A cat carer's tale

Looking after people's cat is my second job and gives me great pleasure, but this week has been a tad too much.

I had arranged to look after Ronnie and Barney who live in the next road, from Tuesday whilst their owners, the Griffiths are in Spain for two weeks.

At the same time I had booked to spend a weekend in Richmond with Oliver and Doris, whose owners, the Hancocks went to a pop festival. Should be no problem as Richmond is only about an hour away and I could pop back at the weekend to look after Ronnie and Barney.

till last Sunday when Mrs Griffiths rang to say Ronnie had a cold and could I give him two more days of his pills. Yes, of course, no problem. Oh by the way, they were taking him for a last check up on Monday as a tumour had been found in his stomach.

On Monday evening Dr Griffiths rang in a flap, he was at the vet and the tumour had grown and Ronnie had to go the cat hospital to have a scan and possibly a biopsy. Could I pick him up from there on Wednesday/ Yes sure.

On Wednesday, the hospital rang to say they were keeping him in overnight for observation. The tumour is not malignant but is fibrous and nasty and he had been weeping from the needle wound and was on a drip AAAAhhhhh, poor Ronnie.

In the end I picked him up on Thursday night after paying the hefty sum of nearly £700 (the Ritz would have been cheaper). I had to call his owners in Spain and they were o.k with that, as they are insured, lucky for them.

Poor Ronnie is not well and very subdued but seemed to be pleased to be home, at least.

So Friday morning after feeding Ronnie and Barney, off I got to Doris and Oliver. Back to the boys Friday night, Up Saturday morning to Ronnie and Barnie home again to Oli and Doris, back again in the afternoon to R & B.

I basically spent the weekend on trains !

Tomorrow I am taking Ronnie back to the vet for a blood test. His owners stil have a week of their holiday in Spain to enjoy, well bully for them.

I am just no good with sick cats, soppy me.