Yemala and her sister Erzuli were adopted in 1999, soon after we lost a well-loved tortoise shell kitty to renal failure. She has always been an affectionate, engaged, and active cat, enthusiastic about feeding and play. In mid-May, we noticed that she was lethargic and off her food. She would lay on the coolest spot on the floor and not move for hours. Eventually, she refused even routine affection. We took her to the vet on Memorial Day weekend, 2006, and she was diagnosed with diabetes.