More: Pepper came to us from a rescue organization in California at 10 weeks old, transported 700 miles and 11 hours in the back seat of my friend's car. Never made a peep. Always very shy until her last three years when for some reason she decided to come out of her shell and become the playful one with her buddies. We think it was because she was now the queen. She was diagnosed with cancer on June 22 and died in my husband's arms on July 6. She will be sorely missed.