Aged cats

I know how much your cats mean to you absent and I'm so sorry for your loss.

absent I am so sorry about your cats, what a horrible Christmas! What a wonderful age though. Our 16 year old is still thriving on his thyroid pills and the 14 year old seems fit enough. The other two are much younger. It is so hard to see them go and they do leave such a hole.

absent, I am so sad for you. It's 15 years since I had to do the same for my two, within a month or so. It's the price we pay for the love and companionship of our pets. It still hurts to think about mine and yours will always be there in your heart too.

Ariadne The fonts were all born in my office and as I write books I named them all after fonts. Dingbat was first and never was a cat so appropriately named, Helvetica Semi-bold, who never quite grew into his paws and always looked guilty, was next, then came Bodoni, a serif cat with a curvaceous tail, and finally small but feisty Frutiger Light Condensed made her appearance. They remaining three will be 16 in February.

I'm so sorry to hear about Fishpaste and Helvetica absent. It must have been so difficult watching poor Fishpaste looking so poorly right through Christmas as well. What a comfort for them both to have you with them at the end.

I had always avoided being there for that last trip to the vet but just over two years ago I was the only person around when my poor Max was really struggling so I had no choice. Once the vet gave the advice I was expecting, I knew I couldn't just leave Max in the hands of a stranger (however kind) for his last moments. I was so glad I did, it really helped me to see how peacefully he left us and to know that my voice was the last one he heard. Now I'm in floods of tears as well.

absent I do hope the remaining members of the family will make it to NZ where they could have a new lease of life x

Oh, and * absent* their names are intriguing. I understand Fishpaste, but were did the other names come from?

Oh absent I am so sorry to hear these sad stories. I have posted before about losing my Rosie at the age of 24; you know when the time has come, but oh my goodness it hurts.

I read, some where in a book, someone saying about a cat "It's nice to have a person in the house who isn't human." That is a cat. (I'm sure it is a dog too!)

Love to you and the other three (not forgetting Mr a.)

Oh I sobbed my heart out both times MiceElf.

Oh dear. I've got tears in my eyes reading about these lovely puss cats. So you must be heartbroken. I think you were very brave to go to the vets with them, I'm not sure I would have the mental strength to do that. My old puss pushing twenty so every day is a bonus.

So sorry to hear about your beloved cats Absent, but they will be happily frolicking somewhere. I hope you have the other three for a while longer yet.

Oh absent, I'm so sorry about your cats. I was broken-hearted when my wee Lucky had to be put to sleep last year, and like you, stayed with him as he drifted away. I hope the remaining ones manage to emigrate with you.

So many of you were very kind when I first posted about Fishpaste I thought I would bring you up to date. She was due another steroid jab on the Friday before Christmas but could we get a taxi to take us to the vet? Fortunately, a kind neighbour – dog- rather than cat-owner – kindly drove us there and waited until we were ready to come home again. As before, the stuff worked like magic and she was walking more easily and clearly feeling quite perky.

However, late on Christmas Eve, it became clear that she couldn't really stand up. She would struggle to her feet but then keel over. Could it have happened at a worse time? We nursed her with constant care and attention, keeping her wrapped in a blanket nestled in her doughnut on top of absorbent towels throughout Christmas and Boxing Day. She wasn't in pain, just unable to stand or walk about and very puzzled. She gradually lost interest in food and water but just hung on in there, tough old lady.

The Thursday after Boxing Day we rang our vet as soon as the clinic was open and went in immediately. As we expected, there was no cure and we stroked her goodbye as we gave her messages to Dylan, Max our lovely dog and all the other the pets we have loved and lost.

But this is not the end of our sad Christmas. About five o'clock on Saturday morning, I found Helvetica Semi-bold collapsed on the landing outside our bedroom. He had been getting very scruffy, not grooming himself much, and a bit inclined to poo in unlikely places, but I had no idea that he was that weak. I scooped him up and popped him in a doughnut with the towels and blanket and woke Mr absent. When the poor little chap started fitting we knew it was the end but had to wait until eight before we could telephone the vet. Once again, we stroked a lovely tabby goodbye and sent him off with messages for his mum and others.

So now our family of cats is down to three – Dingbat who was diagnosed with a dodgy ticker when he had his yearly check-up this month and the two girls, Bodoni and Frutiger. I am still plannning to take them to New Zealand when we emigrate but can't help feeling that not all of them – perhaps none – will make it. But I shall proceed as if they have years of happy healthy life ahead and keep my fingers crossed.

When my daughter and her husband were living with us her elderly cat had a stroke while having some teeth out. This left her blind and barely able to walk so my daughter cat proofed their room with padding round all the walls so she couldn't hurt herself. There are still traces of it 7 years after they moved out.

And stencil holly and ivy kittylester? Yes – if I wasn't quite so busy. No serious guests this Christmas, so we can manage.

Spray silver paint on it absent

We had a house with ranch type railings on the landing which were very tempting for the boys, aged one and three, so Dh put HUGE pieces of hardboard all the way along 'temporarily' while we decided what to do on a more permanent basis. When we moved 3 years later they were still there, but I expect you guessed that

That is good news absent. How wonderful to see Fishpaste having a new lease of life, even though your house has to be adapted for her needs.

In my case it was the dining room carpet that bore the brunt. It's amazing what we put up with for our animal friends. I still get the odd waft of cat pee in there, even though the carpet and the cat are long gone. Ah nostalgia

Fishpaste has had her 21-day jab now and is looking so much better. In fact, so lively has she suddenly become that she has taken to hurling herself through the banister. All the cats have been known to take a short cut when coming downstairs, but my old lady doesn't know how high up she is when she jumps through. In order to prevent her from breaking her neck, Mr absent has woven some off-cuts of hardboard in and out of the balusters to prevent her from doing this.

It's so glamorous in this house now with ladders and pots of paint on every level, peed on stair carpet (which will be replaced when the redecoration is finished) and instead of Christmas garlands, hardboard woven up the stairs. Deck the halls …

Hi i'm also new to this, i hope your vet can help you it must be awful for your cat and yourself to listen to howling, going back to them drinking water from the tap, cat's just like to be different, i have a full bowl of water down all day because i also have dog's but my 8 year old Bobby likes to drink water from my pond instead which i found very strange, he doesn't drink water at all from indoors.
Anyway wishing you the best at the vets.

Such good news absent I hoped there wouldn't be anything obviously terminal. It's always good to know that you've got a little longer and with luck the little longer can stretch for quiite a while!

Oh absent , that is good to hear! (That she is moving easily, I mean)

Thanks everyone. Today has been a bit mad chez nous as we have had plumbers flushing through the central heating system – very noisy and workmen walking around and up and downstairs for several hours (anathema to cats). However, Fishpaste has jumped down from the sofas without any difficulty and veritably skipped up the stairs more than once. Even the little puddles of pee see to be a few less. She's also had so many cuddles with Mr absent I am beginning to feel slightly envious.

thats good news absent and you can like you say enjoy fishpaste for a while yet

So pleased for you, absent. They do become part of our lives don't they? My late ginger cat went completely blind but adapted very well and lasted several more years, also with hyperthyroidism. He could find his way around the house and garden very successfully - always able to negotiate any obstacles (including the cat flap) when he heard the tin-opener in use.

Bless!

Good news, pleased to hear it.