Cynthia S., Garry and David, Sibyl D., Hugh G., Susan W., Jen G., Ian M., Margaret W., and mom and dad.





If you have room in your heart and home for a purr-child, or other kind of animal companion, you should see the animals in the clink at the Oakland SPCA, and take one home.

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this page last updated: 29 January, 2012