# Yet another heartache



## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Manny cat hasn't been well for about 2 weeks, discovered this morning through blood tests taken last week she has feline aids and a liver tumour.
As she has bucked up in the last 2 days, is eating, drinking and paying attention to whats going on around we have decided to let her be until its plain she wants out.
15+ years old, she adopted us before we moved into the house (when we were in rented accommodation) and has been bossing us about even longer than Shade was.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

So sorry to hear this Jan, she is a lovely and intelligent little thing.


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

As Kevin has said Jan, sorry to hear your bad news.

Drew


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Pets are such a big part of our lives and it's awful when they are ill. We travelled with Charlie dog in 2010/11 knowing he had cancer, but gave him a final year of being constantly with us. Quality of life came above quantity, though the goodbye was still devastatingly sad. Big hugs for your sad news.

L x


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

It’s what we choose 

When they are tiny puppies kittens

15 + yrs a good age for manny 

Much like us a fairly good age 

The years shoot by 

And we too stand on the brink 

Shadow stands on the brink , as do I and Albert

It’s life 

Sandra


Sandra


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Sorry to hear that Jan.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Sad news Jan, but it's good to hear she's perked up a bit. You'll know when it's time, and knowing you're releasing her from pain will help a bit.

Sending a big hug.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Oh Jan, that is so sad.. At least Manny cat has no idea. And when that awful day comes she will still have no idea. I always take comfort from that and try to stay cheerful during "the procedure" so that they think it is just another vaccination other treatment.

Lots of hugs.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

She is happy enough at the moment, eating her food and the treats after meals, today she had ice cream, has a little look around the garden then sleeps the rest of the time showing no sign of discomfort.
Car journeys she detests, gets so distressed, complains all the time and pees in the carrier.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

She’s happy Jan

What more can you want 

You would have been devastated by Shalom 

A kitten picked up in the old city of Jerusalem scrabbling for a toffee trodden into cobbles 

Lived with us for years 

Until the call of the wild 

And I met him every evening at the end of the garden 

A garden that ended in the wild 

And he was there waiting but no way could I tempt him back 

He rubbed heads with me , purring 

Until one day he was no longer there 

And I never saw him again 

Sandra


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

I'm sorry to hear about Manny, Milly, especially coming after losing Shade.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I can´t believe this cat, watch this space- 
It takes a few minutes to show you.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*Now she is sound asleep*

Last Thursday we thought she was dying, took her to the vet, the bill arrived this morning, €106.77 has she been having us on?


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

Glad I'm not eating lunch.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I was cooking goulash at the time, but I told her I had enough meat so threw it away (the mouse not the goulash)


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Do you have insurance Jan?

We do for shadow and it’s costing £75 a month with a £60 excess which is crazy 

Starts off so cheap and escalates at a rate of nots the older the animal becomes 

We’ve had two major claims in 10 years 

One due to the incompetence of a vet 

One I’m sure due to poison 

Both required a heavy cash top up from us 

I often wonder if insurance is the reason for heavy vet bills these days 

Glad Manny is bucking up

My daughters cat is in to hunting mice too , and young rats 

Fine that’s nature

But she brings them in via the cat flap

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

We only ever insured 1 dog Sandra and that was when it cost £19.00 a year, It was well worth it, we used it for his acupuncture and laser treatment.
We decided, as we did with our own private health insurance when it went sky high, if anything is needed for us or animals we would be better off putting the money into a separate account for that reason, never did of course, but a think we have save thousands by doing it our way.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

And we should and often thought about it

But there is the insurance to cover accidents caused by him 

Will he bite someone ?

Will he run onto the road?

Prob not , he’s guarded better than Fort Knox >

But he is covered for most eventuality 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

That we have for Motley 74.00€ a year, in fact the reminder for September came through the door this morning.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well he’s the last

So we will pay 

How long that last will last is anyone’s guess 

A few years given his lack of intestines 

6 months for Albert given the depth of the tumour and the rate it would race around his body 

5 years at most with supreme luck 

They almost didn’t bother to treat the prostrate cancer

Why bother the melonoma will claim you first 

But they did

And five years later 

The melonma hasn’t raced throughout his body .....yet 

And shadow is managing well with his lack of intestines

Sometimes very loose bowels

A pain on holiday in the MH when it occurs 

An occasionally accidents in the house 

But hey we are all still alive 

And a diet of fresh cooked chicken and rice 

Works most of the time

Sandra


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

That €106 was obviously money well-spent Jan!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

jiwawa said:


> That €106 was obviously money well-spent Jan!


No medication Jean, only diagnostic blood tests.

I just made up this little video of her and Shade


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Private?!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

jiwawa said:


> Private?!


When will I learn, try again.
Just been outside to look at the eclipse and there she was playing with another mouse.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I think we have the beginning of the end. 
She spent the whole day yesterday under our car where it was obviously cooler because we have a cobble stone drive and the stone probably keep cool without the sun on them. I couldn´t coax her out so put some milk & water mix in front of her, she had a couple of licks and then went further under the car. She hadn't eaten for 2 days.
This morning we spent an age looking for her, calling and searching, I finally found her on my neighbours ( who feed her when we are away) back door mat. She is even thinner now. Anyway I made some of her food into a soup and she licked it up and immediately went behind the sofa and is sleeping. I think we will have to call the vet to come here because we don't want her stressed out with the car journey, she just hates it.
But, you know last time she made the miraculous recovery and she is obviously in no pain, just doesn't feel well, maybe she will recover again, I think we will wait a bit.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Fingers crossed here Jan.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

One of ours had liver disease and started to go off and hide up making us look for him. It was, as you say, the beginning of the end.

I, now, abide by the mantra "better a day too soon than a day too late". Whenever it happens we are going to feel the pain so it may as well be sooner rather than later. So hard though


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

That's very sad news Jan, and you are absolutely right. In the last couple of days our little Mugwump took herself off to hide in corners, losing interest in almost everything. 

We still wonder if we should have taken the hard decision two days sooner, but at that time we had hope. 

.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

patp said:


> One of ours had liver disease and started to go off and hide up making us look for him. It was, as you say, the beginning of the end.
> 
> I, now, abide by the mantra "better a day too soon than a day too late". Whenever it happens we are going to feel the pain so it may as well be sooner rather than later. So hard though


I just wish she would do it herself Pat, I'm getting softer as I get older and its getting very hard for either of us to make the decision . She is sleeping all the time. I was so pleased when I found her this morning, I had visions of her lying dead in the field where we wouldn't find her.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Sad business Jan. You have my sympathy.


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## yarmouth (Nov 1, 2017)

Jan, when we had to have Bagpuss put down the vet told us that cats don't show pain.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well what can I say Jan 

You know your pussycat girl

So you do what’s right for her 

What you and Hans feel is right 

It matters not what others think 

It’s just you, Hans and Milly

Together you’ll sort it out 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

An appointment has been made for tomorrow morning at 10 am, if she is still alive then.
She hasn't moved from the place behind the sofa and every time we look which is about every 15 mins, she is sound asleep, its only the breathing movement of her body that tells us she is still alive.
At least we know where she is and she is not hiding elsewhere.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Sorry Milly. I've never had pets but can imagine the heartache. You really have had a bit of a crappy year.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I have had the misfortune to hold many a cat as they slip away to that last hunting ground. So many of them seemed to "know" and would purr as the vet did his job. A blessed relief I expect. As has been said cats don't show pain in the way dogs do. They just hunker down and put up with it. Very dignified creatures.

Thinking of you.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Its over, at 5.30 this morning she was unconscious at 9am we took her to the vet so she knew nothing about the journey and was at peace before 10 am. Can´t say anymore just now. I know your all thinking of us XX


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

So sorry Jan, as you say, we're thinking of you, our house cats left when the kids moved out, we lost one last year, a special cat as yours was, did daft stuff, still one left, but it's just plain thick, a Rag Doll, and very loved.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

So sorry Jan.


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Having spent every day caring for them and thinking about their wellbeing, they inevitably get under our skin. It's only normal that when they reach their time to leave us it really hurts.

Thinking of you. 

.


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

Oh Milly, so sad, you and Hans are in my thoughts. RIP Manny cat.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

So sorry to hear your sad news Jan. Chin up, you gave it a happy, beloved and comfortable life and that's first prize for any pet.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

So sorry to hear that Jan - it's really tough but you've done the best by Manny. No comfort now but hopefully it will be.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Thank you everyone.
We thought we had used all our tears on Shade, but it seems not.
This was only 9 days ago and just 4 days ago the same thing was happening as it had done for the past 13 years, she was about 15 years old, I think I have told you she abandoned her precious owners and adopted us.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Dare I say it jan

Is it to soon ?

But somewhere there is a cat, not manny, a cat that longs to have a home with you 

And I can say this

I was a child who so much wanted to have a home 

As a child I didn’t find it 

As an young adult I eventually did 

There’s a manny out there waiting desperately for you and Hans 

And your manny is looking on 

She wanted for nothing in her life with you 

Nor you with her 

And I believe they have hearts so much more open than ours 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

You can say it Sandra, but its not going to happen.
We never wanted another cat to worry about when we are away, but as I said, she chose us and our first little Motley number one, she shared his big cushion under the kitchen table in the house we rented while this place was being built. Motley number one didn't live to move in this house with us.
No more dogs after this Motley and no more cats, its very sad, but thats the way its going to be.
This Motley is easy to look after, he loves to go to new places, but his best love is his garden, the tennis racket and his blue ball, he runs for miles every day in the garden.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I understand 
Shadow is our last 

Unless we go to a oldy dog in a rescue 

Who needs us as we need him/ her 

A dog who needs a home, someone to love and be loved 

And I guess we will be done for 
Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

The trick is not to look :laugh:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I guess you’ll be looking 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Most definitely not, there are no dog or cats homes in this area and I´m not checking the paper or local ebay either.

Her she is, probably days after she had wiggled her way into the house we were renting.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I’ve heard it all before gal 

How I ended up with shadow I have no idea

No way was I ever having another GSD 

Until I met him 

Sandra


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

It Happens Jan, we had a cat walk into the house around 12 years ago, made himself at home (I am not a cat person but like animals) after a lot of vets visits and lots of cost he died last year.
I could tell as he was getting weaker and he was incontinent, I knew the night before that I would find him dead in the morning, he was a couple of feet from his litter tray and died trying to reach it.


My other cat, a feral one which took 2 months before he would be enticed into the house (we had him for 6 years) went out one night in March and never returned, it does hurt when you lose them.


We will not have any other pets in our lifetime, parting is such a sorrow.


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