Desi

3 weeks ago I posted about my dear P*ssycat being put to sleep - http://lightning-strike.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6444.

On Friday 23rd December I had to make the decision to also put to sleep the stray cat which attacked her, who I have named Desi.
I never blamed Desi for the attack even though sometimes I felt angry thinking about what she did.
She had been hanging around on and off for about 2 months, mostly sleeping far down the backyard in the mornings and evenings under any soft spot or bush she could find. I had fed her occassionaly as she was so skinny and I felt sorry for her. After P*ssycat was put to sleep I stilled checked on Desi to see if she was around but it took a few days before I put some food out for her again.

Since last Saturday 17th December I had started feeding her regularly, straight away she started sleeping on the patio in various places, including on the barbecue.
I didn't feel like I could look after her so soon without feeling like I was betraying P*ssycat, so I started to look around if there was a place she could be adopted.

I didn't realise that I had already started a new routine with her and enjoyed having a presence around the house again even though I kept my distance from her still. I would sit outside during the evening while she ate dry food and enjoy hearing the sound of the dry food being crunched again.

I had thought she was a young tom cat because of the attack, plus if she had been eating properly she would have been a big cat and she couldn't meow more than a whisper.

Eventually I decided to check with the vet if they knew anyone that could take her, but they said bring her in for a check up anyway. Turns out she was a female aged about 8-9years old. Desi loved being touched at the vets, something she hadn't felt for so long. She would lie on her back and let the vet play with her tummy. Unfortunately she had cat flu, which explained her sneezing, dry meow and odd looking eyes. But the bigger problem was one of her kidneys was small, odd shaped and lumpy. The vet said she probably only had 6 months to live.
With these facts, especially that she had cat flu and was a carrier it was clear that it would difficult for her to be kept anywhere around other cats so staying in a rescue facility was not really possible. Plus at her age and declining health and the number of healthier cats and kittens at this time of year that she probably would be overlooked for adoption.
We decided to put her to sleep. Walking out of the vets with her soft warm body only 3 weeks to the day after going through the same with P*ssycat I felt like such a bad person. All she wanted was love and affection and to be taken care of which I couldn't do for her, but at least she got affection and care she needed during those last twenty minutes.

I have come to the understanding that what we did was in her best interest, especially because of the high temperatures here this summer. I just wish I could have given her so much love over those few days we spent together. I also know that I wasn't betraying P*ssycat at all and her memory could never be overtaken. Now I am just so sad for Desi, how could anyone abandon their beautiful pet like this? Despite her inside problems she was still going about life as best she could, trying to be friendly and comfortable. She was so skinny and hungry, if I had of known just what her condition was I would have given her everything I had.

I guess I just wanted to share her beautiful memory with some other people so it's not just in my mind. Someone cared for her at some point in her life and I would like for her to be remembered at least by a few people. Take care Desi.

kittycat

Sorry if this post is a bit long:

My dear little cat was put to sleep on Friday morning. She was about 11 and she had been with me for 4 1/2 years.
She had been bitten by a stray cat on the Friday night two weeks prior. I didn't notice anything was wrong until the Sunday morning when she hadn't moved from the couch during the night. During Sunday she was not moving much so decided to monitor her. Because she had been a bit down the week before which turned out to be a furball I though it was the same thing.
She perked up a bit on Sunday night and Monday morning ate some chicken and had a big wee so I thought she would be ok.
After getting home from work on Monday night she was lying on the floor instead of her various beds around the house and wasn't eating. The next day she still wasn't eating so I took her to the vets first thing. It never occured to me that she was sick from the cat fight.

When she was at the vet she had a temperature over 40 degrees C and was quite dehydrated. That night they told me she still had a high temperature and wasn't responding to antibiotics, but luckily the next morning it seemed to be under control. They also found a number of puncture wounds on her side and under her tummy which were a result of being bitten. She still wasn't eating so we decided to bring her home and see if being home would make her more comfortable.

The next morning she had only been having a mouthful at a time, and would go down to the food but then not take any. So back to the vet where over the next four days they took xrays and bloods, and we decided to get her teeth cleaned in case a sore tooth was causing the problem, and they would also be able to check her throat.
The xray was fairly inconclusive regarding why she wouldn't eat and her bloods weren't too bad.

She then came home Saturday morning after 4 1/2 days with the vet. Over the next few days we decided to monitor her progress, but she was still only eating very small amounts of food, but drinking quite a bit. She still had a spark and was acting normally except for lying on the floor instead of her beds most of the time.

On Wednesday morning I was on the couch with her but she would get up every few minutes and cry and then try to sleep again. I thought surely she must be blocked somewhere, because she hadn't done a poo for at least a week. So back to the vets.

During this time I had been given the option of taking her to another clinic for ultrasound but I just couldn't put her through the hour long drive each way.

On Thursday we decided to run another xray and bloods. Her red cell count was low, there was blood in her wee and high amounts of protein, the xray showed something pushing against her trachea and she still hadn't pooed. There was also the possibility of swollen lymph nodes affecting her stomach, but with an ultrasound or stomach surgery it was hard to tell. I couldn't bear putting her through any more tests or injections, she was already scared of everyone except me. So we decied the next morning we would put her to sleep.

I thought there was a still a slight chance she would make it, but seeing her on Friday morning I knew that she had had enough. I thought I would be strong but as soon as I saw her sitting on the table I broke up, knowing that this was it. Holding her head in my hand as she stretched out and slipped away was so hard. It was important for me to be with her at the end and I buried her at home.

3 mornings later and I am so empty, feeling guilty. I guess it's easy afterwards to think what could have been done differently but everything was done at the time in her best interest. There is still food in her bowl and I can't bear putting anything away. I got out and sit by her grave as much as possible but there is this hollow feeling that just won't go away. I miss you so much darling and I'm so sorry I failed to help you.

her name was pus*ycat but this forum won't let me type that word in.

much love from your dad.