I obtained a cat from a no-kill shelter maybe a year or two ago. I’ve developed something of a phobia of this, as I form close attachments only to discover the young healthy cat they claimed they’d offered was in fact positively ancient and dying from something terrible.
Well, my precious “four year old and shy” Mozart has now been diagnosed as actually being fifteen with a probably terminal combination of liver and thyroid disorders.
The best I can hope is that the repeatedly abandoned Mozart (he has been returned to the shelter many times) has finally had some comfort in his final years. I can only hope he doesn’t feel like he’s been failed.
It hurts that shelters feel that it’s ok to lie about a cat’s age or health. I would probably have adopted him anyway, but had a totally different approach. This isn’t the first time I’ve been lied to. It hurts. Each time it hurts worse. Few vets can confuse 4 with 15, or shyness with the start of organ failure.
Please can people send beams to Mozart, let him know I tried my best and that I wish I could turn the hurt to joy.
.