h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Cassie needs no excuse to go and does so several times a day!She adores dried catnip, but hates the fresh stuff in the garden.

Sadie, my last cat, used to spend hours sitting in the catmint with the sun on her. When she came in she smelt all sort of herby and minty.

Given Francis
(okay its a fair distance from you but animals more aware than we are)
,several thousand other pussy cats/dogs probably running around,part automatic, part playful no doubt.

Well...I don't know how it happened but I somehow managed to unsubscribe from this thread I thought there had been no postings for weeks and it had dropped off of my front page but no...ah well!

Up to date with the backlog now anyway and very pleased to hear that Lua is still with us and fighting the fight.

Lady

hi Lady,

Glad to hear you are back with us.

Just got back from taking Lua to the clinic. The tumour got infected again so Maria wanted to clean out all the pus (ick) and she has given me another two-week course of antibiotic injections.

The last few days things have been a bit unpleasant what with the tumour not only bleeding again but also, um, oozing some ghastly smelling oozey stuff. Also, since the weather has cooled off Lua has taken to preferring to lie on soft furnishings again (all summer she was sprawled on the floor or out on the balcony). So you can imagine the state of my sofa and bed . ALSO, she has taken to sleeping next to my head again at night, which she normally does in winter. The poor thing. I have to put down a fresh tea towel where she lies every night so I don't end up having to wash my sheets every day. But man, the smell! Maria joked that I should dab eucalyptus oil under my nostrils before going to bed or, if I'm *really* lucky I'll catch a bad cold so I won't be able to smell her.

Lately I've been having serious regrets about not going through with the operation last February. Which I know is totally pointless and stupid but I can't help wondering - since Lua *is* such a tough old thing - that she might have survived the op without any serious side-effects and, if I had had all four breasts on one side removed, the third tumour would not have appeared. I know I know . . . no need to write back saying I made the 'right' decision at the time. Even the first vet I saw told me my decision was just as 'correct' as deciding to operate, since no one could tell me at that time if the cancer had already spread. Anyhow, just rambling a bit . . .

Meanwhile, Lua was good as gold at the clinic, letting Maria scrape her clean with the scalpel, though even Maria said this time it must have hurt quite a bit. And as soon as we got home Lua raced out of the cage and immediately sat by my chair in the livingroom waiting for her treat! She now knows that anytime I subject her to anything unpleasant she gets a treat afterwards, bless her, so she got a nice helping of shaved ham for her troubles.

Anyhow, that's the latest update.


az

Poor Lua....

I can't even imagine having ones unmentionables scraped out. Poor, brave kitty...

hi Mudhooks,

And poor brave me for having to sleep with a totally stinky girl next to my head!

But yes, Lua was so 'good' at the clinic, which was also why Maria preferred to do it there. The poor thing gets so discombobulated when she is taken out that she lets Maria do anything to her, which she would never allow her to do at home. Meanwhile, Maria was also so lovely, talking to Lua constantly in both English and Spanish - at first calling her such a good girl and then changing it to the *best* girl ever! And I kept kissing Lua on the head.

Later, Maria only charged me for the antibiotics, saying the cleaning was on the house - bless her.

It was also nice that Noggin came with me and offered to carry Lua in the cage (to give my old back a rest!). Though he did actually wince when Maria took the scalpel to Lua's tumour. He has quite fallen in love with all the cats - the other day I heard him in the other room talking to Lua and telling her to lie down, that she shouldn't be licking her belly and it was just so adorable! Needless to say she totally ignored him and it was only when I came in and said - 'Oi, Lua, knock it off and lie down sweetheart!' - that she actually did what she was told. Still . . .

az

A new and somewhat icky development (so if you are eating you might want to hold off before you read about it . . .)

Well, Lua is back on the daily antibiotic injections, and she is so good about letting me do this.

Also, it's got quite HOT here again, so she has stopped sleeping next to my head. But since I am re-organising my sewing room to turn it into an office I now can keep that door open (no worries about the cats eating the threads from my sewing machines like spaghetti and then spectacularly throwing it all up afterwards). And so Lua has decided that this is *her* new room. And strangely, the two boys don't bother her in there at all.

The new development is that my poor darling seems unable to 'do her stuff' in the cat box anymore. At first both Maria and I thought this was the usual thing that cats do when they are ill - they do their business elsewhere in order to make a point about them being ill. But in fact, Lua *does* try, the poor thing. It seems that the tumour has become so uncomfortable that she ends up lifting her body up and out of the cat box so as to not come in contact with the cat sand - so then (you can imagine) it ends up on the floor next to the box. Or, to be more exact, half in and half out. Which is why I know she *is* at least trying.

And so, a new strategy. Now I place paper towels all around the cat box to catch 'whatever' and have to clean up and then replace the paper towels a few times a day, but you know, what the heck.

Meanwhile, respecting Lua's obvious wish to have the ex-sewing room/new office as *her own room* I have put in a small rug for her to lie on and also an extra water bowl and her own food dish.

The only somewhat distressing news to tell you all about at this point is that she seems to be going off her food a bit - even her favourite shaved ham. And she has actually had 'dire rear' for almost two weeks, which doesn't bode well. Still, she doesn't seem to be in distress. Though sometimes she looks a bit sad and tired, you know what I mean? As if she's a bit worn out by it all.

The hard thing will be deciding for her when it has all become too much. But so far I don't see her suffering. And Noggin has also said it's more as if she's just really tired and wants her own space and time alone.

My beautiful girl! I just love her so much.

Anyhow, that's the update.

az

az

You are such a good person. You *will* know when the time comes.

Until then, be strong and keep spoiling your girl

Lady

, az

Its lovely hearing all your stories but so sad hearing of her gradual worsening. Be strong, shes not complaining, and we all know you do the best that you can for her. She is one well-loved cat, and we have all got to love her as well, how could we not hearing so much about her!

I read the books of Derek Tangye about his cats, they were beautiful and poignant as well, have you read any?

The speaker at this morning's service spoke about the human/animal connection. It was lovely.

You are both brave and beautiful creatures, az and Lua

Derek Tangye's books are lovely and if you haven't read them, please do.

hi everyone!

Thanks for all your kind words and continued patience and caring - it really does mean so much to me.

Kaz, that was especially nice, what you said about how you have all come to love Lua as well.

Meanwhile, she is totally loving having 'her own room' now. And strangely the two boys don't go in there at all! They just leave her in peace, which is quite a good thing.

I've never heard of the Derek Tangye books, but I'll check them out on Amazon. Thanks for the tip! This week I am planning to order Terry Pratchett's The Unadulterated Cat, which I have wanted to read for ages.

kisses,
az

Hi az,

When the time comes to make any difficult decisions we know you'll cope. Whether we will is another matter...

We'll also look out for azahar's 'A Sophisticated Cat' hitting the bookshops soon.

I have to say that if I was a poorly kitty in need of some devoted care and attention I know where I'd want to be. You're doing a wonderful job for Lua and we're proud to know you.



F

Thanks Fathom.

Also, in reply to what Lady said about me being 'such a good person', it's hard for me to imagine that any of you wouldn't be doing exactly the same things under the circumstances.

It's never the 'practical' stuff that gets me down (cleaning up after Lua, putting up with her being all smelly and oozing gunk onto my bedsheets, etc.) but rather the constant worry about how she is feeling and how much I can do to make her feel as comfortable as possible.

Anyhow, Maria will be here tomorrow morning for her class and I'll ask her to have another look at Lua.


az

az and Lua



Jez

You'll know, az. And when the time comes, weep and be strong and love her enough to know it /is/ time.

Hi az,

My heart goes out to both of you...Lua couldn't have a better friend. A place of her own is a good thing for Lua, and I'm glad that she's getting to enjoy it by herself.

I hope that when the time comes to decide, you know that we will all be there for you, and with you both in spirit.

SC

Clearly, Lua has a remarkably strong constitution - and probably a fair bit of feline stubbornness....

Derek Tangye wrote 2 different types of books, I have only read his cat books, you may get confused if you saw his other type which I think is historical fact. 'Cat at the window', 'donkey at the gate' tell of his life in cornwall with various animals.

You describe Lua very well, I can imagine her actions. I will never have cats due to the allergies, but we have cats we go out to visit. If you go out to the wall around mine after 11pm, then 'Tiger' comes to visit, lovely stripes and very affectionate. 'Tripod' has 3 legs and likes to sit peacefully behind your back and then chase off any other cat which visits. I wish I could have cats but sitting in a cat room has all the allergy affects, fairly soon.

So I will go out on my night cat visits and enjoy reading your descriptions!