Today we officially became the new owners of Ginger as his old owners moved house to a village about 20 miles away.
His Mum came to say goodbye to him yesterday and brought his vacination certificate, his chip details and a bag of frozen prawns as his final treat:)
We've promised to keep him supplied with prawns for the rest of his life.
She's left her email address, and phone number and would like updates as to how he's getting on.
He's settled in well and we now have very few arguments with the other two and have even had a little bit of rubbing noses with Gus ( the siamese male), when Ginger is in a good mood.
Katy, the old lady of the family is only half his size but has seen him off with his tail between his legs once or twice!
He's managed to bite me, and give Mr pda with a thoroughly scratched arm when we misread his mood, but then again, we really should know him by now.
He's a bit sad today as he knows his 'other' home has gone so we've had a chat with him, given him extra cuddles and reassured him that however grumpy he gets, we'll always love him and he'll always have a home with us!
Thanks again to PU who made the suggestion that resulted in us becomming the owners of a phsycho cat!!
Pat
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phew thats some mean cat if his owners have moved to get away from him
you are quite mad.
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SHE...is quite HUMAN.
Martin.
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Well, I've just made the hardest decision of my life.
Almost exactly 3 years from when Ginger oficially became ours, I've just held him while the Vet put him to sleep.
Over the weekend he became very bloated but still happy and eating. I rang the vet yesterday and asked for a home visit as we decided not to put him through the trauma of a cat basket and a car ride to the vet.
The vet explained he was very, very old and his liver had failed but he was still happy and the decision had to be mine. No treatment would cure him.
I likened it to my decision to quit lorry driving while I was still able and loving it.
He came into our lives because he chose us to live with, we loved him even though he was a psycho cat and wanted him to go with dignity.
I held him in my arms, and he's lying in the greenhouse now where he loved to sleep until Ian gets home when he will be buried under the Buddlia (sp?) tree in the field behind the hedge with Totty.
This morning we both walked up the garden and then he had a huge dish of prawns...he only ate a few but his last meal was his 'special' one.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Wed 20 Mar 13 at 14:01
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Read your facebook post, I didn't want to like it as it didn't feel right. I am very sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is to loose pets.
You did the right thing though, with a failing liver there was very little else you could do and he would have just suffered.
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Thanks Ian...I need that reassurance just now.
Pat
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Sympathies Pat, never been a cat person but losing any pet is hard
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Wot commerdriver said.
My dog's 14 this year, can't be long now. Dreading it.
Sounds like you did the right thing Pat, kudos to you.
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I read the whole post eager to guess who Ginger was.
A car, an abandoned member of William Brown's gang of Outlaws, a goldfish, or perhaps your new husband.
No, a cat!
:)
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Yup, fifi is 14 years old. Still happy, still having a great life. Its gonna be really tough but choosing that moment to let them go is possibly one of lifes toughest choices. Its not like human life, you don't have that choice.
Anyway Pat, two more scroungy old fleabag moggies to go, would the vet not have given you a Bogoff? then you can get a dog.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 20 Mar 13 at 14:48
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>>Anyway Pat, two more scroungy old fleabag moggies to go and you can get a dog<<
I know but....
Re-homing old cats who need to be kept together is what we do best.
We walk around the RSPCA and Cat's Protection League and look at all the cute kittens and choose one, then we see an old, lonely cat, resigned to living in a cage forever because no-one wants a cat with problems, no chance of insurance and a certainty of vets bills shortly...and we bring them home.
Pat
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>> then we see an old, lonely cat, resigned to living in
>> a cage forever because no-one wants a cat with problems, no chance of insurance and
>> a certainty of vets bills shortly...and we bring them home.
Time to get on with it, before there are even more cute kittens around - with the start of the spring breeding season.
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All of our cats are doctored, mapmaker, whether male or female.
Pat
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I should presume so. Why are you discussing the gynaecological status of your cats?
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I felt your remark was extremely insensitive actually, but I simply cannot be bothered to argue about it today.
Tomorrow, no doubt, I will have my fighting spirit back.
Pat
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Eh?
You bemuse me, you really do. You manage to take offence and suggest I think you have unneutered cats? Not sure where you read either of those things into my post above.
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To be fair to Pat MM my first scan read of your post was that you were concerned about current cats kittens.
No criticism implied, just the product of a scan.
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We are cat lovers, although not being owned by one nowadays.
Over the years we have had to take the same decision as you have just made, Pat.
It is always hard, but one of the most poignant moments we had was watching half of a litter of gorgeous tabby point kittens die from e-coli infection, passed on from their mother.
We have had a chocolate point and a seal point Siamese, a prize-winning cream longhair, a (catnapped!) rescued blue-cream longhair and not a few moggies.
All were sadly missed, non more so than our soppy chocolate point male, who was quite happy to let our daughter, then aged around 2, use him as a pillow and who loved being a living fur collar for me!
They do entwine themselves in your lives and you have our sympathy.
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So sorry Pat.
Devastating, never seeing that Ginger pussy. That would be very hard for me.
xxx
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>>xxx<<
BBD, I shall ignore the rest of the post but the above, and I do believe you really mean that....and you have made me smile!
Pat
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Also very much not a cat person, but sympathies Pat. There were tears in our household when Spot the goldfish went, (not from me on this occasion) so a warm blooded animal I can imagine must be worse.
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Sad Pat - felt the same when I had to put down my much loved Cocker in 08 :-(
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"we loved him even though he was a psycho cat"
Iknow what you mean Pat. OUr 14 year old cat is definitely of the psycho "variety". Her tail twitches constantly, won't let you pick her up, bites my ankles every morning and has never sat on anyones's lap in her life.
And yet I'm strangely fond of her. Not sure why, but I am.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Wed 20 Mar 13 at 16:44
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>> Not sure why, but I am.
It's called character. What could be duller than a stick insect, or more exciting than an absolute bitch of a cat?
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We had a similar semi-feral cat rescued locally when I was young - timid/vicious - would never sit on a lap, spent most of its time inside beneath a sideboard or occasionally in front of the fire if no-one was near.
Developed a tumour in her nose in her last few months (about 12 or 13 yrs old) and spent its time after that happily sitting on laps being petted, enjoying company until her breathing appeared to be distressed and she was put down.
Old man's current waif/stray is a 3-legged neutered tom that scares most of the local cats away with his lolloping gait. Soft as ***** though with the kids.
Found on facebook:
www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=517683114949004
Last edited by: Lygonos on Wed 20 Mar 13 at 17:07
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Sorry Pat. Even though you know a cat's lifespan, you still suffer.
I had a friend, very soppy about his two cats. The younger one with the silly face was diabetic and had to have injections of insulin every day for years. He spent a small fortune on the vet and the insulin, but wouldn't have dreamed of putting the cat down before its time.
I like cats and dogs, but not enough to want the responsibility of looking after one. In any case my granddaughter's cat has been imposed on us, permanently it seems. Fortunately it's a nice friendly little animal and herself adores it.
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It's because she's a rebel CG...just like me, that's why you like me despite the fact I get under your skin now and again:)
Lygonos...I appreciated the honest answer from the vet and the fact that he made me make the decision.
Now, Ian's on his way home and we're off into the field....
Pat
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Sorry to hear your sad news Pat. I still remember how I felt last autumn when my beloved cat Barney was run over.
People who are not animal will never understand how those of us who are feel when we lose a pet (animal lovers tend to be nicer people too).
Anyway I took your advice and after about a month went to the local Cats Protection centre and came away with a couple of old mogs (actually they chose me !) that had been in there for months as people had obviously chosen the young pretty ones over them.
Despite being 10 and 11 years old they are like a couple of turbo charged kittens and I have never regretted getting them for a minute despite the fact that I have had to replace the leather sofas as they shredded them !
All the best
Andy
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I am a big burly bloke and I cried when my cat had to be put to sleep in 2008.
I feel for you.
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>> Now, Ian's on his way home and we're off into the field....
>>
>> Pat
Dogging, the Fenland Variation
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Our sympathies are with you. We brought our two cats from the UK here to Austria to live with us in September 2009. The older one (19) had to be put to sleep in June 2011 after almost two very happy years here. We think she had a stroke or similar, and three weeks later we had to take the same awful decision as you.
You'll always remember him, but you'll know that you made absolutely the right decision to avoid him suffering further.
Last edited by: Mike H on Wed 20 Mar 13 at 21:01
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Really sad Pat - I feel sorry for you I really do. :-(
We have a 17 year old cat which is happy but I know is on borrowed time. We know she probably has thyroid issues but if we get all the blood tests done she'll be on tablets for the rest of her time. And she is content still. We know and can guess some of the underlying problems. And were at the vets last summer with her.
You've done the right/humane thing if the cat was now suffering. A relative spent thousands trying to treat a dog (really it was thousands and travel to far away vets).... the dog was suffering and they wouldn't let it pass away quietly with the help of a vet. It went on for more than a year.... The dog was not well.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 20 Mar 13 at 21:42
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I think it can be harder to accommodate to the death of a pet than to that of a human.
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Well done Pat. Heart of Gold that Woman.
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im so sorry for your loss Pat.
in same situation with my Labrador, keep hoping he will improve but know what i need to do soon.
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>
>> This morning we both walked up the garden and then he had a huge dish
>> of prawns...he only ate a few but his last meal was his 'special' one.
>>
We took on my mother-in-law's old tabby, Luka, for the last 2 years of his life. His greatest passion was turkey; he would sit in front of the oven and watch it cook.
During the last winter of his life, Luka sat closer and closer to the fire every night, and we knew he was starting to fade; we were going to my daughter's for New Year, so we kept him over the Christmas weekend, he enjoyed his turkey, and then we took him to the vet's before we went away; the vet confirmed that he would only have lasted a few more days and we didn't want him to die alone.
I know how you feel Pat.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Sat 23 Mar 13 at 00:11
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Thanks all....the black cloud is beginning to lift a bit but the house still feels empty.
Got home late last night to find a letter from the Vet. I opened it expecting it to be a bill for the injection but found this.
>> Dear Mrs PDA
May I extend my deepest sympathy to you on losing your much loved cat Ginger. I know that it was a very difficult decision for you to make, but I believe that you made the right decision.
I hope very much that sad thoughts will soon be replaced by happy memories of a great companion.
Kind Regards
Dr Nick Valley DVM, MSc,MRCVS
What a lovely touch.
Pat
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So where was the bill????? :S
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I had already paid a callout fee and consultation fee when I made the appointment online by debit card as it was a new vet for us.
The fee was £86.50 for a vet and nurse to visit and examine/diagnose, as we're 8 miles from the surgery I am more than happy with that.
Any further treatment would have been billed but he did say there was no further charge.
Pat
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I knew it wouldn't last.....
We waited, and hoped, a stray would arrive in the garden just the way Ginger did and make himself at home, but it didn't happen.
By the time we got back from Cornwall last weekend we both knew the time was right to have a wander round the various cat sanctuaries.
We didn't get to the second one on the list!
We both wanted a cat to adopt us, but neither wanted a white cat for some reason.
It had to be an older cat and I wanted a male one.
We were invited into a huge run with around 14 adult cats in it and immediately a huge, pure white cat flopped onto my knee and purred.
He had a badly deformed ear and was recued from an owner who had kicked him around the garden and been seen swinging it around by his tail. The rescue centre had named him Jason...but he responded to loppylugs when I spoke to him.
I'd like to say the rest is history but it didn't end there.
There was another male cat, black and white and also enormous who they assured us is a bit mad. He plays like mad, talks non stop and then falls down anywhere and sleeps it off.
His name is Clive and he had been there for over a year. All he wanted was a garden to play in.
They both came home with us and after initial grumbling from Katie, the only female and so tiny, but boss of them all, and Gussy they are both settling in nicely.
Clive the Cat is as happy as a sandboy and thinks all his prayers have been answered at once!
Loppy will take a long time to trust people again and is aloof and scared, independent and self contained but it will be so worthwhile the first time he really puts his trust in us and forgets his past.
Here they are: s100.photobucket.com/user/Veeeight/slideshow/Cats
Pat
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You old softie, you, Pat!
I also have a penchant for cats, but have never been able to countenance the idea of having a replacement for little Smokey, my then partner's cat, who died several years ago and upset me more than I can say.
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>>>owner who had kicked him
Words fail me!
Well done Pat! I hope they bring you years of joy!
I am a real animal lover but as I work away from home a lot I don't have any pets at the moment. Wish I did!
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I used to tease my poor children by singing 'Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat and his dodgy old cat'. It annoyed them so much that I stopped doing it.
Can't think why I have just remembered that. I must be getting Alzheimer's.
:o}
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I think it may have been ill timed to have new cats when it's forecasting a very hot weekend.
Doors and windows closed is not a good idea but Loppy has already shown Houdini tendencies!
Pat
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Just in case, are they not chipped? I'd have thought they were being rescue cats. Not that you want to risk them dashing out.
Well done for taking two cats in. We keep saying we'l not get another cat - ours is 17 years old. And if we ever did move to Greece we'd not take any in... but I am sure we'll end up with another car one day.
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They are all chipped, injected, wormed and neutered so it's just fingers crossed for the mangled ear Loppy has now...it weeps a bit.
Pat
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It can't be too bad can it? I hope it heals quickly.
My brother's often adopting/fostering cats. He's got a few now being fostered and I bet he keeps some. He does have a big house in California for them to enjoy.
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>> I think it may have been ill timed to have new cats when it's forecasting
>> a very hot weekend.
If that forecast came from the met office, then I would be getting the sand bags ready !
I've always kept cats in for a week when we have brought them home, but its always nerve wrecking when they are let out for the first time. The last one, Barney who was a real adventurer disappeared for 6 hours on his first trip out by which time I was frantic until he strolled back in.
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I can see the concern if one lives in a city or near a main road, but do cats really get lost?
I have and had several, and they've all wandered pretty much as soon as their Mother would let them and they were physically able, or within a day or two of coming here. And we've not lost a little one yet.
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>> do cats really get lost?
They might try to return home. My mother had a cat when a child and it went missing when camping about 10 miles from home (the family plus cat were camping and not just the cat!). Weeks later it did turn up on the doorstep and was very thin.
Not sure if your comment was about general roaming or not. But these cats needed to learn where PDA lives I guess.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 2 Jul 13 at 19:01
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>>Not sure if your comment was about general roaming or no
In South America cats breed like, well, rabbits. Sadly Darwin is fairly heavily involved, certainly downtown. My children rescue kittens on a fairly regular basis. Wife is a vet so they get zapped, and then they live with us. Not a huge problem since we have a farm in the mountains so we're not going to get crowded out anytime soon.
But my wife, the vet, worries that they should be kept inside for two weeks. Girls and I are not disciplined enough to remember to close stuff.
And like I said, not lost anything yet.
However, I guess the salient point in your post was "try to return home" Our cats don't come from anywhere I can imagine that they'd want to return to.
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>> I used to tease my poor children by singing 'Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat
>> and his dodgy old cat'. It annoyed them so much that I stopped doing it.
You are a wag, Lud. I tease the grandchildren by singing, to the Scooby-Do music................
Scooby Dooby Do
Had a poo.
He did it in Shaggy's slipper.
Shaggy put it on,
Ooh, what a pong,
it made him shake and shiver !
Class, eh ?
Ted
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They will be allowed out this weekend and at least we'll be out in the garden with them most of the time once I finish work on Saturday.
The field at the back of the garden where Gus and Katie love to roam is huge and has corn in it this year which is about 15'' tall with the headlands growing last years oilseed rape at around 5' tall, so it makes it hard to spot a cat and for the cat to find a way out too.
They are both used to a cat flap and are showing interest in ours which is set to entry only at the moment.
...much to Gus and Katie's disgust, but they like the litter tray we've had to use again until they can all go out:)
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Wed 3 Jul 13 at 05:11
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regarding cat behaviour, there was a Horizon programme recently which is still available on iPlayer for a couple of weeks:
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b02xcvhw
I'm not sure if it was this episode, or a companion prog from the same venue, which found that one cat that "went missing" had actually "moved out" and taken up residence across the road.
AFAIR the original owner seemed not to understand that she'd effectively driven it out with dogs/children who tormented it.
Cats have staff.
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We recorded that JohnH but haven't had time to watch it yet!
Pat
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the "deserter cat" features in this episode:
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b02xcng8
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..................and I thought that this thread was going to be about gay marriage ;-)
Pleased to see it's about pussies.
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A Ginger Update - Zero
