Damn cat!

Shufflled along into the kitchen this morning, bleary eyed as usual.

Beautiful boy, black cat, had wanted to be let out at 6am. I knew this because he systematically claws the corners of the bed base, through the black (Dorma no less) valance which is already showing signs of having been ravaged previousley). I shuffled to the kitchen and let him out. Little lady cat shot through the door having endured the wind and rain during the night, and swiftly settled into her fleecy blanket in her basket. She decided to have a night on the tiles and refused to come in before we retired for the night.

At 9am the rotund ginger boy wanted to go out and makes stupid squawking noises at the bedroom door. I admit defeat and get up, shoving stiff limbs into dressing gown sleeves. On hearing human movement in the kitchen, all three decided this can only mean one thing. Food!!!

Rotund ginger one does a u turn and decided his need for nourishment outweighed his need for a pee, and almost tripped me up, weaving purposely around my ankles. All three were now present. I managed to dribble some dry food into two of the feeding bowls, without having to reach down or strain. However, the third bowl was placed just inside the sliding back porch door. This is because the beautiful boy has a tendency to throw his food back up shortly after eating, so consequently is fed nearest the exit.

As I reached down to move the bowl I could feel my knees giving way, ever so slowly. Slowly, slowly, slowly, until I had my right knee on the floor and holding the sliding door, trying to support myself. It wasnā€™t working. The door was functioning perfectly and continued to slide. I was now on one knee, with my palms outside the threshold, on the step. My left knee was still bent. I tried to place my hands on the said knee, attempting to push myself upon it. Not happening. The strain was unbearable and I had to end up sitting on my rump, legs splayed out in front of me. The feeling of being so incapable was overwhelming. I somehow managed, with great difficulty, to get myself onto all fours. I thought I could crawl the few steps to the nearest kitchen chair, by which I could put my forearms on and support my body, while I dragged my useless legs into some sort of position that would allow me to fall onto the seat.

I eventually did manage this, but the tears flowed. Hot tears just rolled down my cheeks. I havenā€™t been in a situation like this since last summer, when I ended up in the flower bed, and hubby struggled to get me upright, like I weighed a tonne. I donā€™t! The tears were a combination of feelings. Fear for what the future holds, disbelief that I was unable to do something as stooping and standing back upright, anger at this bloody disease, realisation that it is here to stay and isnā€™t going anywhere.

The beautiful boy meanwhile, waited patiently, looking intently at me, wondering what I was doing crawling around the floor. He just walked to his bowl and proceeded to eat the biscuit I now poured in. Hubby slumbered on, oblivious to the mini drama that had taken place. And so the day beganā€¦

Oh dear Poppy.

Iā€™ve been there many times.

Previously, Iā€™ve had a few stools or a low chair to help me feed the cats. It took the risk away. Then I bought a lightweight fold-up chair which was really useful. I could even use it as a makeshift walking stick. But the realisation of oneā€™s limitations is hard to take.

To quote Hill Street Blues:

ā€œBe careful out there.ā€

Best wishes, Steve.

Thanks Steve.

I just forget I have ms sometimes! Normally, I wouldnā€™t bother to stoop low down like that. I just know. The bottom shelves of my cupboards now on hold items I donā€™t use very often. I bend from the waist and keep the knees straight. Normallyā€¦

hi poppy

i saw a lovely neuro physiotherapist on tuesday.

telling her about all my ā€œdangerousā€ moments led to a discussion about items that i need.

low stools were one of them.

a bed rail for helping me turn over in bed and get out of bed.

a shewee,

she couldnā€™t help with cats though!

carole x

Iā€™ve known for a long time that the bottom shelves of cupboards are not good places to put things. When we inherited the in-laws house we replaced the kitchen. With the exception of the sink unit, all base units have deep drawers. That way I can get at everything I use regularly - and a lot of things I hardly use at all. Food is kept in the top half of a larder unit.

Dealing with feeding is one of many reasons why we donā€™t have pets any more. There are gadgets that help you pick things up without bending, but only small lightweight things. There ought to be gadgets to help handle more awkward objects like food bowls. If they donā€™t exist, someone should develop them.

Oh poppy. I know exactly how miserable those moments are, but remember you did get up and you did feed the moggies. I take my (cat in the) hat off to you xx

Poppy

You poor love. Cats are a veritable nightmare.

I have resigned all cat feeding, moving, door opening duties to my OH.

He is now the official cat slave in this house. When the damn beast sits waiting by the food area, itā€™s his job, when the animal stands by the back door, itā€™s his job to open it, in the night, the cat knows that the place to scratch for human attention is his side of the bed.

Obviously this now means that I am now a minority in this house, being the only female. So the chaps gang up on me. Itā€™s now special food day everyday. We now have a slightly chunkier cat than we had when all cat duties were my job. But thatā€™s a small price to pay.

And hitting the floor is a thing that used to make me cry too. Now it happens very rarely, and is more likely to be accompanied by loud swearing than sobbing.

But I do feel for you.

Sue x

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This just proves the old adage:

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

Geoff

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You can get feeding bowls with a telescopic handle, I canā€™t do links on this tablet but you just need to search dog bowl with handle, several on amazon between 6.99 and 19.99, plus Alessi at a lot more for designer dogs! had one years ago, it was a freebie. not sure cats mind eating out of dog bowlsā€¦dogs certainly donā€™t mind eating out of cat bowls!

I have replied to cheerful dragon but for everyone else who has a problem, searh for ā€˜no bend pet bowlā€™, canā€™t do links from this tablet, they are a great aid!

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Eeee lass! and you`d only been up a few minutes before disaster struck!

Such is the life of one with a disability!

pollsx

I have a couple of low stools Carole, but I actually really struggle to get up from a low level. I end up having to slither on to one knee, then push up with both hands on the other bent knee. It usually works.

I can still turn over in bed, but it does involve a lot of wriggling. :slight_smile:

Yep, got one of the pick up gadgets, but itā€™s never where I am! :slight_smile:

We used to have six cats at one stage. All of them waifs and strays. None of them were sought out, all of them found their way to us. We live in a fairly rural area and down a lane/track. I swear word got round in the cat communityā€¦ā€œPssst! Hey guys, there are some real suckers living down that lane. Iā€™ve watched them. There are cats that live there that are actually allowed indoors!! Curled up on fleeces, with baskets/beds of their own, indoor toilet, and food that is virtually on tap. Iā€™ve seen it all through the window at night!ā€.

They donā€™t realise at first, that as soon as we can grab them, they are introduced to the vet and have all the necessaries done. Weā€™d be knee deep in kittens otherwise.

Hubby does pretty much all of the chores during the day, but when he is asleep at night he is comatose. Iā€™m the opposite. Iā€™m still an MS learner I guess having only been dxd end May 2015, but boy am I learning fast!

Yes Geoff, Iā€™ve also read, ā€œDogs have Masters, Cats have slavesā€. True!

A cup of tea in bed would be nice, before the day begins!

Yes Polls, and it seem to set the tone for the rest of the damn day. I was cross, I felt defeated by such a small, simple task, hubby woke up on the wrong side of the bed (bad tempered sod), and the rain hasnā€™t really stopped since we got back from Gran Canaria last weekend. 28c +! Spent the day indoors in almost silence. (Big sigh)ā€¦ah well, todayā€™s another day. And still the rain falls.

Hi Poppy,

Poor you, falling down is an occupational hazard for people with MS.

Iā€™m the same as you and feed feral cats. Used to be about 14 but only about 4 left. Theyā€™re very old.

Bought an automatic pet biscuit and water feeder to try and make my life easier. Dropped it when I was setting it up.

1kg cat biscuits all over the garage floor. At least I wonā€™t have to feed them for a couple of days now!!

Keep steady.

Jen xx

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We trap and neuter each one as and when they start to hang around. Whether they choose to stay with us after that is always a chance we take. Only two disappeared afterwards and one died from cat aids shortly afterwards, but we figured it was money well spent anyway.

I like the idea of the automatic feeder, but I think the rotund ginger boy must have Prader Willi syndrome and heā€™d just keep scoffing until it was empty!

As my wifeā€™s elected ā€œpicker upperā€ (I was the only candidate) itā€™s not as easy as you might think.

Iā€™m no weed, Iā€™m a recently retired carpenter - my very last job was a large roof with some oak trusses to build inside once the roof was on - the oak weighed a minimum of 300 lbs per piece, the three ridge beams for the roof were over 500 lb each: it was much easier slinging those around than getting my wife off the floor and she weighs about 120 lb.

I donā€™t know why it is, but itā€™s always a struggle getting her back upright again.