Some people are so insensitive!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Can you believe what someone said to me today? 'You drew the short straw when you got Harry'! Erm no I didn't. I got my lovely, affectionate boy who I would do anything for. It broke my heart to see him suffering when he broke his jaw and money was never an issue, the same as it won't be if his kidney problems progress. He may have cost thousands in vets fees but he's given back far more than that in love, affection and fun over the last nine years.

He is indeed! He goes crazy for a cat teaser and he adores playing with the dog! Being a maine coon though he is a lot bigger than the our dog who is a jack cross so the poor thing doesn't really have much choice lol

Bailey is gorgeous! He has a real look about him.

We don't know how Harry broke his jaw as he come home like it. We suspect he was clipped by a car or possibly slipped off the fence. It turned out his jaw was badly damaged by an infection and he ended up losing 12 teeth. His jaw is still unstable now but we've opted not to have anything else done, not because of the money but because we think he's been through enough.

It's going to be the same with his kidneys, we may end up choosing not to treat him and just keep him happy. It's very early and the vet said it could be a couple more years before he has symptoms so it might be a case of watch and wait.

How old is he now? (Roughly.)

We think he's about 12 now and has used quite a lot of his 9 lives!

Thank you

Oh bless him the poor baba! Can he only manage on soft food now after loosing the teeth?

It's so upsetting isn't it not being able to know 100% for sure what happened! I think it's so wrong that you don't have to report it if you've hit a cat but do for a dog. I understand most cats would get up and run away but I'd like to believe that people would try to look for them!

I see where you're coming from if he is happy and managing as he is there isn't a need for it. With Baileys fractured jaw they decided against operating as he was able to eat and they couldn't see the point of putting him through the pain of an op when he was managing fine. His jaw has dropped slightly on the left side and he does dribble a bit now though only thing we've had to do is put him on a biscuit ban until the 6 weeks are up!

As long as they have long happy lives I think we're all doing the best we can for our fur babies!

He could eat biscuits without his teeth but unfortunately, as his jaw hasn't healed properly, it's wet food only for him now. His jaw is still unstable despite being wired and our vet wanted to refer him to a specialist but we said no. The options were a permanent wire, a plate (probably not possible due to bone loss caused by infection) or partial amputation. We both agreed that we would rather PTS than him have his jaw amputated.

He's been sedated so many times in the last 18 months and had such a bad reaction to it last time that I'm not prepared to put him through it again. Sometimes I think his jaw might ache but he seems to manage his food ok - when it's not got his kidney medication in it!

I do wish we knew what happened to him, although I don't think it would have taken much to break it because of the infection. It's definitely wrong that you don't have to notify anyone if you hit a cat.

My girl only had 2 teeth when I adopted her aged 7 and can eat anything so if all else is equal, it doesn't affect them. Harry is obviously much different to that! I think there is this perception that pets are there for us and are kind of interchangeable - you know, the idea that you can just "get another cat/dog/guinea pig etc" if one dies, and so if you think like that it follows that you'll think, well Pink drew the short straw with a poorly cat the same as people say Eliza drew the short straw with an antisocial naughty tortie (what the cattery have said!). But she's my best girl, and she's not just there for me, I'm there for her too.
Sorry, bit long. Crazycat sends best wishes to Harry, and individualistic solidarity!!

Harry had dried food for a while until on a couple of occasions he struggled with it. If his jaw had healed he would have been able to carry on with dry food but we decided it wasn't worth the risk. I do feel sorry for him sometimes as he loved his biscuits and we can't risk them even as a snack.

Harry sends his regards back to Crazycat!

I love Harry and his smiling face! What a crappy thing to say to you, about part of your family. Downright rude.

I lost my shit got quite angry with my neighbour when I overheard her calling Little M "That Scabby Siamese looking THING". Didn't object to the Siamese comparison, but I bristled at the words scabby and thing.

I call him my little gummy bear. He definitely wasn't the short straw, he was the best cat we could have chosen.

I've never forgiven my MIL for telling me to have him PTS rather than having his jaw fixed as I was cruel to keep him alive 'in that state'. I bear a grudge for a long time if anyone insults my boy!

I'm getting cross on Little M's behalf! He is not scabby or a thing, he's gorgeous! I doubt I'll ever have a pedigree (not while His Lordship is ruling the house anyway!) but if I did a Devon Rex would definitely be on my list.

Our vet has a Devon Rex. She's besotted with him.