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Well, Lucy is still under my bed but much more responsive than she was in the early hours of this morning. When I stroked her last night, she just sat there and didn't really respond.
Today, she ventured out from under my bed and went and used her litter box. She was a little steadier on her feet than she was yesterday when she kept falling over. When I stroke her she is so much more responsive and has got her purr back. She hasn't eaten since yesterday morning, but I've put some fresh food out for her (she can see me from under the bed) and I thought she was going to come out for some but she decided against it.
Her eyes still don't seem to be focusing properly but they are definitely much brighter than they were yesterday.
The first time she took a stroke (that I know of - we got Lucy as a rescue nearly 11 years ago and she's always been slightly slow down one side), it was after that major illness when she spent 4 days hospitalised at the vets. The first 24 hours was pretty much as has happened this time. On the second day she started coming out from under our bed herself. By the third day she was able to jump off and on our bed again and spent most of the day curled up on our bed. After that episode, exactly a week later she had a second stroke but recovered within 24 hours.
The difference with this one is yesterday she was sick (vomiting). On Saturday night we knew one of the cats had been sick (she only gets on with one cat, Snowy who she's known since he was a kitten and he gets to sleep in our bedroom when he wants as he is also feline company for Lucy and they are really fond of each other) but we put it down to the start of the furball season. It's starting to get warmer here and the cats will soon start shedding their winter coats. She was sick a few times last night. I didn't sleep at all last night. That seems to have stopped now. I wondered perhaps if there's been something wrong with one of the sachets of food because the interesting thing is neither cat ate very much on Sunday. One thing Lucy and Snowy love is their food and they both ate a bit then turned their noses up. I wonder if it's upset her tummy, and Lucy being very elderly it's brought on the stroke.
We're going to give her another 24 hours and if she hasn't improved any more we'll take her to the vet. We decided at this point not to take her to the vet as it would be very distressful for her and might make matters worse.
She is a very old cat - at least 18 - maybe older, and perhaps I'm being selfish but I want to keep her with me as long as I possibly can. My son and I sat up till about 5am. He summed it up in a nutshell. He said that Lucy was my anchor point - and she is. When my son took seriously ill with kidney failure 5 years ago when he was 15, after he was transferred to a hospital nearer home (I'd been living in the hospital accommodation) and was able to commute on a daily basis, Lucy never left my side. A couple of years later when my husband took a near-fatal heart attack, again Lucy never left my side for a moment. She always seems to know how I feel.
Although I have another 9 cats, Lucy is a one-off. Over the years, I will have more cats, some special needs cats, but I will never have one as unique and beautiful as Lucy. Despite horrendous cruelty in the years before we got her, she is the most loving and trusting of all my cats. I can't imagine my life without her, yet I know I must because one day, maybe soon or maybe later, I will have to let her go with love. When this dreaded day comes, I will let her go with peace and love but I shall miss her dreadfully.
Since her illness in 2005, we've known she's been on borrowed time, and no matter what happens I will always be grateful for the extra 14 months I've had with her. I hope and pray she recovers and I have her for a little longer.
This is Lucy taken in September last year. You can see her damaged leg where the paw turns under.
Lucy and Snowy having fun playing "pounce" - a favourite game.
Today, she ventured out from under my bed and went and used her litter box. She was a little steadier on her feet than she was yesterday when she kept falling over. When I stroke her she is so much more responsive and has got her purr back. She hasn't eaten since yesterday morning, but I've put some fresh food out for her (she can see me from under the bed) and I thought she was going to come out for some but she decided against it.
Her eyes still don't seem to be focusing properly but they are definitely much brighter than they were yesterday.
The first time she took a stroke (that I know of - we got Lucy as a rescue nearly 11 years ago and she's always been slightly slow down one side), it was after that major illness when she spent 4 days hospitalised at the vets. The first 24 hours was pretty much as has happened this time. On the second day she started coming out from under our bed herself. By the third day she was able to jump off and on our bed again and spent most of the day curled up on our bed. After that episode, exactly a week later she had a second stroke but recovered within 24 hours.
The difference with this one is yesterday she was sick (vomiting). On Saturday night we knew one of the cats had been sick (she only gets on with one cat, Snowy who she's known since he was a kitten and he gets to sleep in our bedroom when he wants as he is also feline company for Lucy and they are really fond of each other) but we put it down to the start of the furball season. It's starting to get warmer here and the cats will soon start shedding their winter coats. She was sick a few times last night. I didn't sleep at all last night. That seems to have stopped now. I wondered perhaps if there's been something wrong with one of the sachets of food because the interesting thing is neither cat ate very much on Sunday. One thing Lucy and Snowy love is their food and they both ate a bit then turned their noses up. I wonder if it's upset her tummy, and Lucy being very elderly it's brought on the stroke.
We're going to give her another 24 hours and if she hasn't improved any more we'll take her to the vet. We decided at this point not to take her to the vet as it would be very distressful for her and might make matters worse.
She is a very old cat - at least 18 - maybe older, and perhaps I'm being selfish but I want to keep her with me as long as I possibly can. My son and I sat up till about 5am. He summed it up in a nutshell. He said that Lucy was my anchor point - and she is. When my son took seriously ill with kidney failure 5 years ago when he was 15, after he was transferred to a hospital nearer home (I'd been living in the hospital accommodation) and was able to commute on a daily basis, Lucy never left my side. A couple of years later when my husband took a near-fatal heart attack, again Lucy never left my side for a moment. She always seems to know how I feel.
Although I have another 9 cats, Lucy is a one-off. Over the years, I will have more cats, some special needs cats, but I will never have one as unique and beautiful as Lucy. Despite horrendous cruelty in the years before we got her, she is the most loving and trusting of all my cats. I can't imagine my life without her, yet I know I must because one day, maybe soon or maybe later, I will have to let her go with love. When this dreaded day comes, I will let her go with peace and love but I shall miss her dreadfully.
Since her illness in 2005, we've known she's been on borrowed time, and no matter what happens I will always be grateful for the extra 14 months I've had with her. I hope and pray she recovers and I have her for a little longer.
This is Lucy taken in September last year. You can see her damaged leg where the paw turns under.
Lucy and Snowy having fun playing "pounce" - a favourite game.