I am always amazed by Boogar's resiliancy. Here he is, 21, diabetic, paralyzed, three legged cancer cat..... and he's asleep three feet away enjoying a fan, his friend Leaf, food and pets.
He's really ok with life.
He calls when he wants up, or pets...or food, water, the brush, a different blanket, meat cheetos (dehydrated liver) or catnip. He has servants...mostly everyone that comes by.
I wrote this because in the 20 years I've been talking to people around the world with spinal cord injured cats the one question that keeps coming back is "Can I do This?" Owners around the world voice that question, struggle with overwhelm, stare at their checkbook and vet bills, look at their hands and wonder how in the world can they learn to squeeze pee out of a cat.
For all of you in the past, to all of you in the future here us my answer. Most of the time yes, you can. Those times you can not, ask for help. Vets and vet nurses generally want to teach you to take care of your pet. Most of them will help you learn.
It gets easier. You find the "damn bladder" and wow, your cat just peed down your arm, and you get it.
It's always ok to say no, and to stop. Sometimes this means surrendering your pet. Sometimes it means ending their life kindly. Irs ok. You are important, and your comfort is important too.
I'm still here after 21 years. So is Boogar. I still answer emails.
Peace
Kadeth
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This is Kitty Kadeth she is a stray that was hit by a car. Her tail was broken off at the spine although the vet didn't have very much optimism in the recovery of the nerves to her bladder and rectum/colon. I am trying to rehabilitate her with Kadeth's greatly appreciated help and guidance! Hence the name Kitty Kadeth!
another friend who found us
Cookie....
Jazzie....
wow, the foil hats WORK!!!
Spinal Cord Party Boys & Friends Blog
Welcome friends. This is an offshoot of http://www.kadethdarkstar.com/, the website you probably found me at. Here's where I can put stories of the cats living in my own personal rescue world, plus the stories of the extraordinary owners and pets who have come asking for help.
If you've been to the website, you'll know I 'coach' owners of injured & spinal cord damaged cats, (I'll also talk to you about feline diabetes) so as to increase the chance of surviving those injuries that are surviable, recovering as much as possible and living well...for both cats and their people.
So, if you want to email me here is the link. Talk to Kadeth
Want to help these sorts of cats? You can do this several ways...
Link this blog up everywhere yo can think of where pet owners go. Share the information here.
Become a friend and follow this blog- there is a place below and to the left to do so.
Link the main website/ cat pages everywhere pet lovers go.
And if you want to offer more...please talk to me. Currently I am looking into how to make a small run of private lable wine for fundraising to support veterinary care for these cats. I am also looking into the legalities of non-profit status. And Pumpkin's dad and I, plus several others including a fine feline veterinarian are looking down to road to creating some sort of sanctuary, education center specificaly serving cats with extraordinary needs and the extraordinary owners who care for them.
If you've been to the website, you'll know I 'coach' owners of injured & spinal cord damaged cats, (I'll also talk to you about feline diabetes) so as to increase the chance of surviving those injuries that are surviable, recovering as much as possible and living well...for both cats and their people.
So, if you want to email me here is the link. Talk to Kadeth
Want to help these sorts of cats? You can do this several ways...
Link this blog up everywhere yo can think of where pet owners go. Share the information here.
Become a friend and follow this blog- there is a place below and to the left to do so.
Link the main website/ cat pages everywhere pet lovers go.
And if you want to offer more...please talk to me. Currently I am looking into how to make a small run of private lable wine for fundraising to support veterinary care for these cats. I am also looking into the legalities of non-profit status. And Pumpkin's dad and I, plus several others including a fine feline veterinarian are looking down to road to creating some sort of sanctuary, education center specificaly serving cats with extraordinary needs and the extraordinary owners who care for them.
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We are always coming...home
- Spinal Cord Cats
- Bay Area, California, United States
- I am Kadeth. I have spent 30 years in veterinary medicine working with the finest doctors. I've worked emergency, neurosurgery, and exotic medicine. My passion for medicine drives me to go farther and do more than the average person, and in doing this I have come to care deeply for my cats, two of whom are paralyzed... one now, Pumpkin passed on. This passion fuses with compassion, as I really know how hard it is to care for these types of cats, and how little support there is in the veterinary field. Well , here is support.
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Where we show our love, in many traditions
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OUR WISH LIST
The Dream- a rescue research education center for extraordinary pets and extraordinary owners, with focus of spinal cord injury and rehabilitation.
What we need.
1) A location in contra cost county ca.
This could be donated land to build on or a site with existing building.
The house next door to me is abandoned and a mess. In an ideal world it could be bought, gutted, rebuilt. The county could be petitioned to permit a ‘park’ or non-profit shelter. It has been a ‘halfway house’ for dual diagnosis men, much to the neighborhoods dismay; it was poorly run and not supervised. The neighborhood would welcome a place of life and learning.
2) Local contractors willing to donate time, man or woman power to both work within my existing home to upgrade it for the cats it houses and or work on constructing a spinal cord cat center.
3) Funds for this center. I would like to be able to fly cats to the center, work with them and fly them home. I would like local hotels to discount or donate rooms for their owners. I would like veterinary drug companies to consider donating funds for research and rehabilitation.
4) Agreements with veterinary schools and veterinary technician school to send interns to work with these cats. This creates understanding of their unique needs, and fosters compassion and positive outlook that can be then given to clients.
5) A laptop so that I can take my consulting mobile. I can email at lunch at work, connecting and contacting people.
6) Funds to be gifted out to assist pet owners with the overwhelming costs associated with newly spinal cord injured pets. Pumpkin’s first month cost 10,000.00$ His dad is still paying that off. Total costs the first year for Pumpkin hit 20,000.00$ I have no idea what Boogar’s life time has cost.
7) Donated time and supplies through a local winery or wine making company, to create the private label ‘Spinal Cord Party Boy Reserve” c , a planned winemaking project to help ongoing funding.
8) Public relations and outreach to the veterinary industry. Most vets do not see spinal cord injured pets enough to make recommendations other than the basics, ‘give them a few days and if they don’t recover put them to sleep.’ Creating a documented database and getting the information into the veterinary information networks will help give more dedicated owners a chance to take care to the next level.
9) A web designer to take what I have and take it to the next level, to make an interactive dedicated spinal cord cat website with a blog, chat and message boards. Donated server time & space beyond what has graciously been gifted me.
10) Heated pet beds, donated pet wheelchairs for reuse. I’ll send them where they need to go.
11) Donated food for these cats. They need high quality foods to stabilize their gut and bladder. Boogar eats Royal Canin. I wish I could afford ‘Instinct’ for him. Lol, Vet Nurses do NOT make big wages….
12) Twitter, myspace, face book me please! Post links, and talk! If I have helped you, if Boogar and Pumpkin inspire you, make you cry with joy or grief, tell people.
13) I ask for little for myself. Wish me a raise, comfort, more time for my beloved art, healthy cats and wish Boogar a long life. Time in my garden, new friends, and a happy life.
What we need.
1) A location in contra cost county ca.
This could be donated land to build on or a site with existing building.
The house next door to me is abandoned and a mess. In an ideal world it could be bought, gutted, rebuilt. The county could be petitioned to permit a ‘park’ or non-profit shelter. It has been a ‘halfway house’ for dual diagnosis men, much to the neighborhoods dismay; it was poorly run and not supervised. The neighborhood would welcome a place of life and learning.
2) Local contractors willing to donate time, man or woman power to both work within my existing home to upgrade it for the cats it houses and or work on constructing a spinal cord cat center.
3) Funds for this center. I would like to be able to fly cats to the center, work with them and fly them home. I would like local hotels to discount or donate rooms for their owners. I would like veterinary drug companies to consider donating funds for research and rehabilitation.
4) Agreements with veterinary schools and veterinary technician school to send interns to work with these cats. This creates understanding of their unique needs, and fosters compassion and positive outlook that can be then given to clients.
5) A laptop so that I can take my consulting mobile. I can email at lunch at work, connecting and contacting people.
6) Funds to be gifted out to assist pet owners with the overwhelming costs associated with newly spinal cord injured pets. Pumpkin’s first month cost 10,000.00$ His dad is still paying that off. Total costs the first year for Pumpkin hit 20,000.00$ I have no idea what Boogar’s life time has cost.
7) Donated time and supplies through a local winery or wine making company, to create the private label ‘Spinal Cord Party Boy Reserve” c , a planned winemaking project to help ongoing funding.
8) Public relations and outreach to the veterinary industry. Most vets do not see spinal cord injured pets enough to make recommendations other than the basics, ‘give them a few days and if they don’t recover put them to sleep.’ Creating a documented database and getting the information into the veterinary information networks will help give more dedicated owners a chance to take care to the next level.
9) A web designer to take what I have and take it to the next level, to make an interactive dedicated spinal cord cat website with a blog, chat and message boards. Donated server time & space beyond what has graciously been gifted me.
10) Heated pet beds, donated pet wheelchairs for reuse. I’ll send them where they need to go.
11) Donated food for these cats. They need high quality foods to stabilize their gut and bladder. Boogar eats Royal Canin. I wish I could afford ‘Instinct’ for him. Lol, Vet Nurses do NOT make big wages….
12) Twitter, myspace, face book me please! Post links, and talk! If I have helped you, if Boogar and Pumpkin inspire you, make you cry with joy or grief, tell people.
13) I ask for little for myself. Wish me a raise, comfort, more time for my beloved art, healthy cats and wish Boogar a long life. Time in my garden, new friends, and a happy life.
Emergency Computer Help
Trojans, Viruses, Malware, Autodialers, Email Hijacking, bugs and other festive computer things...
HATE THEM!!!
So, I'll share what I do.
I use Gizmo Freeware at http://www.techsupportalert.com/
They rock.
Currently I am running " a- squared free' as an in depth virus and assorted cootie scanner buster cleaner, SuperAntiSpyware as an auto detector...and Norton, which I pay for.
Downloads are free unless clearly stated.
HATE THEM!!!
So, I'll share what I do.
I use Gizmo Freeware at http://www.techsupportalert.com/
They rock.
Currently I am running " a- squared free' as an in depth virus and assorted cootie scanner buster cleaner, SuperAntiSpyware as an auto detector...and Norton, which I pay for.
Downloads are free unless clearly stated.
Cat friend belonging to Peggy in Canada
This is Kitty Kadeth she is a stray that was hit by a car. Her tail was broken off at the spine although the vet didn't have very much optimism in the recovery of the nerves to her bladder and rectum/colon. I am trying to rehabilitate her with Kadeth's greatly appreciated help and guidance! Hence the name Kitty Kadeth!
Beautiful Trudy
It's...Stick!
another friend who found us
One of Pumpkin's Angels
Cookie....
One of Pumpkin's Angels
Jazzie....
Search This Blog
boogar in his wheelchair
Dr. Asseo's cat protecting herself from Aliens...
wow, the foil hats WORK!!!
For when we need to laugh......
Pretty Boy vs. the Toads
It’s spring finally, after the utter hell of the rain for way more than 40 days and 40 nights. I swear, I was about ready to put a floatation device on my car and have it double for an emergency ark, only since it wasn’t water for miles around but goopy, clayey Concord La Brea tar pit mud, I figured it wouldn’t work. We’d just go down in the mud pits and become fossils for the next civilization to ponder over…
But hey, that’s over. So all the amphibians that have been packed full of eggs, staring out of their little holes wondering when the floods were going to recede and the creeks were going to slow down enough so they could hop on down there and lay them things actually got to go reproduce.
So, mom trapped a litter of baby roof rats. Yes, this fits the story, I haven’t diverted off on a tangent. Mom, being the kind hearted soul that she is, wanted to let them go, rather than kill them, so me and mom took a ride out to my favorite creek, way out around the base of Mt. Diablo, to let these guys free.
Well, an amazing thing, when we got there, the creek was slow enough that its edge was populated with big toads. Now, when toads mate, the males lock themselves onto the females and they won’t let go for anything. So up and down the bank are all the toad couples, having a grand old time laying tons of eggs in the sun. My mom looks at me and says, “Do you have your net? You should catch some for your pond.”
Of course I have my net, so we scoop up several pairs, park them in one of my Styrofoam containers I keep for that purpose and run them pack to my house, where I put one set in the big pond, and the other set in my little pond on the back porch.
OK, the cats are fascinated, here are these toads floating in the duckweed, the little male is making his peeping calls, stringing out eggs behind them. Pea Pod, Sage, Crow, Jahrod, even Boogar are all trying to see these guys. They don’t care, their toads. So what if cats stare at them. Up comes Pretty Boy, tail all swishy and poofy. He pokes his head over the edge to look at what everyone is so fascinated by and sees this four eyes, tow headed toad monster with duckweed all over its head staring back at him. It’s evil! It’s wrong! It will probably launch out of the water like a two headed four eyed toad version of the killer rabbit and eat him. Pretty Boy hisses, keeps hissing, backing away from the evil thing furiously. The toads don’t care. Sage, in an attempt to be helpful, whacks the water with her paw, and the toads go diving underwater. OK, Pretty Boy has been saved. But to make certain the evil demon toads are gone back through a pond wormhole in space, Pretty Boy runs back up to the pond, puts his feet on the edge and looks in. No toads. Cool we must be safe. Pretty Boy looks closer, just to make sure.
Right under his nose, the toads op back up. Ahh! The evil two headed four eyed toad demon from outer space had almost attacked Pretty Boy. Pretty Boy hisses, keeping hissing, all puffed up like some giant dog launched up out of the water instead of a couple of mating toads, propels himself backwards through the air away from the evil toads, and scurries backwards into the shelter of a bunch of potted plants, fluffed up really big and hissing madly.
A wise cat would bail now. Not Pretty Boy. Determined to save all of mankind, cat kind and any other kind possible from the evil toads, Pretty Boy races forward to attack the toads. He whacks the water. The toads dive. He whacks the water again. Duck weed sprays everywhere. He hisses, and whacks it again, dousing himself, Sage and Boogar in water. Boogar leaves, Sage takes to higher ground to watch.
The toads come back up. Pretty Boy, in a fit of hissing bravery whacks them and manages to flip them out of the water. OK, mating toads don’t let go for anything, so these two toads are still locked together. They take a hop forward, in Pretty Boy’s general direction. That’s it, there’s only so much a cat can take. Pretty Boy leaps straight up into the air, hissing like a tire that somebody fired an entire nail gun into, does an Olympic quality double turn and twist in mid air and lands running.
The toads, they don’t care. I put them out in the big pond to help Pretty Boy over his post traumatic stress, but he’s still looking at the pond like at any time something evil could come up.
I wonder what Pretty Boy will do when the eggs hatch, the pollywogs grow up and the yard is full of baby toads…
It’s spring finally, after the utter hell of the rain for way more than 40 days and 40 nights. I swear, I was about ready to put a floatation device on my car and have it double for an emergency ark, only since it wasn’t water for miles around but goopy, clayey Concord La Brea tar pit mud, I figured it wouldn’t work. We’d just go down in the mud pits and become fossils for the next civilization to ponder over…
But hey, that’s over. So all the amphibians that have been packed full of eggs, staring out of their little holes wondering when the floods were going to recede and the creeks were going to slow down enough so they could hop on down there and lay them things actually got to go reproduce.
So, mom trapped a litter of baby roof rats. Yes, this fits the story, I haven’t diverted off on a tangent. Mom, being the kind hearted soul that she is, wanted to let them go, rather than kill them, so me and mom took a ride out to my favorite creek, way out around the base of Mt. Diablo, to let these guys free.
Well, an amazing thing, when we got there, the creek was slow enough that its edge was populated with big toads. Now, when toads mate, the males lock themselves onto the females and they won’t let go for anything. So up and down the bank are all the toad couples, having a grand old time laying tons of eggs in the sun. My mom looks at me and says, “Do you have your net? You should catch some for your pond.”
Of course I have my net, so we scoop up several pairs, park them in one of my Styrofoam containers I keep for that purpose and run them pack to my house, where I put one set in the big pond, and the other set in my little pond on the back porch.
OK, the cats are fascinated, here are these toads floating in the duckweed, the little male is making his peeping calls, stringing out eggs behind them. Pea Pod, Sage, Crow, Jahrod, even Boogar are all trying to see these guys. They don’t care, their toads. So what if cats stare at them. Up comes Pretty Boy, tail all swishy and poofy. He pokes his head over the edge to look at what everyone is so fascinated by and sees this four eyes, tow headed toad monster with duckweed all over its head staring back at him. It’s evil! It’s wrong! It will probably launch out of the water like a two headed four eyed toad version of the killer rabbit and eat him. Pretty Boy hisses, keeps hissing, backing away from the evil thing furiously. The toads don’t care. Sage, in an attempt to be helpful, whacks the water with her paw, and the toads go diving underwater. OK, Pretty Boy has been saved. But to make certain the evil demon toads are gone back through a pond wormhole in space, Pretty Boy runs back up to the pond, puts his feet on the edge and looks in. No toads. Cool we must be safe. Pretty Boy looks closer, just to make sure.
Right under his nose, the toads op back up. Ahh! The evil two headed four eyed toad demon from outer space had almost attacked Pretty Boy. Pretty Boy hisses, keeping hissing, all puffed up like some giant dog launched up out of the water instead of a couple of mating toads, propels himself backwards through the air away from the evil toads, and scurries backwards into the shelter of a bunch of potted plants, fluffed up really big and hissing madly.
A wise cat would bail now. Not Pretty Boy. Determined to save all of mankind, cat kind and any other kind possible from the evil toads, Pretty Boy races forward to attack the toads. He whacks the water. The toads dive. He whacks the water again. Duck weed sprays everywhere. He hisses, and whacks it again, dousing himself, Sage and Boogar in water. Boogar leaves, Sage takes to higher ground to watch.
The toads come back up. Pretty Boy, in a fit of hissing bravery whacks them and manages to flip them out of the water. OK, mating toads don’t let go for anything, so these two toads are still locked together. They take a hop forward, in Pretty Boy’s general direction. That’s it, there’s only so much a cat can take. Pretty Boy leaps straight up into the air, hissing like a tire that somebody fired an entire nail gun into, does an Olympic quality double turn and twist in mid air and lands running.
The toads, they don’t care. I put them out in the big pond to help Pretty Boy over his post traumatic stress, but he’s still looking at the pond like at any time something evil could come up.
I wonder what Pretty Boy will do when the eggs hatch, the pollywogs grow up and the yard is full of baby toads…
Lint the Squirrel
A few weeks ago I got a frantic phone call.
"Help Help!" the voice said "There is a hurt baby squirrel and we can't catch him!"
Grumble. Great I thought, another injured critter, and a wild one. I was so not in the mood for any more critters. I sighed, packed up my net, gloves and a carrier and went to catch this injured baby squirrel.
Injured was not the word for it. When I arrived and crawled under the bushes, I found a young squirrel, terribly injured. He'd had his rear foot chewed off, and had a severe head injury, leaving him only able to flip over and over, and franticly circle in one direction.
Great, I thought. He's neuro. He should be put to sleep. When I suggested that it would be kindest to end his life, I was met with shocked teary stares and ...
"No No! You must SAVE him."
" I can't promise that." I said, mentaly reviewing my emergency drugs at home and wondering where I was going to isloate and quarenteen this little guy in case he was neuro from...cooties.
"Save him! Save Him!"
"Why didn't you guys catch him?" I asked "I mean, he can't even crawl.
The two who shall not be named stared sheepishly at each other and told me.
"Well, we thought he might have rabies."
Great. I know I am loved.
So, I pack him home, park him in a padded cage in the bathroom...and turn the dryer on to dry the pile of cat beds I needed clean.
What's that smell? It's sorta burny, smokey, hmmm, it seems to be coming from the dryer. OK, I pull stuff out of the dryer and figure it's over heating and I'll let it cool down before I pull it apart and check it. But no...not there seems to be smoke coming from behind the dryer...
OK, I hop on the dryer and look behind it.
Orange flames. Lots of them. Not good. Not lint either, but coming from the engine compartment.
I yanked the dryer away from the wall, and looked again. Bigger flames. I yanked to plug out of the wall and up ended the cat water bowl on the flames.... and they sorta calmed down for long enough for me to realize they were spreading.
OK, so now I have four foot high orange flames shooting all over the place, and they burn through the washer power cord, shutting down the house electricity. This is OK , because I don't need light, I have fire light. Lots of it. The washer is catching on fire too.
So I yank wet laundry out of the washer and pitch it on everything. Sopping wet cat beds work really well.
Saved by the cat beds. The flames go out and I get the electricty back on, turn on fans and survey the damages (dead washer, dead dryer... one burned shirt and a melted flip flop, no other damage) The cats are all safe- like they even noticed, and the house was open so the smoke is dissapaiting.
But the phone is ringing...
I pick it up.
"How's the squirrel?"
"I haven't had time to deal with him, I just had a house fire."
"But, hows the squirrel?"
So, in honor of the fire, he was named 'Lint'.
OK, he lived. A week or so on heavy pain meds and antibiotics, syringe feeding him, waiting while his brain healed. Another week plus waiting for his tail to come back on line, and for him to understand how to use his paws again....
So, when he started cussing me out, pee spraying out the cage and running race track loops in the cage I figured it was time. His stump is healed, he's able to feed himself and he walks and runs straight...
I let him go.
He ran up my tree, and back down, all over my yard and found the oak tree. He comes down for food.
Lint is fine.
The new washer and dryer are delivered tommorrow.
"Help Help!" the voice said "There is a hurt baby squirrel and we can't catch him!"
Grumble. Great I thought, another injured critter, and a wild one. I was so not in the mood for any more critters. I sighed, packed up my net, gloves and a carrier and went to catch this injured baby squirrel.
Injured was not the word for it. When I arrived and crawled under the bushes, I found a young squirrel, terribly injured. He'd had his rear foot chewed off, and had a severe head injury, leaving him only able to flip over and over, and franticly circle in one direction.
Great, I thought. He's neuro. He should be put to sleep. When I suggested that it would be kindest to end his life, I was met with shocked teary stares and ...
"No No! You must SAVE him."
" I can't promise that." I said, mentaly reviewing my emergency drugs at home and wondering where I was going to isloate and quarenteen this little guy in case he was neuro from...cooties.
"Save him! Save Him!"
"Why didn't you guys catch him?" I asked "I mean, he can't even crawl.
The two who shall not be named stared sheepishly at each other and told me.
"Well, we thought he might have rabies."
Great. I know I am loved.
So, I pack him home, park him in a padded cage in the bathroom...and turn the dryer on to dry the pile of cat beds I needed clean.
What's that smell? It's sorta burny, smokey, hmmm, it seems to be coming from the dryer. OK, I pull stuff out of the dryer and figure it's over heating and I'll let it cool down before I pull it apart and check it. But no...not there seems to be smoke coming from behind the dryer...
OK, I hop on the dryer and look behind it.
Orange flames. Lots of them. Not good. Not lint either, but coming from the engine compartment.
I yanked the dryer away from the wall, and looked again. Bigger flames. I yanked to plug out of the wall and up ended the cat water bowl on the flames.... and they sorta calmed down for long enough for me to realize they were spreading.
OK, so now I have four foot high orange flames shooting all over the place, and they burn through the washer power cord, shutting down the house electricity. This is OK , because I don't need light, I have fire light. Lots of it. The washer is catching on fire too.
So I yank wet laundry out of the washer and pitch it on everything. Sopping wet cat beds work really well.
Saved by the cat beds. The flames go out and I get the electricty back on, turn on fans and survey the damages (dead washer, dead dryer... one burned shirt and a melted flip flop, no other damage) The cats are all safe- like they even noticed, and the house was open so the smoke is dissapaiting.
But the phone is ringing...
I pick it up.
"How's the squirrel?"
"I haven't had time to deal with him, I just had a house fire."
"But, hows the squirrel?"
So, in honor of the fire, he was named 'Lint'.
OK, he lived. A week or so on heavy pain meds and antibiotics, syringe feeding him, waiting while his brain healed. Another week plus waiting for his tail to come back on line, and for him to understand how to use his paws again....
So, when he started cussing me out, pee spraying out the cage and running race track loops in the cage I figured it was time. His stump is healed, he's able to feed himself and he walks and runs straight...
I let him go.
He ran up my tree, and back down, all over my yard and found the oak tree. He comes down for food.
Lint is fine.
The new washer and dryer are delivered tommorrow.
Lint the Squirrel
cat pride
Hi Kadeth I stumbled upon your blood while googling searching spinal issues in cats. I’m wondering if you could offer me some advice on my 11 year old Maine Coon male who developed paralysis in his hind legs just yesterday. I am so distraught
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