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Hugo

We adopted Hugo from Sadpals in Derrington. (Just outside Stafford on the west side) in April 2006. A beautiful black puss with a white triangle down his front, and white socks.

The lady at the shelter said he was about 9 years old, we wanted to give an older cat a chance, as they are often overlooked.

6 weeks later, on the Sunday morning, Hugo started "coughing", at first we thought he was struggling with a furball, but as the cough continue, I phoned the out of hours vet for advice. They said that the decision was mine, to take him in now, or see how we go.. As the call out fee alone was £60, we decided to see how he went.

At 9pm, I went downstairs to check on him, and he was sitting there looking at a puddle of fluid. I phoned the vet and she said she would be at the surgery at 10pm to deal with all the resident patients, I agreed to meet her there.

On the way Hugo was very vocal, I presumed he was not happy with the journey, whilst standing outside the veterinary practice, waiting for the vet to arrive, Hugo was making a gurgled crying noise.

When the vet arrived and we went into the consulting room, Hugo attacked her as she was getting him out of the carrier. She lay him down on the table, he gurgled lots of fluid up, then obviously gave up the fight and went to sleep. The vet told me he had gone, I was so shell-shocked, I never even imagined he was going to die. If I knew it was inevitable, I would have spent his last 30 minutes cuddling him at home with Simon, not dragging him out in the car to the vet.. :-(

The vet asked for permission to stop his heart. I clutched at strings, anything to keep him alive, I asked if there was anything she could do, regardless of cost. She sadly shook her head, she told me he'd already gone, I knew that anyway, I was desperate.

The vet said afterwards, that she felt it was a respiratory infection, and perhaps it was so deadly because he had HIV, which would have made it lots lots worse. She also guesstimated him to be AT LEAST 14. After a heartbreaking call to the rescue, (I didn't want anything from them, I just thought it was courteous to let them know he'd gone.) it was agreed that I would go and see them on the Monday to "choose another cat".

Oscar

Whilst looking at a gorgeous black puss, Oscar grabbed at me through his bars, I turned round and he started talking to me, the lady was very surprised at this, as he wouldn't even look at anyone else who looked at him, never mind acknowledge them, or better still, talk to them! She opened his door so I could give him a fuss, and he launched himself onto me, the lady said, "my word! He's definitely chosen you, is he OK for you?!" I HAD got my heart set on another black cat, but Oscar tugged at my heartstrings, so hard I swear my heart should have fallen out!

I said there and then, yep he's coming home with me! As he was only about 6 months old (maybe a Tad older) he hadn't been neutered yet, she managed to book him in on the Wednesday, so I arranged to pick him up after his surgery... Wednesday was a very long day! heheh

He was a very groggy Kitty when I first got him home, he couldn't use his back legs very well, so I placed him on the sofa in a teatowel. ( in case his bowel/bladder were as reliable as his back legs)

He's been with us ever since!

Oscar's story before he came to us

This is according to the lady at the shelter....

Oscar and his Sister were dumped at the Vet in Cannock, by their breeder, simply because their markings were not up to show standard. Turkish Van's are supposed to have a coloured hood and tail only. (Oscar has small patches over his body in various places as well as the required hood and tail)

Someone at the vets allowed Oscar and his sister out into the back "garden" (no idea who, or why) both kitties scarpered to the trees. They managed to climb and get Oscar, but his sister repeatedly evaded their grasp.

Oscar was then transferred to Sadpals, where he chose me.