Muddle had to go to the vet today. He has something wrong with his digestive system which causes food to go straight through him.
This has been going on for a couple of years now and he has had antibiotics, steroids, probiotics, blood tests, faecal tests.
Muddle was never really the same after his big pal Loofah the Lurcher died. Muddle was born in the wardrobe upstairs along with his five siblings.
His mother, Hopje, was due to go in to be neutered but a local Tom cat managed to get the cat flap out of the back door, get in, impregnate a rather surprised Hopje with the result of six kittens.
Loofah watched the kittens being born and was incredibly tender with them. One day Hopje decided to move the kittens downstairs and Loofah picked up Muddle in his big old Lurcher jaws and carried the, then, four week old Muddle downstairs.
From then on they were inseperable and when I gradually found homes for the other kittens, Muddle was hidden from view!
All his siblings are still alive and I keep in touch with their owners - they went to Sheringham, Aldborough and West Runton. When we walked Loofah, Muddle would join us. He would sleep with Loofah, wash Loofah, play with him and their bond was so strong.
Then one day Loofah became weaker and weaker and could hardly breathe. We took him to Wessel who said he had fluid on the lung which could be drained but would keep coming back and it was a painful and prolonged exercise. It could not be done under anaesthetic because Loofah would die.
We took Loofah home - he couldn't walk by then and we sat with him. We called Wessel and he came to the house and Loofah was euthanised. After that Muddle changed - he wanted to be by himself, was not sociable with the other cats, wouldn't eat and did not want to go out. He used to sit gazing out of the window or sitting at the front door waiting.
Who says animals do not have feelings? His whole personality changed and nothing we could do has changed it back. He is a very solitary cat, he tolerates the other cats but doesn't befriend them, he ignores Treacle the dog, he likes to walk around the neighbourhood and he visits the old and lonely.
I believe this emotional stress has caused his illness and the next step for him is to have more blood tests for liver function etc. The vet suggested a biopsy but we declined as we feel he may die under anaesthetic. He is not in any pain - he has been poked, squeezed, stuck with needles, things up his bum and has never complained.
He purrs, sleeps next to Hubbie, loves his heated bed and can't wait for the spring time so he can go and slaughter half the garden life (he's the only cat I know who eats frogs!).
