In today's paper - opinions

[Elaine]

Well, just wanted to add my tuppence worth, having been through the whole CRF rollercoaster. Having spoken to many with cats suffering from CRF, its difficult to determine just how long that cat has left, especially when it comes to old age. Winston had quality of life for 2 and a half years after being diagnosed with treatments and regular tests. Kazz' cats had quality of life long after being diagnosed with no treatment then we have Midas, Charlies cat, who sadly went down hill very fast. Owners know their cats better than most vets because its not until your cat falls victim of such illness that you build a relationship with the vet. Winston had never seen a vet since he was a kitten but the last few years of his life he was at the vets many times.
I also changed vets twice with Winston in order to get him and me a vet that was supportive and knowledgable on his condition. First vet was very much about the money he could make out of Winstons condition, second vet told me Winston was also HyperT and it wasnt until I got a 3rd opinion that I discovered that he wasnt.
As you all know, I would have moved heaven and earth for my old boy but once quality of life was lost.........
I agree with many points that people have made about putting an animal through many pointless test if there is no treatment etc.
I think the woman in the article made some very inapropriate comments, but you really do have to take what you read in the press with a pinch of salt. As some one already said it was written to get a reaction.

[smudgley]

well I've just re-read the whole article, thinking maybe I missed a vital piece of info the 1st time, but I hadn't. She's written the article in that way because she's angry with the vets. But I don't agree with all the things that have been said about her, I actually agree with her that the vet should have upon her wishes put the cat to sleep when requested to do so, she knows the cat better than anyone & if she chose not to be with the cat when it was PTS that is her choice, many owners feel they can't be there when their cats are PTS.
I don't think it said she laughed at the card, but that her friends did.
As far as the gloves comment, she was making a point that when the cat is gone, it's gone... nothing will bring it back & she didn't want it's ashes back. Again I don't see a problem with that at all. It's her choice.

[Kazz]

Well I have read the article 4 times now over the last couple of hours since leaving work and have to say I can't see anything wrong with it.

I would not say I am hard hearted but I totaly agree with the lady who has written the article.

If she has never been to the vets, then she would not think of "looking around" if your first visit was like hers a bit of a nightmare you would think twice about going through the same again but woud think "Right I'll sort it" out before hand" which I assume she thought she had phoning first.

But vets are a law I think to themselves at times.

I took Oscar to be PTS and not questioned but had I have been I would have exploded, same with Cleo.

And in one respect I agree with her once an animal is dead they are dead, the remark about gloves may have been a little "non politicaly correct" but I tend to agree.
I brought Oz and Cleo home but have never brought any of the dogs home even after 16 and 17 years.

The amount of money vets charge for things seems to me to be unbelivable, and my previous vets did try to push me to put Oscar on a drip but I refused totaly.

And with regard to no wanting to be present, there I cannot blame her, some people just cannot take that my Dad amongst them he cannot bear to be there when an animal of the family is PTS.

I think the lady seemed to be saying vets are out for money and she did not think they were there for the care of her cats or any animal. Which I tend to agree with in some cases.

Karen

[smudgley]

Totally 100% agree with Kazz.

I have never brought a dog home to be buried or had their ashes back. I don't have a problem with people who do bury their animals ( we buried one of our cats) and I don't have a problem with people having the animals ashes back if they so wish, but it's not for me. When they're gone, they're gone in my opinion.When my rottweiler died I was a mess, in pieces, he was my buddy, my best mate, my loyal friend, but he was gone. I had no reason to want him back. When one of our Bullmastiffs died at an emergency vets appointment, there was only a nurse there (the vet was on way, but she died before the vet arrived).. my husband helped the vet nurse put her in a body bag, the vet nurse didn't want him to, but he couldn't just leave her there, so he put her in the bag with the nurse. Call me whatever you want to, but she was dead and as much as we loved her & we cried when she was gone, she wasn't going to come back & he wasn't going to leave a young nurse struggling to move a great big dog on her own.

[Kazz]

I agree totaly with you there Smudgley, as much as I adore my cats when they were gone they were gone. I brought them home and buried them because I wanted to, but in my opinion they had had a good life like the lady who wrote the article's two cats.
But coming home they were simply bodies not my Oz and Cleat. As the life and what made them them had gone.

[angieh]

I really had to go away and think about this one. It seems to have split opinions of Catsey members somewhat - and I agree that it was an article probably written to do just that.

I disliked the whole way the article was written, whilst agreeing with the writer's final decision and especially with what Dawn and Luke have written above, having been there myself.

Would it be unfair to comment on the actions of the vet practice in question without having their view on what happened? From the writer's point of view, and going only by her article it would seem that the vet's only consideration was the fees they were charging.

The thing that really upset me however, was the way the vet finally ended the cat's life and upset Julia Langdon even further. I am guessing that's what has set the tone of her article. The vet, myself and my husband all came to agreement about ending my cat Smudge's life and we stayed with her until she was gone. It was not an experience that I would like to go through again, but certainly I could not in all conscience desert Merlin when the time comes for him too. And is it stupidly sentimental to want to bury your cat or his/her ashes in a safe and familiar place if you are able to do so?

What point do you think we are missing Smudgely?

[dandysmom]

Originally Posted by angieh

I really had to go away and think about this one. It seems to have split opinions of Catsey members somewhat - and I agree that it was an article probably written to do just that.

I disliked the whole way the article was written, whilst agreeing with the writer's final decision and especially with what Dawn and Luke have written above, having been there myself.

Would it be unfair to comment on the actions of the vet practice in question without having their view on what happened? From the writer's point of view, and going only by her article it would seem that the vet's only consideration was the fees they were charging.

The thing that really upset me however, was the way the vet finally ended the cat's life and upset Julia Langdon even further. I am guessing that's what has set the tone of her article. The vet, myself and my husband all came to agreement about ending my cat Smudge's life and we stayed with her until she was gone. It was an enot xperience that I would like to go through again, but certainly I could not in all conscienstupidly sece desert Merlin when the time comes for him too. And is it ntimental to want to bury your cat or his/her ashes in a safe and familiar place if you are able to do so?

What point do you think we are missing Smudgely?

I stayed with Sultan when he had to be PTS, I felt I owed it to him to be there; and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done; I still get a bit weepy even after all these years.
And if it's stupidly sentimental to lay your cat's remains in the garden they loved, then I am stupidly sentimental. And I will do both in the future when the sad time comes..

I know that is only my opinion, and I respect any one's decision to do otherwise. It comes down to individual situations and individual feelings.

[Grete]

I agree with all of your points on quality of life and her choice to be there or not - it's individual and personal to everyone.

But at any point did you decide you knew what was going on without actually having a diagnosis or training to make that assumption yourself? Or indeed any kind of check-ups that could have picked up that a problem like this was starting when treatment could have made a big difference. Or even refused any kind of basic investigation?

That is my issue with this woman.

If she thought she was shoddily treated before, why did she go back to them the second time and with the attitude that she did. She had made her mind up what was going to happen before she had any facts (nor was interested in being educated) and I understand the frustration of the vet (who I doubt was the same one as previously and might have actually cared about animals). Being faced with that and despite all suggestions this woman who was already in fight mode is saying 'I don't care what's wrong, I'm not paying money for tests, he's ill, put him to sleep'.

I said before I don't condone their actions of putting the cat to sleep there and then but I understand how angry they must have felt.

The whole article was designed to shock and if she wanted to get a 'poor me, look what happened' reaction, she fell very short of the mark, she just came across as a very hard nosed, controlling woman who arranges life to suit her pocket. That's fine for some people but not me.

This is of course my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it

[smudgley]

Originally Posted by angieh

What point do you think we are missing Smudgely?

I didn't say you were missing the point, I asked if I was missing the point as I just didn't get it! Why it was such a big debate about a woman writing an article about her cat & her vet who she obviously was unhappy about.

[Rosie]

I don't think it is a "big debate" it is just something to discuss among cat people which is surely what the chat/debate sections are all about.