Looks like my cat is gonna croak :(

[rynnor]

I would put money on it having to do with huge changes in habitat and loss of food supply - mainly, insects.

Starlings though? I mean them and house sparrows were everywhere when I was a child - they have both declined massively where I lived yet nothing habitatwise has really changed there.

 

[Raven]

Pesticides have come on leaps and bounds in the last 20 years. Also, how many people do you know actually feed the birds in the garden?

 

[Tom]

Starlings though? I mean them and house sparrows were everywhere when I was a child - they have both declined massively where I lived yet nothing habitatwise has really changed there.

Apart from the removal of hedgerows, which has been happening for the last century or so (less so lately).

http://www.ecifm.rdg.ac.uk/habitat.htm

 

[rynnor]

Apart from the removal of hedgerows, which has been happening for the last century or so (less so lately).

http://www.ecifm.rdg.ac.uk/habitat.htm

We never had tons of hedges in north london - apart from more cars its not really changed.

Its just odd - food abundance hasnt really changed in the area and theres still plenty of accessible lofts to roost/nest in.

I dont see why they arent booming?

 

[Moriath]

well the four of five cats that regularly patrol my garden definately dont encourage the birds in that used to be there when i first moved in .. not just that they catch them they also scare them away imo

 

[Raven]

Where do they go? France?

Do you even have a thought process or just blurt stuff out?

 

[Tom]

We never had tons of hedges in north london - apart from more cars its not really changed.

Its just odd - food abundance hasnt really changed in the area and theres still plenty of accessible lofts to roost/nest in.

I dont see why they arent booming?

I'm looking at Google Maps now and within 10 miles of North London I can see hundreds of square miles of open land. You know that birds and insects fly around, right? And that insects get blown all over the place, sometimes miles?

 

[Moriath]

Where do they go? France?

Do you even have a thought process or just blurt stuff out?

if you had a predator in your environment would you stick around ?

If you had 4 or 5 would you stay and eat the worms ?

Would you just be sarcastic and die ?

 

[Raven]

My point is, they don't just "get scared off" and vanish, they just go somewhere else, probably a couple of gardens down. Getting scared off never hurt anyone.

Another way to look at it, how often do you find a pile of feathers in the garden? A few times a year? Cats do not eat the feathers so you can always spot where a bird has been eaten.

 

[rynnor]

I'm looking at Google Maps now and within 10 miles of North London I can see hundreds of square miles of open land. You know that birds and insects fly around, right? And that insects get blown all over the place, sometimes miles?

The Greenbelt - but that hasnt changed in extent either due to statutary protection - I wonder if something as simple as a change in crops could be impacting them?

Everyone seems to grow oilseed rape in that area now which is a change from 30 years ago.

 

[Raven]

They also decimate it with pesticides which kills the bird's food. The only thing left for them to eat is berries and seeds left out by people. How many berry trees do you see these days? Rowan and stuff. How many people bother with bird feeders, or even bother with chucking old bread out on to the lawn?

 

[rynnor]

They also decimate it with pesticides which kills the bird's food. The only thing left for them to eat is berries and seeds left out by people. How many berry trees do you see these days? Rowan and stuff. How many people bother with bird feeders, or even bother with chucking old bread out on to the lawn?

I dont think its pesticides - in reality the ones they use these days are a lot less damaging to birds than they were in the 60's/70's but we have less birds.

If you change the crops though you remove the required habitat for the bugs they eat - some foreign plants dont support many insects at all.

 

[Raven]

It's not that they damage the birds themselves its that they kill the birds food source.

 

[rynnor]

It's not that they damage the birds themselves its that they kill the birds food source.

They were using DDT here until the 80s and that stuff did kill birds - the pesticides that replaced it arent actually as effective as DDT either.

 

[ileks]

I blame the squirrels. We get loads in Hackney. Foxes too. Oh and we even get parrots in the garden occasionally (I shit you not).

My now retired dad is constantly outwitted by the squirrels. He has yet to find a bird feeder that they can't raid for all the nuts (and then dig up the lawn to bury them ).

Edit - Sorry to hear about your cat Scouse. I would give it some time before getting a new one. You will know when it feels right.

 

[Nate]

I blame the immigrants, the Polish eat them all. It isn't a coincidence that immigrant population has risen as bird population nose dived.

 

[sayward]

Commiserations. I couldn't bring myself to get another cat ever.

And by the way all these scarce birds are thriving in France. They don't pull their hedges up.

 

[Tom]

My happy kitty of 16 years stopped eating on Saturday and has, since then, been looking thoroughly miserable, sleeping all day in an unusual spot, with zero energy. Massive weight loss. Drinking but no food at all. Licking her lips a lot, which I've read could be nausea.

Blood tests fine, teeth fine, body apparently ok. The vet recommends internal imaging but with my career having been badly affected by covid and the future uncertain, spending £700 on that is almost unthinkable. Especially since I've read so much online about cats with identical problems where scans have shown nothing.

It's strange, about 2-3 weeks ago she got into the habit of meowing incredibly loudly after eating (which is why I had her teeth checked) until she knew she had my attention. But she was eating very well, no issues whatsoever.

This is her yesterday with a piece of warm bacon in front of her. Zero interest. And this is her today, in her box. She will be sat like that for an hour at least.

 

[Raven]

Licking its lips is a sign of kidney problems and/or dehydration. My cat has about £200 of meds a month to keep it going. He is happy and back to being a pain in my arse now he is stable but he is ticking time bomb, the moment we can't fairly (to him) is the moment we take the hard decision. Lots of kidney meds and a special diet.

Also, captain hindsight, insurance, insurance, insurance, our last cat was about 30k in vets bills over the years, first cancer, which he absolutely demolished, then hit by a car that he shrugged off. Final thing that got him, ironically, was the cancer returning and having a broken sternum and pelvis that the vet thought he had been hiding for weeks, so the cancer returned, slowed him down and he was hit by a car again.

But, between all that he had 10 years of absolute happiness, as far as cats go.

Anyway, as hard as it is, do the right thing, with the right (professional) advice.

 

[Scouse]

That fucking sucks @Tom. Really hope she turns it around m8.


It's funny. We moved to Wales last year during lockdown and I didn't bring the apple tree I buried my cat under with me. I wish I had (but it would have meant a big old hole in the garden and a long journey in a rental van at the time, which was packed full). Was thinking about it just this afternoon. It's at my g/f's gaff which is now rented out. Maybe I'll have a go between tenancies if they don't wreck it.

We never 'replaced' my cat. My o/h wanted one but our lifestyle was in work all day > away camping every weekend and I didn't think it was fair. But when we moved in here we started to get visited from up the road by one of a pair of cats that lived outside (permanently) the nearest "neighbour". Their house was vacant whilst it was being renovated (they didn't move in until November) - an old lady used to live there but moved into the village - it's her daughter who's moved in.

Anyway, she walked down every day to feed the cats. One grey (they call it "blue") cat with white socks and a white chin and one that looks very much like yours. The grey one kept on jumping up to the kitchen window, rubbing itself on the window, nagging to get in. It was torture for the missus but I told her she couldn't let him in.

Things warmed up - we'd moved in in March - and we wanted to open the windows and every time we did he just jumped in. We spoke to the old lady who didn't seem to give a fuck but we resisted feeding him for aaaages. But he stopped going back up the road and just started subsisting on mice. He had leaky eyes (indicative of an infection) so we asked if we could feed him. After a while the o/h started to get accusations from her sister and workmates that she'd "stolen" a cat. It's not like you can "steal" a cat - it decides where it wants to live and we couldn't very well keep the windows shut forever.

Anyway. They moved in. We told them the cat was with us but we couldn't really do anything about it. Did they want to try to come get him back. But apparently the two houses have a history of sharing pets and they don't care. They still keep the other cat outside.

So he's been the vets, got eye drops, he's been getting wormed and flead on the sly since he first started coming in anyway. I'm now pretty much redundant as an object of affection.

WFH is fine. And lockdown has meant that we haven't gone anywhere at the weekends. Plus, now I'm here I don't want to go anywhere at weekends. I'm already there.

So. We have a cat who's partial to the top half of mice (a LOT of mice) and likes to leave their bums strewn about the place.


Yeah. I know a story about me and a new cat is not much comfort but it's maybe a little bit on topic? Anyway. Keep us posted @Tom.

 

[Embattle]

Pets are costly things, we've generally always has rescue pets although every time they die the family states they won't get any more but that doesn't last with our current two coming from Dogs Trust.

This is George:



So he like most pets has had a considerable amount of the standard pet type things but on top of that some more costly things such as:

1. Back left leg knee replacement.
2. A number of teeth removed.
3. Ulcers on his eyes, last week.

This is Scooby:



Again other than the usual stuff he has had:

1. Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis.
2. A number of teeth removed.
3. IRC Intervertebral disc disease.

In essence we've had one major issue every 1-1.5 years, we have pet insurance but as I explained to my mum once it would be like crashing your car every year hence why the premiums keep going up.

Talking about burying pets if the new owners of our old house ever really dig up the garden they'll be in for a surprise, there be three cats buried in the garden.

 

[Tom]

Never had any real big issues with her, just the odd flea treatment, worms, nothing too major. Apart from the usual throwing up on the carpet now and again, and leaving bits of mice around the house, she's been fine.

She's had an anti-sickness injection today and looks reasonably comfortable. I've thought hard and even if I did pay for scans etc, and if they did find cancer, I'm not putting her through treatment. Not aged 16. If she stops being able to walk around (she can move around slowly and wobbly at the mo) then I'm going to do the unthinkable and have her put to sleep. I tried discussing it with the vet today and couldn't get the words out it's so upsetting.

 

[Scouse]

I think that's the right approach @Tom. Hopefully she'll pull through. I've a girl who works for me who's putting her old dog through eye surgery, daily massage, dog physio. When one thing gets fixed, another thing becomes a massive problem. I get her reasoning but the dog must be confused as hell. But then, you have periods of lucidity...

It's such a difficult choice and you second guess yourself before, during and long afterwards. But I suppose the fact that you feel that way shows you're trying to do the right thing.

Fingers crossed m8.

 

[scoop]

.. My cat has about £200 of meds a month to keep it going. He is happy and back to being a pain in my arse now he is stable but he is ticking time bomb, the moment we

@Raven do you buy these through your vet or online? People at work with animals have mentioned that the price difference is ridiculous when buying online rather than through a vet for exactly the same medication. I dont have any links but worth a looksie you dont do that already eh?

Sorry to hear about the situation with your cat Tom. Horrible place to be in.

 

[Gwadien]

@Raven do you buy these through your vet or online? People at work with animals have mentioned that the price difference is ridiculous when buying online rather than through a vet for exactly the same medication. I dont have any links but worth a looksie you dont do that already eh?

Sorry to hear about the situation with your cat Tom. Horrible place to be in.

I looked at some metacam for my rabbit on the interwebs, it was far more expensive than it was at the vet.

 

[georgie]

My Westie had hyperadenocorticism (Cushing's disease) for the last year or so of her life and the medication was about half the cost online than it was from the vets.

 

[scoop]

I looked at some metacam for my rabbit on the interwebs, it was far more expensive than it was at the vet.

Haaaam. Maybe only certain meds then. Might have been antibiotics but cant remember.

 

[Raven]

@Raven do you buy these through your vet or online? People at work with animals have mentioned that the price difference is ridiculous when buying online rather than through a vet for exactly the same medication. I dont have any links but worth a looksie you dont do that already eh?

Sorry to hear about the situation with your cat Tom. Horrible place to be in.

Yeah, we've looked, we could save a bit. We get it back on insurance, less 20% so it doesn't make a lot of difference in the end.

 

[Tom]

I got home tonight after being at work all day and she was a bit more active, then I noticed the 5-6 biscuits I'd left out had disappeared. So I put some more out and she was suddenly very interested in the packet. She's eaten a few more and she might have drank some tuna oil I left out (but not the tuna).

It's the first time she's eaten in 6 days so some of the weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I'd already decided yesterday to take her for the scans next week, I have some stuff I never use that I can sell, so I'm selling it. I'd rather have tried everything than sit and look at a hifi amplifier or something. I'm selling the AV receiver that Teeds gave me (sorry mate) so I don't have to dig into my savings (which I will very likely need later this year). Vet doesn't think its kidneys, but something else, like spleen, intestines, etc.

 

[Scouse]

At least she's a bit more chipper m8. Keep us posted