It is with an extremely heavy heart I write today that Peaches, our cerebellar hypoplasis girl of almost a year old had to be put to sleep yesterday (Saturday) morning as she was suffering from pleurisy and fluid on the lungs. She became ill on Thursday. I brought her to the vet, but sadly she did not respond to treatment and the decision was made Saturday morning to put her to sleep. It all happened very suddenly. She'd been a bit chesty the past few months and needed treatment but overcame it. Little did we know.
She has left a huge hole in our hearts and home. There have been many tears yesterday and today as I survey her empty bed, her food bowls washed and ready for her return, the empty space at the patio door where she'd sit on her bed and watch the world go by outside, the special stand my husband built for her food bowls, the comb sitting on the worktop I'd use to brush her hair after a bath, the hairdryer waiting for the next "spa treatment" as I'd call her baths.
Ironically I had written a piece about her for the Mayo Cat Rescue Spring newsletter early last week to educate and inspire people to consider rehoming a CH cat. Little did I know that just a few days later, she would be gone from us forever. Here's what I wrote:
"In her dreams, she runs
Peaches arrived here the June bank holiday weekend last year, a three day old kitten along with her mum, siblings, aunt and cousins!! A gorgeous family of cats, the two mums cared for the kittens and watched over them as they grew. All seemed well until the kittens were old enough to start walking and it was then we noticed Peaches had problems. She just didn't seem quite able to get her legs to co-operate and wobbled and fell over regularly. We thought maybe she was a late developer but at six weeks old, while the rest of the kittens were flying around on their legs, we realised there was something wrong with Peaches.
It subsequently turned out she has a rare condition called cerebellar hypoplasia (CH) where the feline infectious enteritis (FIE) virus which her mum may have picked up sometime during pregnancy crossed the blood/brain barrier causing defects in Peaches cerebellum, the area of the brain that governs fine motor control, balance, movement, co-ordination, etc. There is no treatment or cure, sadly.
CH can be mild to severe and Peaches is in the latter category. So, she would never walk properly, never run, never climb. She would have head tremors when focusing on something, might have eating difficulties, litter tray difficulties and be small for her age. There were two options, put her to sleep immediately or see “how she got on.” We choose the latter.
I must admit I was curious to see how she would get on. In the early days, her mum fed and cleaned her, but gradually Peaches began eating herself in that special way CH cats do with lots of head bobbing and food sometimes going in all directions! It took her longer to eat but she could eat so that was one hurdle cleared. Then she began going to the loo on newspaper, lying on her side to do so. She always went in the same place so that was fine. All that was needed was to clear up the paper and replace with fresh. Sometimes she would fall into what she produced but her mum or sister would clean her up. I realised that job would fall to me when they left for new homes. I debated keeping one of them to mind her but there was no guarantee that would happen as she got older. So the sad day eventually came for Peaches when all her family were gone and she was on her own. They had lived in one of the chalets outside so when they left Peaches came in to live in the house. The conservatory was decked out with carpet to cushion her head from banging on the tiles when she fell over as she often did. Space was left for her newspaper loo. As she grew and gained weight, she needed a bath almost daily as she almost always fell into her wee or poops but now that she is at a steady weight, she has learned her centre of gravity and only needs a bath once a week, twice at most.
There was no keeping her in the conservatory for long, soon she was wobbling, staggering and crawling around the kitchen, the other cats and two dogs not sure what to make of her!
As autumn turned to winter, I realised she needed extra heat at night to keep her warm, so she got her own personal heat pad which retains heat for eight hours. As she grew, we noticed she found it difficult to stand, balance and reach her head down to her food bowl all at the same time, so my husband made a stand to raise her food bowls off the floor. Often she just sits on the floor to eat.
Her favourite place to sit has always been the patio door looking out at the world going by and when the weather was warm recently, the decision was made to let her out and “see how she got on”. Heart in mouth, I watched her stagger and fall out the door to the outside world and off she went exploring at her own pace and in her own way. I kept a discreet eye on her but at one point got caught up in a phone call and when I went to check on her, there was no sign of her. Panic stations. I called her name again and again and suddenly she popped her head out from under one of the chalets, the furtherest one away from the house!!! I was astonished at the distance she had covered. Head bobbing away and swaying drunkenly on her four legs, she was delighted with herself, delighted to be out and about like the other cats, sniffing, smelling and exploring.
Now of course she wants to be outside every day! Although I live in a very quiet safe area, there are two steep (for her) embankments near the house which she has already conquered, sliding and wriggling her way down. She is an amazing cat and despite what looks to me like huge difficulties, her disability doesn't seem to concern her and certainly doesn't stop her in any way. It's interesting that often when she is asleep and possibly dreaming, her legs move as if running. I like to think that in her dreams, she runs.
We began her journey almost a year ago wondering how she would get on. In the first year of her life, she has proved she gets on just fine. She has a fur-ever home here at MCR, we're delighted she's part of the gang!"
It is a fitting tribute to a special cat who stole our hearts. She was a joy from the day she arrived til the day she left. She had a sweet little face, a quiet personality and a determined nature. Only recently I got a camcorder and had shot some footage of her which I was planning to put together for her first birthday to show other people what these cats are capable off and that it's not necessary to put them down because of their condition. Sadly she left before it could be completed but here is a few seconds of her in action.
On the newsletter I mention that when she was asleep and dreaming, her legs moved as if she was running. Now she is at Rainbow Bridge, I hope she is running like the wind.... We miss you.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. Her bright eyes are intent; Her eager body quivers. Suddenly she begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, her legs carrying her faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
