Mabel

5 weeks ago yesterday, I adopted an elderly cat from a local rescue, we weren't sure of her age, but guessed at 12. She seemed to really enjoy having a home life after 15 months in a rescue, but i suspected some kind of health issues, her fur was similar to a previous cat I owned with liver issues, and she had such an appetite that i suspected a thyroid issue. After 2 weeks of being here, she had real poo issues, it went pale and she was pooing more often, so off we went to the vet, who wasn't very optimistic, she put her at 16 and also suspected multiple health issues - without bloods, she said at the very least it was dental and arthritis, so she gave her a couple of jabs and some meds. She got a bit worse after that though, so we went back 2 days later, and the results indicated intestinal lymphoma, but we couldnt do any more tests, it wouldn't have been fair on her. Vet gave her a steroid jab, and we had to see how she went over the weekend. I felt she was enjoying things enough to continue, so we had some tablets, but after the first week on them, things started to go downhill again, so we increased the dosage, but then she started being really picky with her food, so off we went to the vet again, who said that my only options were to let her go with dignity, or take her home and watch her die slowly, so I let her go. RIP little one, I so wished you could have had a long time here, but it wasn't meant to be - at least you did get a home environment, and your illness was picked up, things could have been so much worse for you.

At the rescue



First week here



Playing


LAst pic

I'm so sorry you lost Mabel. Bless you for the love and care you gave her during her final weeks and for having the courage and compassion to let her go. RIP beautiful Mabel.

Thanks - it is so much harder to agree to this kind of thing when you haven't had them long, I would have done anything to be able to buy her some more time to shower her with love, but it wouldnt have been fair on her. i am glad she got a home environment though, even if she did prefer sleeping on carpet than fleecy blankets!!

I'm so sorry for your loss. Rest In Peace Mabel

I'm glad she got to have a home for a little while at least. It sounds to me like you made the best choice for her in the end. Rest in peace Mabel.

You did a marvelous thing when you adopted Mabel from the rescue center. You gave her food, medical care, and love in her last weeks. You did everything that you could to save her life. I only wish my beloved Tommie had had 16 years instead of the 2 that I had with her.

Rest in peace, Mabel. Tell Tommie that I'll see her again one day at the Rainbow Bridge.

Tommie was my love,
Kenneth

I'm so very sorry for your loss.
Bless you for bringing her into you home, her last days were filled with love.

Rest In Peace, Mabel

So sorry about Mable. Its great you adopted a older Cat not many people would have done that.

I'm so sorry for your loss, but it sounds like she had a lot of love and happiness in her final days. Rest in Peace Mable.

oh no I'm sorry you couldn't help Mabel more, but it sounds like her last days were happy

It's not easy when you take in older cats, but she did have a home. She died someone's pet, not in a rescue.

Play happily over the Rainbow Bridge, Mabel.

Thanks everyone.

i'm so sorry. that last photo of her is so poignant.

you are an angel for taking her and giving her a loving, secure home for the last few weeks. bless you.

RIP precious mabel.

As I said in your other post, she knew love in her final days and that is more than any rescue could have given.

Fly swiftly little one...

Thanks everyone, I am really pleased that she got a home life, even if I didnt quite get what I expected, losing 2 in 6 weeks is hard, and I am very emotional still - part of me thinks that I should cut back a lot on the oldies, as I am a lot more emotional than I used to be, but then i look round, I have a 15yo on my knee, and an 18yo on the bed, both had been in rescue for months cos no one would take them on (they were both younger at the rescue too, 13 and 17), and at least one would be dead now cos she was depressed in a rescue, and they make me realise why I do this, it isn't about me, it is about giving as many cats like these two the chance they have had, they didn't ask to come into rescue cos their owner was too ill to look after them, and they didn't deserve to be ignored simply because of their age. I will have a break from taking oldies in (well, i say that, I generally don't choose them, a sob story makes me open my heart up again!!), and when I am that bit stronger, or simply when one comes that I can't turn away, I will have another oldie, as it would dishonour all my bridge babes memory if I do that, and leave more oldies to go unwanted in a rescue.

Thank you for caring about the oldies.

Rest in peace sweet Mabel.

sometimes i wonder if cats wait until they are truly happy before they can relax enough to pass away. we had my old marv for a year & it was only when he had made the best of friends with yoshi & was in what i would consider in a 100% perfect environment that his illness came through. it's like he kept going until he got what he wanted, enjoyed it for a bit & felt complete enough to go. i imagine this is the same with your beloved mabel, so feel honoured that she chose to spent her final days with you & that you gently helped her along the way. well done to you. i'm sure mabel would thank you for your love & will be waiting for you at the rainbow bridge xxx

Your the second person who has said somethign similar since she went, so maybe there is something in it. The rescue were very weird about it, and it makes me wonder - the vet was quite shocked that a rescue had rehomed a cat in her condition, and her eyes and nose had cleared up by then, and her fur had got better, so I Dread to think what the vet would have said if she had seen her any earlier.