- Joined
- Jul 2, 2019
- Messages
- 2,269
- Purraise
- 2,067
The cat's name is Vale, as in Vale Colorado. She is my one white cat, the only one that I have ever had. She came into my mother's life 17 years ago when two little girls found her under our porch in the dead of winter and begged my mother to take her in. My mother being the sucker that she is, agreed Vale was a nightmare from the beginning as she was one of the most prolific biters that my family had ever encountered. I ended up twice in the Emergency room for petting Vale, and my brother had to be admitted overnight when he placed his left hand next to her. It got so bad that nobody trusted her and my mother became too leery of Vale to even allow her to come up on her lap. When I left home, my mother insisted that Vale go with me.
Now Vale is 17 and she looks like she is 22 and I take full responsibility for her appearance. Ever since Jeff passed away, I have not been to attentive to my other cats, the result being one of the nastiest flea invasions that I have ever experienced. Being old, Vale suffered the worse. She also has a cold and painful arthritis. Obviously with a cold she couldn't smell her food and that eventually caused her to stop eating. I am now looking at a bone with some white fur on it.
I administered flea treatment to her yesterday, began antibiotics, and gave her both pain and nausea medication. She is so weak from the fleas that all she wants to do right now is to cuddle next to the radiator and sleep. I have been giving her lactose-free whole milk for extra calories, but I honestly don't know if she will make it, or even if she should.
My question is this: Am I doing too much for her, thus doing too much TO her? Part of me wants to put her down but another part of me says 'you got her into this mess, you need to try everything you can to get her out of it'. I know she will not bounce back as a younger cat would.do in the same predicament
I guess I am really asking: when is it time to fight for a life and when is it time to say goodbye? I am so ashamed.
Now Vale is 17 and she looks like she is 22 and I take full responsibility for her appearance. Ever since Jeff passed away, I have not been to attentive to my other cats, the result being one of the nastiest flea invasions that I have ever experienced. Being old, Vale suffered the worse. She also has a cold and painful arthritis. Obviously with a cold she couldn't smell her food and that eventually caused her to stop eating. I am now looking at a bone with some white fur on it.
I administered flea treatment to her yesterday, began antibiotics, and gave her both pain and nausea medication. She is so weak from the fleas that all she wants to do right now is to cuddle next to the radiator and sleep. I have been giving her lactose-free whole milk for extra calories, but I honestly don't know if she will make it, or even if she should.
My question is this: Am I doing too much for her, thus doing too much TO her? Part of me wants to put her down but another part of me says 'you got her into this mess, you need to try everything you can to get her out of it'. I know she will not bounce back as a younger cat would.do in the same predicament
I guess I am really asking: when is it time to fight for a life and when is it time to say goodbye? I am so ashamed.
Last edited: