It’s no secret I’m a crazy cat lady, so you can understand how devastated I was to hear that another of Miss Fleur’s brothers passed away suddenly last week.
RIP George, gone but definitely not forgotten.
Miss Fleur looks very sad in this photo, don’t you think?
Such a lovely kitty, gone far too soon – the litter is only 2 1/2 years old.
We think the culprit was heart problems. I feel so much for George’s loving mama; I know what it’s like to lose a precious fur baby suddenly. I’ve lost two in the past four years, which is one of the reasons why Miss Fleur is an indoors only girl – to keep her safe, and protect me from heartbreak!
Today we are taking Miss Fleur to the vet for a checkup as we are more than a little worried. With two out of four cats in Miss Fleur’s litter now gone, I am trying to prepare myself for the likelihood of losing our little girl sooner rather than later.
From what I’ve read online, heart problems in cats are not always easy to detect, but we have to at least try. Deep inside however, I can’t help wondering what can be done, even if a problem is picked up. And how much will it cost?!
Sharing a moment with my precious fur baby
In hindsight, it seems obvious that Fleur’s brother Chino suffered heart problems – he was always a very laid back young man, happy to just watch the other kittens playing. He also had a couple of “turns” and couldn’t be spayed the same day as the other kitties, as he was running a temperature. However despite all this, and regular vet checks, his heart problems were never diagnosed.
Chino’s death was a shock, but we were reassured by the health and vitality of the remaining kitties of the litter. Until his sudden death last week, George was a happy, healthy young cat. He fell asleep propped on the window sill – something Miss Fleur also loves to do – and just never woke up. Poor little darling.
Miss Fleur loves sitting in the sun on the window sill,
which is why the blinds are always pulled up!
Dr Google tells me it’s not uncommon for there to be heart problems in cats; and the risk is even higher if it is in the family.
I never realised before that this was a health issue in the feline population – did you?
R.i.p little George. Miss fleur is so damn cute in these pictures. Hope the vet gives her the all clear! Xxx
She’s so damn cute always!!!!
Oh wow, I never really knew about this either!! I hope that she checks out OK. She’s a lucky girl to have a mum like you x
Oh shucks Zilla … the vet said she looked very happy and healthy, no sign of heart troubles so we are very happy about that.
Fingers crossed Miss Fleur is assessed to be fully fit and healthy with no heart issues.
Thanks Ingrid – the vet thinks she is as fit as a fiddle which is such a relief!
It’s so so devastating when your beloved pet leaves you (not that I expect your princess is likely to anytime soon). We had a budgie who was such a part of our family for years (he flew freely around the house, don’t ask about droppings!) and when he died we just went to pieces. I swore never to have another pet, because I couldn’t bear the thought of going through that again. Still, time does heal or at least scab over your wounds. Best of luck with your darling.
Thanks Emily, good news – no sign of a heart problem 🙂
I hope Miss Fleur is OK. Sick pets are as worrying as sick kids. Please let us now how the check up goes. x
It was good news Nicole!
I hope you get a good positive report from the vet! Cavalier King Charles Spaniel have a dreadful heart disease within the breed called MVD (Mitral Valve Disease). Good breeders get their dogs heart tested and don’t breed from them if they have MVD. We lost one of our Cav’s to MVD when he was 12 (diagnosed at 9). Chelsea, our old dog (she is now 16) developed MVD late in life but I think old age might take her before that. I hope Fleur gets the all clear!! Poor George 🙁 xo
The vet thinks Fleur is very fit and healthy so we are keeping our fingers crossed x
I didn’t know that either. Thankfully I have never lost a cat too young (except one who was run over by a car when she was about 2 but I was really young then) but the rest have gone on to live long lives and die of old age in the form of a stroke or similar. Poor kitty’s 🙁 I love my cat but he has definitely become an outdoorsman since I had children! I see him for food and that’s about it! I’m sure I’ll see him more in winter though.
Haidee, I was the same when our kids were little. I felt like I used up all my love and energy on the kids, poor cat (who’d been my “baby” til they came along) didn’t really get a look in. Luckily the hubster still made a fuss of her. She lived til 15 which is a pretty respectable age!
I hope you get good results. My puppies are like an extension of my children and at the moment they know when they need to be with me and to keep me safe. I hope that Miss Fleur is ok.
Thanks Cathy, it was good news so let’s hope it stays that way!
Oh dear I am so sorry to read this. I do hope that you are OK. It must be devastating to know this history now. Take care..of you too! Denyse #teamIBOT
The funny (strange, ironic, rather than haha) thing is that George’s mama has heart problems, and they are in my family as well – me and my dad. So I guess we could say it really does run in our families – regardless of being hooman or fur!
Poor George. I hope Fleur is one of the lucky ones and doesn’t have any heart problems. It’s hard to know what to do, huh? I don’t know any of the litter of my two babies so would not have a clue of their family history. I do worry about Buttons because of his weight and no matter what I’ve tried, he just won’t lose weight!
Hope all goes well with Fleur!
It’s hard to keep indoor kitties to not gain weight – they don’t get as much exercise, and tend to beg for food more often from boredom. Miss Fleur often tries it on and trouble with us being a busy household is sometimes she gets fed numerous times because we don’t realise somebody else has already done it! BTW she got a clean bill of health from the vet 🙂
I had no idea that heart problems were a thing with cats. Who would have thought?! Poor George. RIP.
Fleur got the all clear at the vet, but it isn’t always something that can be picked up. The main thing is she is still quite boisterous and playful which is a great sign (even if it is annoying sometimes!)!
If I moved out of my flat I’d ponder getting a cat but I worry I’d get too attached – given my lack of partner, kids etc… and I’d become some sort of spinster-like cat lady who was overly involved in her cat’s life! So I can’t even imagine if I had one and something happened to it…
RIP George!
Deb, why get 1 cat when you can have 2?! There is nothing like having a pet greet you when you come home 🙂 . Yes, you get attached to them and it hurts terribly when they die. But I still wouldn’t be without a fur baby x
Oh, I’m so very sorry to hear about little George. It’s devastating to lose a fur baby.
Thanks Robyna. I know, his poor mama 🙁
Losing a feline friend is soo hard. My pre-Ralph friend, Pumpkin was hit by a car and hence why Ralph, like Miss Fleur, is primarily an inside cat (Also because when we go home to the Gold Coast to live later this year, we are not allowed to have a cat. Lots of us do though; we call them our cogs. Dogs allowed, not cats???) With Ralphter heading to his 12th birthday, I’m seeing signs of ageing and wondering how many more happy years he will have. He brings me so much joy and love and he is so spoilt. He will have had a happy life regardless.
I love when you share Ralphie pictures 😉 ! That’s what I am telling myself too: no matter if Miss Fleur’s life is long or short, we will know it’s been a happy one and that she is thoroughly loved and spoiled 🙂 . The vet said she looks fit and healthy so fingers crossed.
Oh no, so sad. We don’t have any pets at the moment but this has reminded me of how attached we get to them. Hope you’re OK.
Thanks so much Di. The vet said she looks fit and healthy so fingers crossed x
I’m glad she got a clean bill (read the comments.) Our cat is coming up to 10 this year and he’s starting to act a little old. He was quite distraught by us being away for a few nights last week and it never bothered him before. Not sure how he will cope if we go camping over easter. Poor little mite.