A Cat story

Well I'm back - not that I've actually been anywhere - lol ! A bad dose of flu had me wiped out for a while but I'm all better now.

Before I go any further thankyou all so much for your fabulous comments on my new quilt. You are all lovely and I appreciate so much the kind words even if I don't always get round to answering every comment. I do try but sometimes it is just impossible. I can confirm that it is now in use on our bed and is doing us very well now the colder nights are coming in.

I have quilting news to share but that is for another post. The next tale is cat-related so if you're not interested look away now - lol !

The story starts back in April when we had a little visitor to our garden. the link to that post is here. The visitor is in the bed.

Well on Tuesday this week I was sewing upstairs when I looked out of the window to see the same little cat walking down our path. My stomach sank - the poor little thing was in a bad way. He literally had his left eye hanging out of his socket - aww. I shouted Jason and he came and had a look. We were both horrified. I very quietly went out the back door of our house and tried to get to him but he ran away down our road. We quickly grabbed a box of fishy treats that our cats love and followed him. He had settled under one of the neighbours cars. We then tried to entice him out with the treats. He came out so far and then shot back under. He was eating the treats so was obviously hungry but he was very scared too. Jason was then despatched back to our house for some roast chicken and one of the cat baskets. Oh yes he liked the chicken and got a bit braver coming out a little further but the slightest movement from me sent him scurrying back under the car. I almost had him a couple of times. Then some of the neighbours got curious and came over to see what we were doing. Well that blew it - with all the commotion he got spooked and ran. We were gutted !

Since then we have been looking out for him. I called all our local vets and animal rescue centres hoping he was being taken care of but no luck. We didn't know if he had a owner or not but we were thinking that surely if he had a home he would have been taken to the vets by now.

Anyway last night ( Thursday ) my daughter Jess and her boyfriend were leaving our house to go out. A few minutes later Danny knocked the door to say the cat was back down the bottom of our street. I was in my PJ's so quickly chucked on a coat and some shoes, grabbed the cat basket and treats and off we went again. It was dark at least - I must have looked a right loony. We weren't sure exactly where he was so started peering into peoples gardens. One of our neighbours has a security light and I kept triggering it off. He came out to see what I was doing and after I explained he went back in and got me a torch - bless. After about 15 minutes of searching we were about to give up as there was no sign of him. Then Danny saw a cat go under another car but we didn't know if it was him or not. A quick flash of the torch confirmed it was. I settled down again to try and get him out with the treats. Same again - came out so far and retreated. So Jess nipped back home for a tin of sardines. I thought if I could get him eating out of the dish I stood a chance of catching him. Oh the scent of that fish did the trick alright. I laid a trail of chunks of the fish right to the cat basket and waited. He was starving and followed the trail just great. As he started eating from the bowl I very slowly moved my hands and grabbed him and shoved him in the basket. Hurray - I was so pleased I could have cried.

Got him home and phoned the emergency vet. Up close his eye was far worse than we thought. Absolutely awful. We took him to the vets - by this time it was nearly 10pm. She confirmed that is is so bad he will need to have his eye removed. We got him out of the basket and although he must have been terrified and in pain he was an absolute star. He started rubbing up against my hands and even began purring. What a little love !

Now we are faced with a quandry. The vet asked if we are prepared to take him after his surgery. We already have 3 cats and have always said that is enough. Our house is not big and we don't want to overcrowd them. Also it has taken us almost 2 years to get to this stage where they all happily live together. It has not always been this way - it took alot of time and patience to get to this stage and I am worried that introducing another adult male to the mix will really throw a spanner in the works. If we do have him obviously we will have to pay the vets bills too which are shockingly high. Jason has just returned to work after being made redundant and money is very tight. What to do - what to do ? If we don't have him they will try and get him into an animal rescue place where the vet said they will have no problem re-homing him as he is such a sweetheart. If they are unable to get a place for him he will have to be put to sleep but that is a last resort. I can emphatically say that will happen over my dead body. We left the vets and I broke my heart. My other worry if we have him is that after all this he leaves us and returns to where he came from. Perhaps he already has a home - we just don't know.

I will phone the vets later today and see what they say. My head is telling me it is a bad idea to adopt him but my heart is telling me otherwise. Trouble is I love him already.

I will let you know what happens.