poor puddy tat

This afternoon we found a cat in our backyard. At first my hubby tried to shoo it away but I very quickly saw that it wasn't well, and wasn't going any where. The poor thing looked to be in a bad way. It was lying in the hedges, almost under the back deck and I kept having flashbacks to my childhood when a cat went under my nan and pops house and died, and oh my lord the smell was horrendous!! My toddlers were so excited at this cat being so close, they were jumping and squealing and the cat still didn't run away. Clearly it wasn't well. Hubby got a towel and fished it out of the hedges, checked for a collar (none) and wrapped it up so as not to scratch him, which in hindsight was not necessary as the poor thing wasn't moving much at all, while I called for help. We rang a local animal hospital who told us to bring it straight in. Mind you they did ask me some questions and not being a cat person I had no idea how to answer some of them; 'is it an old cat or a young cat?' ummmm it's a cat, it's black and white?? I don't know! It's not a kitten, does that help?? They also pointed out that we wouldn't have to pay anything for the treatment as its a lost or stray animal in need of medical treatment. Ok, interesting they felt they needed to point that out. Hubby and I did a quick game of rock paper scissors to see who would stay and who would go. Hubby went and I stayed, not sure who you'd say won really??

Both our toddlers were very distressed at seeing the cat being taken away in a box and the worry turned to hysteria when I said 'Daddy was taking the cat to the hospital'. Maybe they thought another baby would come back with Daddy?? It's a logical conclusion really seeing as during their short lifespan the only time anyone has gone to hospital they've come back with another baby?? I then had to say the cat was going to the doctor and this seemed to be an ok thing to say. I'm glad my kids aren't scared of doctors, although thats perhaps a reflection of how much time we spend at the doctors. We went upstairs for an early bathtime and I even put Chicken Little on the TV in our room as a treat afterwards. The cat was soon forgotten.

The cat had no microchip so no way of knowing where it came from and the vet said it most likely had a tick. It was gasping for air by the time hubby got it to the vet and they did say they would most likely euthanise it. Poor puddy tat, what a sucky way to go. I hope there isn't a family out there looking for their cat. And if they are, I wonder if they regret the decision not to microchip it. We're not cat people and if/when we get a pet it will be a dog but I think the three kids are enough work at the moment. Plus seeing how the kids reacted to something going wrong with a stray animal, plus Ivy's reaction last time she saw a dog, well a pet is a long way off for this family. But I do take it as a compliment that this cat chose our house to spend its final hours at. Poor puddy tat.