Feline Friends...

I phoned the vet this morning, and was told that Cardinal Catzinger was not showing any signs of improvement. He'd been sick, and so he was now on anti-sickness medication. Also, he appeared to be anaemic, perhaps because of fleas, perhaps because of worms. I pointed out that both kittens should have been wormed and de-flead on their visit on Thursday, but no-one seemed to have any record of it.

I was then advised to bring Monsignor Furretti back in so that she could receive the same treatment.

So, in the afternoon, I went in with Furretti. There was a different vet on (it's a group practice) so this was the third vet I'd spoken to. He admitted that he was expecting the worst for Catzinger - he was lying still, showing no interest in food, the IV drip didn't seem to have had any effect, and neither had the antibiotics. I asked if I could see him. We left Furretti in her cat carrier in one room, and went to the holding room where Catzinger was lying. He looked very sorry for himself. I stroked him gently, and he opened his eyes, but that was it.

The I heard Furretti miaowing in the other room. Catzinger appeared to stir, and tried to miaow back. I asked the vet if maybe I should bring Furretti in to see her brother, but he was of the opinion that it wouldn't be a good idea, especially if the illness was due to something viral. I bit back the comment which came to my lips, namely that, if she hadn't caught it so far, she was unlikely to catch it now. Feeling very sad, I closed Catzinger's cage and returned to see Furretti.

She was given the treatments for fleas and worms (both in drop form, applied to the back of the neck) and placed back in her carrier. I continued to discuss possible ways forward for Catzinger with the vet. He was, I could tell, trying to prepare me for Catzinger dying.

In mid-sentence, I stopped. "I heard Catzinger miaow," I said. "No," replied the vet. "There's another cat in the waiting room."

"No, I'm certain it was Catzinger."

Then Furretti miaowed, and there was an answering miaow from the next room. We both dashed over to see Catzinger, sitting up in his cage, and miaowing back at his sister, who was miaowing up a storm from the other room.

I haven't ever seen anything like it.

The vet was still adamant that Furretti was best kept at home, as he didn't want Catzinger to be over-stimulated, although he confessed himself encouraged by his response. I have to phone back again later to see how he's getting on. Furretti cried all the way home... though, in retrospect, it may be because she doesn't think much of my driving...

Prayers would be appreciated...