A Guest for Christmas Tea

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John

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2019, 23:53 »
That's an idea! Let's see what happens tomorrow when we've been to the vets.
We've set the crate up in the bathroom - keeps him apart from the other cats and I think he could do without stress. Also, if he gets out of the crate he's in a room with a shut door.
Well, he's used the litter tray.. I'd give it a few minutes as they say :)
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John

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2019, 11:26 »
He's up at the vets who will ring later - having blood tests and the eye-specialist will take a look but it seems to be a tumour on his eye. She can feel a mass in his belly as well so ultrasound for that. He's very underweight which could just be from being homeless or it could be some medical cause. His jaw is OK but what teeth he has left have seen better days.
Plan is to review when we've got the results and decide the best thing to do. Vet's not hopeful, though.
If needed I've arranged accommodation at the local cat rescue - much as I'd like him to stay here it's just not going to work. The tension with the existing moggies is high.


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John

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #17 on: December 30, 2019, 14:49 »
Sad news I'm sorry to say. He's got Feline Infectious Leukemia - FeLV - which is incurable and eventually fatal. He's in the last stages. If he was a house cat, then we could keep him limping along for a few months.. possibly.. but he's not. It wouldn't be a kindness to condemn him to a lingering, painful, lonely end.
I'm heading up there in a bit to be with him at the end, I'll take some chicken breast so he has a treat before the injection. Only consolation is that his last couple of days have been decent with food and warmth and affection.
Strange how he's gone from that blasted beast who's sprayed half the kitchen with pungent marker to someone in my heart.

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Growster...

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #18 on: December 30, 2019, 17:00 »
Your help for the little chap will have made a huge difference, John.

Growsters get 'touched' by such kindness in many ways, but this is so very sad to read.

Well done you and Val! Plenty of mice 'up there' anyway!

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mumofstig

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #19 on: December 30, 2019, 17:15 »
It's better for him to be PTS than carry on in pain, at least you cared enough to do that for him, although it is sad :(

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Plot 1 Problems

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #20 on: December 30, 2019, 17:37 »
A sad end to the tale, but as others have said at least you helped him out in his last few days.

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jaydig

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #21 on: December 30, 2019, 18:28 »
You have given him care and comfort for his last few days, and nobody can do more than that.  The most important thing in caring for animals is that they are lucky enough to have someone to decide when enough is enough and that they don't suffer unnecessarily at the end.  It's never an easy decision, and can break your heart, but those who truly love their animals will always put the pet's welfare above their own feelings. I'm sorry it wasn't a better outcome, but it would have been far worse if you hadn't taken him in.

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John

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #22 on: December 30, 2019, 18:35 »
I got there half an hour early and had some time with him. The nurse brought the cat basket in and he meowed at me. Jumped out for 5 minutes of head butting and purring and then ate a sachet of Whiskas, stopping every few minutes to head bump me.
When the vet came in, he gave her a head bump as well. He'd got a catheter (?) in his leg so no injection as such. He was gone in 3 seconds. He went happy and loved with no pain.
It was tough but I kept it together until I got in the car to drive home.
Our neighbours from up the hill insisted on contributing to the bill as he used to visit them as well.
Feel very wretched tonight, despite knowing it was the right thing to do for him.

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wighty

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #23 on: December 30, 2019, 18:42 »
A sad but touching story, you did the right thing, I  know it's hard, had to make that decision myself over my dogs. To lose someone, anyone, animal or human at this time of year seems to make it harder.  I'm proud of you John that you could have sensed he needed you at this time of his life and made him welcome.  Wighty.

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New shoot

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #24 on: December 31, 2019, 09:02 »
Oh poor old puss cat  :( 

As you say, as a whole tom he was pre-disposed to be a wanderer, a scrapper and a chancer.  He probably had a fine old time of it raiding houses, terrorising the resident moggies and nicking their food.  As for the humans - pah, spray the microwave and let them know who is boss.

He had some friends in your neighbours and you.  Even though he was a menace in his fitter days, you cared and he let you know he appreciated it.  Head bumps are not dished out to just anyone.

You did better than me at the vets as well.  I cried my eyes out when I had to take Max to be PTS last year.  I even got set off again picking up his ashes. Nothing wrong in having a heart  :)

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John

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #25 on: December 31, 2019, 10:17 »
It's not the first time I've had to take a cat on a one way trip and it doesn't get any easier for me, but I've got better at making it easier for them. They don't see it coming, so no fear or pain.
What did take me by surprise was how he'd got into my heart overnight. He lived his life as he wanted and went out on a high - which is something we all would like, I think.



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MrsPea

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #26 on: December 31, 2019, 16:17 »
A sad but lovely story R.I.P Tom.  :)
I Love my green house

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Yorkie

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #27 on: January 02, 2020, 16:58 »
Aww, bless you for caring for him John.

*Must be an eyelash in my eye … I'm not sniffling here, honest*
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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grinling

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #28 on: January 04, 2020, 22:45 »
You make me think of Brian Blessed who has an animal rescue place near the A3, very moving book of his about the animals they have looked after

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John

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Re: A Guest for Christmas Tea
« Reply #29 on: January 05, 2020, 09:27 »
You make me think of Brian Blessed who has an animal rescue place near the A3, very moving book of his about the animals they have looked after
I didn't know that about Brian Blessed, good on him!


 

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