Cats

Elaine · Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:54 pm

Hi Smurfy. Glad to hear Sami enjoyed her foray into the big wide world! I'll bet you were fretting when she first went out though! When I first got Tibby, she was used to roaming around at all hours and I put her on curfew hours as I didn't want her to be outside when I wasn't there or at night. Ye gods, I almost changed her name to Houdini! I couldn't work out how she was getting out at night, I was rudely awoken at 4am by her Ladyship howling in the back garden to be let in on several occasions! It turned out, she got out of the bathroom window (upstairs!), onto the windowsill, then leaped onto next-doors extension roof, then down onto their wall. Needless to say, I closed said bathroom window! She soon settled down though. Now, poor old lass doesn't go out of the garden as she can't climb the fences anymore. Her health hasn't been too good but she seems to have picked up again at the moment thank goodness. I just know you're enjoying you cat...I'll bet you wonder how you got by without her!!! Glad to hear your up-dates Smurfy. Cheers, Elaine.

Smurfy · Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:16 pm

Hi Elaine,

you're right it was a bit nervewracking - that's why we were so thankful she popped back every few minutes to check-in with us. Sorry to hear Tibbys a bit poorly but glad she's feeling better. That's quite a feat she had climbing out the bathroom window shame she couldn't get back in that way as that might have saved you the early morning wake up calls!

We really do wonder what we did without her - some evenings we don't need the TV. Watching her run around manically chasing imaginary mice has us rolling on the floor laughing!

Elaine · Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:55 pm

I agree. Has Sami had a "mad dash" round the house yet? Tibby used to gallop around with a crazed expression on her face, doing what I call, her wall of death. Brilliant! She still has a go now but not as energetically!! She still can't resist chasing string when I drag it around though :lol:

alan refail · Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:26 pm

Sorry to add a sad note, but our last cat died last night - peacefully of old age. I say our last cat - we've had cats for most of the past 40 years and we are inclined not to get any more - though that might change with time. All of them have been strays/rescued and most have been long-lived. Jane who died a few years ago was 25, Sandy who died last night was about 20. I'm not sure a new cat would fill their places, and if we got young new cats we might well be dead of old age before them!

oldherbaceous · Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:49 pm

Dear Alan, i'm so sorry to read about Sandy, they do become part of the family, especially after that many years.
I'm sure Sandy, like your other cats, had the nicest of lives while with you.

I bet there's a cat somewhere, that would love to be with you both.

Smurfy · Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:50 pm

I'm sorry to hear about Sandy. When a pet dies it leaves a big hole in your lives. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Elaine · Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:22 pm

Dear Alan, So sorry to hear about Sandy. It's wonderful having Pets to share our lives but such heartbreak when they pass away. They leave behind a wealth of memories and a warm spot in the heart which gives comfort in loss. Kind regards, Elaine.

alan refail · Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:22 am

Thanks OH, Smurfy & Elaine.

I managed to catch a fine half hour this morning between spells of heavy rain, to bury the poor old boy in our cat cemetery (in our field) next to his brother and the other two cats he knew.

Primrose · Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:40 pm

Hope your cat soon settles in. If she's very shy and had a bad start in life she could well be terrified of loud noises, so beware of the noise made by your vacuum cleaner.

Smurfy · Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:43 pm

Thanks primrose. You're right she's not keen on the vacuum but she deals with it - funnily enough its sneezes which she really doesn't like and she runs a mile when one of us sneezes.

Elaine · Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:23 pm

I have had to take my elderly cat to the vet, yet again today and I think I am going to have to be very brave before this year is out. Poor Tibby is getting abscesses in her sinus passages and it has recurred again. She can't have an op to remove the teeth which is causing it as she wont survive the anaesthetic. The vet said that the antibiotics will either stop working and the infection will spread to her bone, or her kidney failure will become acute. At the moment, her quality of life is still good and she isn't suffering. The moment that alters, I will do the kindest thing. Sorry to be so miserable but I am so dreading it.

Smurfy · Fri May 01, 2009 8:13 am

Oh Elaine, i'm so sorry. It's a hard decision to make but i think you are right about the quality of life if she was to be in permanent pain that in my opinion is crueler to keep her alive even though it gives you such heart ache.

I will be thinking of you both and give Tibby a squeeze from me.

alan refail · Fri May 01, 2009 1:32 pm

Elaine

As long as she seems to be living a real life and is not in pain, let her live. It's many years since we had to have a cat put down, and that was because he was suffering from cancer. Our last four all died of old age - faded away in the place they loved to be - except for the flighty young one we adopted a few years ago, who was just not satisfied with access to hundreds of acres of rodent and rabbit-filled fields, but preferred the road and was run over

Elaine · Sat May 02, 2009 1:57 pm

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts. Tibby seems better today and the swelling is going down. She is eating and drinking well and is happy in herself, being her usual contrary self! She isn't in any discomfort or pain and the vet agrees with me that her quality of life is good at the moment and as such, he is happy to continue with the treatment , as am I while this continues. I will only have her put to sleep if she is unhappy or in pain. She has had, and is having a good life with us, she deserves no less. Thanks again folks. Cheers.

Elaine · Sat Aug 01, 2009 6:03 am

I had to have my beautiful cat, Tibby Puss, put to sleep on Friday night. My poor little cat. Her medication for her high blood pressure was no longer controlling it. She had massive bleeds in both eyes and was very distressed.

The vet said her blood pressure was dangerously high and her heart rate was enormously increased, which was why she was so ill. There wasn't any choice but to end her suffering.

I always said, the minute her quality of life deteriorated and if there was no way of improving it, then I would do the kindest thing. I knew I wouldn't be bringing her back home.

Words cannot describe how desolate I feel. Our house already feels so empty without her and it is only 12 hours since she died.
I will miss her so much. Bless her.

Cats

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