This is not going well

[frog]

Bless you all and many thanks for straightening out the perspective. You're right - the cat has bigger problems than we do . It's just that he's part of mine at the moment.

It's just one of them times when the world seems to be queueing up to have a pop at us. I do recall the last, and first, time out bank cards were robbed. That was during the time of a certain cycle components company's problems.

I've got my suspicions about this rip off. Jean and I went for a walk on Sunday and stopped for fuel at a garage, local, we've never been to before. The girl from the bank on the phone itemised the last 15 or so of Jean's purchases and the garage was the only 'new' place she'd visited in over 3 months. I know I'm putting two and two together and getting something other than four but somethings are just too coincidental.

What really grips is the bank let the £1400 through with no query!! Jean and I bought some expensive furniture last year and when we paid for it the sale was refused. The shop said they get that all the time because the purchase was over a limit. So, the bank will stop genuine payments by the owner of the card but won't question any flippin' tea-leaf who wants to shop at our expense.

The moggie is a worry. He's stopped grooming himself over a year ago and one day you have a relative normal cat and the next day you have a mass of fur lumps - he will only stand grooming for a few seconds and then he gets narked with you. He's lost a load of weight and is really skinny. Lost a leg 12 years ago so he don't get around too well and he's easy meat for the other cats in the neighbourhood. We moved a couple of years ago and all of a sudden he went from being a house bound bullied cat to having his own huge garden all to himself. It was like having a new cat. He'd only come in to eat and kip then be back out again. At least once a week he'd come 'bounding' - well, his version of bounding - down the garden, having fallen in the pond trying to catch the frogs who live there. He might be a bloody idiot cat, but he's our bloody idiot cat, and there's bugger all we can do to make it better.

 

[fossyant]

Our cat's recovered from a version of FIV / gingivitus - VET couldn't cure it - she stopped eating (very sore gums), we spent a year with various anti-viral drops and stuff, then last May she had all her teath out as a last resort - she's been fine since. No good at biting anything, but still has a full set of claws. The other cat was shot at the same time as all this was going on, so we had two ill cats at one point - fortunately we were insured. Said two cats were joined by a kitten 6 months ago - god that's a nightmare....right little terror, but it does allow our young kids to pick it up, squash it etc. The other two are 12 and just about put up with a quick stroke from the kids.

 

[Arch]

Frog, I hope this doesn't sound callous, but it sounds like your cat has had the best life he could, and even if this is the close of it, you are at least able to make that end as painless and loving as possible. Something I'd like to think could be extended to me, when my time comes.

Have you read Watership Down? When Hazel the lead rabbit dies of old age, he simply leaves his body behind and slips away to be with his god-rabbit in a spirit form - perhaps a bit soppy, but a sort of nice thought.

Remember him with fondness, and get another cat. Preferably a rescue one?

 

[Chris James]

She's quite right, it's got to be out of Warranty and a couple of MOT's down the line before you employ superglue and your own toolkits.

Can't you just super glue it anyway and not tell her?

Then again my wife probably wouldn't notice if the wing miror was completely absent and she is used to having bits of her car hanging off.

 

[TVC]

Frog, can I endorse all Arch said.

I had to have my cat put down a week past Sunday. Sophie had gone to sleep on my lap almost every night for fourteen years so it ripped me apart to decide that her cancer had gone far enough. My last and most important duty as her owner was to recognise when she'd had enough and see her off with love.

Here's hoping your moggy will still be around for a while, if not, the anguish will subside and all the great memories will remain.

 

[Chuffy]

Wah! I'm starting to fill up, enough of the sad moggy tales already!

Seriously Froggy, what did the vet say about your cat? Sounds like a very odd condition. Er, there are cat versions of this forum, including the Know How section. Have you tried any of them for advice? This one is very good, Baggy is on it so say hello if you do.

As for the bank card, yes we had that too. Very embarrassing when you're standing in a long queue in sodding IKEA and everyone behind you is looking at their watches. I guess that the naughty people who nicked your details made their purchases online. Much less likely to be checked.

 

[frog]

Thanks everyone! I really do appreciate the advice and support. Jean and I are taking Bonno on Saturday morning so we'll get the verdict then. I think the thing which gets me the most is the very rapid visible decline in him. Even with three legs he could do stairs, and ladders, pretty well. It's a major event just to get in and out of his cat bed now.

Our other cat, Thomas, was put to sleep in my arms at the vets two years ago. I just couldn't walk off and let him die among strangers.

Like you say, 18 years is a good time. God knows what that is in 'cat years' but it's got to be pretty old. Like I say, it's the speed of the decline which is hard to take.

 

[Arch]

Like you say, 18 years is a good time. God knows what that is in 'cat years' but it's got to be pretty old. Like I say, it's the speed of the decline which is hard to take.

It is very sad. But in some ways, maybe a fairly swift end is better than dragging on for ages? More of a shock, but in the end, less time to worry about it up front.

All the best, anyway....

 

[yenrod]

All the best Frog, lad !

 

[catwoman]

I had a cat that lived to the grand old age of 20. So there may be some life for the old cat yet. Hope he's alright.
I have taken to housing rescue cats these days in the event of any sad losses to the household. There are thousands of them wanting good homes. I only keep two though and they know how lucky they are!

 

[frog]

Bonno was put to sleep on Saturday morning. His kidneys were in bad shape and his arthritic hips were very painful for him.

I know it was the only decision but I still feel like Judas

 

[Arch]

Bonno was put to sleep on Saturday morning. His kidneys were in bad shape and his arthritic hips were very painful for him.

I know it was the only decision but I still feel like Judas

Aw, sorry to hear it. But he'll feel no more pain now, and as none of us can actually prove the existance/non-existance of an afterlife, you can imagine him bounding about in cat heaven. (Which also happend to be mouse hell, it's all worked out very neatly as a system)

 

[Chuffy]

Bonno was put to sleep on Saturday morning. His kidneys were in bad shape and his arthritic hips were very painful for him.

I know it was the only decision but I still feel like Judas

Bugger.

 

[cisamcgu]

Sorry to hear that Frog.

There is no need to feel like Judas, you didn't betray his trust nor his love. He relied on you to make his life happy and secure, which you did, but he also counted on you to make sure that he didn't suffer, and that he has a dignified and peaceful end.

It is always sad when something you love leaves you; the aguish will go eventually , but the memories will live forever.



Andrew

 

[alecstilleyedye]

frog, you did a kind thing to end the cat's suffering. be sad for your cat, but not your actions.