Dear Denil1963,
I was crying before I reached the end of your post.
So sorry about your lovely cat, but you gave him precious extra time, and he left you knowing he was loved.
The reason I was crying so fast was because it echoed my own year : so many problems, husband's crippling debts, and the worry about my future if he died first, because we are poor, and have allmost no assets...rotting old mobile home that he won't mend, etc., etc.). My dear little old lady tabby must have been at least 15 I think, when she appeared around our mobile home site, then took up residence underneath us ! I took weeks to gain her trust, and set up a box with a duvet in, underneath, which she took to quite quickly. I'd go out in all weathers , and feed her, either by putting a bowl of food and milk down, and then later, she'd jump on my knee to feed (often under an umbrella).
Eventually, this routine got too difficult, so one night I gathered her up in a fleece, and took her indoors : this exiled my existing timid black (also stray )cat, who arrived here as a kitten from 'rough types' nearby who tipped him out with his 3 (?) siblings. "Cuddles" as I named her, because she had clearly been used to being a house cat), had the whole sofa, with covered bed, a place for food and milk (lacto free, naturally !), a cushion on the back of the sofa so she could soak up the morning sun, and a litter stray, which she did use, but also the carpets and rugs !
O.K. for a few years, but then, this year, she gradually became more and more tired, sleeping a lot, and not wanting to eat, despite a large range of tempting raw or cooked foods. It was clear something was very wrong...this June, we went to a local vet , and the discovery of an internal tumour made the decision to let her go...No point in attempting huge bills for surgery, and we couldn't do it anyway, being under crippling debts already (his doing, not mine), so that was 'it', the darling was purring as she had her last injection, I know it's humane and very 'easy', the animal just 'stops'...very quick...best thing to do....pity they don't allow humans that oprion ! We are put through a living death if we get cancer :I have watched it 3 times, and had major cancer myself, so I know what to expect if mine comes back : barbaric, in my humble opinion. No quality of life, just a long period of ever more disability and dependence, boredom, etc....
By the way, the black cat , now 5 years old, has been O.K., if annoyed by having 'his' space usurped by an interloper !
He is young, still, and must know he is loved, I have made a big 'fuss' of him throughout, and now he is gradually coming in more : he has selected a place on top of a pile of boxes, which I made into a comfy bed, with a sheepskin cushion cover he can snuggle into....he is much happier, but he needn't have exiled himself, becasue he also had my bed as permanent place to sleep , but wouldn't use it !
(Ah well , "not too bright"! ).
Anyway, I deeply sympathise with you and want to congratulate you for your kind actions in helping your poor cat. But it is so deeply shocking, isn't it.
I got ill 3 times directly after 'Cuddles' went, a tooth abscess (not had since 1983), then a U.T.I, then an ear /throat infection....on top of general depression brought on by 50 years' stress and relentless reduction in quality of life, plus loads of heavy work for nothing - 13 moves, no 'Pickfords' , 4 gardens built from wasteland / brambles, etc., all destroyed later, now this latest, WILL be destroyed when we 'go', under the site's awful 'strip it down to nothing ' policy, every time anyone moves out or dies...
All I can do, now I am losing mobility age 70 and getting bone spurs in one hip , I think, with much pain on walking, it eases with rest, but quickly returns)....as I say, all I can do is cast around to see if anyone wants some of my treasured,but excess shrubs...e.g., Bay, tree mallows, forsythia, juniper (?), linaria, etc., etc.
I'd rather give them away now, than leave them to be ripped up and destroyed later...
(Anyone else reading this, please note an address below )
I hope this Gransnet might have people who value the 'clothing' of a house with nice plants around it, not all BARE and stark, as this site always does. It was heartbreaking to see my 15 plus years hard graft in our last garden , just bulldozed all away, to nothing.
It was terribly hard to dig up shrubs, pot them, moves walls and patio, with no help from hubby...I think that started my hip damage....we can't inflict such heavy strain on joints at advanced age !
Anyway, I felt I just had to write to you, as I too was so 'knocked down' by the loss of such a sweet cat, who had clearly suffered a trauma (maybe owner died, etc...?). If you'd like to phone, please leave a message and your phone number on [email protected], and I will call back.
This is bona fide, just reaching out to offer sympathy to another person who has shown compassion for a poor animal, and has also 'paid' for it dearly with grief...but as our lovely Queen Elizabeth once said, "That's the price of love....". Do phone soon, if you wish....With Best Wishes, "Rosiebelle " .
