Esme lived with an elderly lady with leaning difficulties in sheltered accommodation until the autumn of 2013 when her owner died. Esme was fed and cared for rather spasmodically at the home for nearly another year until a neighbour became rather worried about her and contacted Croydon Cats Protection (CPL).

Little Esme wasn't really wanted at the home so the branch took her in on the 23rd June 2014, unfortunately all the branch's foster places were full at the time so we were asked to care for her for a short period until a place could be found.

I contacted the nearest vet to where she had been living to see if I could find anything about her health etc and luckily they did know her. They said there was very little they had about her except she was a remarkable "seventeen years old!"

I took her to see our vet who was extremely surprised at her age as she appeared much younger. She was found to be under weight, infested with fleas, very deaf and suffering from arthritis of the lower spine. He took a blood sample which showed although very good for her age she was anaemic so she was put on iron tablets. Three weeks later Esme returned to the vets, her colour had improved and her weight had increased from 2.8kg to 3.4kg, a good result.

It was obvious Esme would be rather difficult to home because of her age and as she seemed very happy living with us we said she could see her retirement out with us.

On the 16th September 2014 we noticed that Esme was having trouble peeing so was taken straight to the vets where she was diagnosed as having Cystitis and was put on a two week course of antibiotics and painkillers. The good news though was that while at the vets she was weighed and came in at 3.8kg.

Esme had another visit to the vets in January 2015 due to a nasty inflamed right eye. The problem was diagnosed as conjunctivitis, she was treated with Acular and Chloramphenicol drops for seven days. While at the vets she was again weighed and found to be 4.4kg, a great improvement since she first came into the branches care.

She had another treatment in May 2015 for Cystitis. But in November of the same year she developed Pancreatitis and had to be kept in for treatment consisting of blood tests, intravenous fluids, steroids etc. She came home four days later with Emeprid and Zantac tablets. She went back for a follow-up visit and was given another steroid injection.

In February 2016 she had another bout of Cystitis and while being examined it was noted that her gums had become very inflamed. She had further attacks of Cystitis in March but by April it was decided she was well enough for a dental to sort her Gingivitis out, she had ten teeth removed. It was a shame because for a cat of her age her teeth were in very good condition but the gum infection could not be overcome.

In May 2106 she started sneezing like a machine gun and had to go to the vets again where she was given antibiotics and had a blood test which showed signs of Pancreatitis. As the Pancreatitis was no worse it was decided just to monitor it.

In October 2016 she stopped eating and started to lose weight and was having trouble laying down so another visit to the vets was made were further tests were carried out, blood and poo. She was given further antibiotics and pain relief for Arthritis. When the results of the blood and poo test returned it indicated she was not absorbing Vitamin B12. She was then put on weekly ongoing B12 injections.

She was treated with B12, antibiotic and steroid injection for over a year but towards the end it was suspected she was suffering from an autoimmune disease and was given drugs to try to control it. Unfortunately she started losing weight and then stopped eating. On the nineteenth of September 2017 it was decided to put the little girl to sleep aged twenty.

We miss her very much as she was such a character and loving cat.

All her treatment was paid for by the Croydon Branch of Cats Protection (CPL).

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