This week Mollie entered the wormhole transporting her to the vet’s office. She did the song of her people. She’s the cat who had a lot of testing done last November but all they came up with was a floppy esophagus. I didn’t think she was feeling well so off we went.
I like to think small when it comes to medical concerns, especially for my cats. I took Hazel in for a hairball only to find out that a ginormous tumor was putting pressure on her lungs and she didn’t come home. I call it minimizing. In true fashion, I went in saying I thought it may be reflux or heartburn.
Mollie will be 16 this spring. That’s an old cat (shh! Don’t tell her!). She’s past anything that involves anesthesia. In her young days she didn’t tolerate it well. The sure way to see what’s going on in the esophagus is with a scope. Under anesthesia.
She also has a slight limp. Most likely arthritis. After an exam that invaded her personal space, the vet upped her steroid med to every day and added a probiotic to aid in digestion. We’ll see.
I am not ready to see her go. She’s my torti with an attitude. She’s an 8 pound cat that bosses the 12 pounders effectively. She’s my wheels up cat.

This picture happened seconds after a head womp. Mollie must have felt a little bad about it. She has trained them all!
I also don’t want to see her uncomfortable or unhappy. So far she’s eating and doing all the output stuff ok. Let’s hope she’s good for another 10,000 miles!
I learned a lesson from Jake (my cat who passed five years ago). I didn’t want to part with him either and kept him going for a year longer than I should have. It wasn’t a good year for either of us.
You got to know when hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away….. (The Gambler)
Just not yet for my sweet Mollie!
Trying to know when to hold ’em/when to fold them is always difficult with our fur babies. Thinking of you and sending another 10,000 miles of pawsitive’ energy your way. Love the wheels up image of Miss Mollie…aka Ms. Catitude.
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I have two wheels up cats when they sleep. Morgan used to when she was young but seems to have grown out of it. Sasha has the most bizarre sleeping positions. Most are wheels up.
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That’s adorable and not what I expected from cats.
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Mollie is beautiful! We had a tortie with similar colors—Luisa (RIP). Talk about attitude. “You can look but don’t touch!” She was a big, heavy girl we affectionately called “Fat Bitch” more often than not 😉 But I hear you about letting go/not letting go. We held on to Luisa too long. We don’t want to make that mistake again. Here’s hoping that Mollie continues with her cattitude for many more years.
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Mollie likes to be rubbed but I had one that didn’t. You had to figure out when she wanted it or she’d scratch you mercilessly.
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Luisa would snarl and hiss if we stroked her more than twice in a row … and, yes, we often did just to torment her 😉
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🙂
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Those were the only hard moments of pet ownership – the time near the end when you are constantly judging whether they still have some quality of life or if they are only suffering. I learned my lesson with Dog One who I put through an operation because I couldn’t let her go. It’s always a tough thing to make such decisions. Hope your new treatments do the trick.
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Me too. Her ultrasound showed healthy organs so I’m hopeful.
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Poor Mollie. Poor you. I hope she bounces back with the warmer spring weather. We all agree that it’s too early for her to go!!
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Some sunny porch time would do her good. We don’t have the furniture set up but we always keep cushions on some furniture for the cats to enjoy during the winter. She doesn’t like cold though so she hasn’t been out.
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Sending good vibes to Miss Mollie!
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Thanks! I’m hoping that she will perk up soon. Steroids can do that!
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Good things eventually come to an end for most of us. I’m sure you will provide Molly a happy ending.
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Hopefully not now though.
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Glad it’s “not yet” for Mollie. That stink eye she gives is pretty impressive 🙂 I use a digestive aid called Forti Flora. My cats have all LOVED it, I just make them wait until the powder soaks up some water on their wet food so they’re not inhaling the powder since it is scarfed down.
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That’s a good suggestion. My vet carries it but suggested the Full Bucket instead. Mollie doesn’t like the grittiness. I’ve tried mixing it in but she still avoids it.
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Hoping your lovely girl will be with you a good while longer! It is always heart breaking when they leave us, but you are right – it’s not fair to keep them around so long they are miserable.
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I’m hoping she’s around a while yet. I don’t know how they old so fast!
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Hoping this little meds tuneup is perfect to keep Mollie humming along. I thought Sasha’s whiskers were long but Mollie’s seem even longer!
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They are both long haired cats and they have white whiskers. The grays have gray whiskers which don’t show up as much in pictures.
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Aging pets are sure to bring sadness, I just hope it’s not in the near future for you. Long live Mollie.
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It will happen most likely within the next 5 years. Maybe sooner but no point in worrying about that. I just want to see her happy now.
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Very true.
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She’s in my prayers.
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Thanks!
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Hoping the best for Mollie and strength to you! ❤
Love the pics, especially of the one with her showing her love. 🙂
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Her love or her rump? She’s some cat!
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LOL! Yes, she is!
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Fingers crossed for Mollie.
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Thanks!
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You are finely tuned to each of your cats’ health and happiness so I know you’ll do the right thing when the time comes. I hope Mollie’s time is far into the future… she looks like she still has a lot of living in her. Hugs to you and the whole gang.
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Except for sleeping almost all the time and limping a bit, she looks like the old Mollie. Of course, I sleep more and occasionally limp a bit too. Hopefully we both have some years left.
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Hoping for many more happy days with Mollie. Love the photos:)
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She is my most photographic cat. Sasha isn’t bad but the grays can be difficult to get in the right light.
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It’s a difficult decision to know when to let a cat go. They’re so delightfully ornery that you think they’re just playing you for the fun of it. But sometimes they aren’t. Sending warm thoughts your way.
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It is difficult. Chronic heartburn would be very uncomfortable and could morph into something more serious.
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I know how hard it is to know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. Mollie surely is a beauty. Thinking happy thoughts for her.
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Thanks. So far, we’re ok but it’s too soon to tell if the meds will make a difference.
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🤞🤞🤞
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Paws crossed!
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For sure!
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Aww…I see a lot more years of mischief for sweet Mollie. Great pictures, Kate! I love the face lick. 🙂
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Mollie says those young’uns don’t know how to keep their face clean. Morgan licks it too sometimes.
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We had a cat live to 22 so 16 is not old.
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I’ve had a lot of cats and they’ve had good care but no one has lived beyond 18. I was hoping Mollie would because other than this esophagus thing she is very healthy.
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Keep on trucking’, Mollie. Tortie with ‘Tude over here says: “Respect.”
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❤
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Sending big, warm hugs to you and Mollie and the rest of the gang. I see another 10,000 miles in those beautiful eyes!
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Aww, thanks! She really is a sweet cat.
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Hoping for more quality life/time for/with your beautiful Mollie…
Hugs,
Deb
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Thanks, me too!
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Mollie is like some elusive old time movie star. One only sees her in pictures. May she thrive for many more years.
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Yes. She prefers to be alone but that doesn’t always work with 4 resident cats.
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There is one little consolation. You have many lovely photos of Mollie. You’ve stored “the song of her people” in your memory, too. Let us know when to grieve with you, knowing we’d all want to put that off as long as possible.
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You will hear me bellowing from your deck. I’m not thinking it’s imminent but at 16 I don’t have a lot of years left. My oldest cats died at 18.
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We had one in that age range. Cats add so much to our lives.
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I hope you get a lot more time with your Mollie – she’s gorgeous and just LOOKS like she’s nowhere near ready to leave the life she has with you. I think I probably kept Sammy going about six months longer than he should have but saying goodbye is ever so hard – once the light is dim in their eyes you know it’s time. They say volumes with their eyes. Happy Friday!
Hugs, Pam
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I knew it with Hazel. I took her to the emergency vet because my vet wouldn’t see her. (It was NYE and she thought that cat should be somewhere where people would be checking her frequently on the holiday.) I was so angry but at the end of the day, the decision was made that day. I would have preferred to have my regular vet administer the shots but the vet who did was very caring. The place was oozing with dogs and Hazel was too sick too care.
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I hope not too Kate. She’s lovely. I know what you mean though………
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As long as she’s happy! And spunky!
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All to do with quality of life. Eating, drinking, playing OK, every day normal things are all good signs of a happy pet, even if things are slowing down a bit. ❤
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Literally the best thing I’ve seen all morning! Love “attitude” … it’s basically how I felt at the supermarket yesterday.
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Supermarket shopping is dreadful right now. People be crazy. A steady round of steroids should help her perk up.
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Awwww! I am already feeling sad. But had to smile when you said Mollie “did the song of her people.”
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Jake was the worst. When he sang it, my skin crawled. In a closed car it reverberated through your body. By the time I got to the destination, I was nuts. Sasha also has a good set of lungs. The rest are at least bearable.
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Yes to 10,000 more miles for sweet Mollie! She has the sassy tortitude to pull it off. She’s got lots of head womps left in her. Wheels up photo ♥ … last picture, cracking me up!
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She is the cat that will give you her rump when she sees you with the camera. Hmmm….I wonder what that says.
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Love the photo of Mollie grooming Sasha. Sasha doesn’t look overly thrilled! I hope Mollie has another 10K in her as well.
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Sasha actually comes up to Mollie for snuggles and grooming. I’ve often wondered if her mom was a tortie because she seems to love being mothered by her.
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Glad they are buds. Got my new foster today, but they’re too scared to get photos and such yet. Gray and white boy, and dilute calico female. So no orange…you’re safe!
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Phew! Close call there. I hope they find wonderful homes.
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That 1st picture of Mollie on the vet’s exam table speaks volumes! May you enjoy another 10k or more with ther.
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That’s her stink eye. You know you are going to pay for that! 🙂
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(Laughing) I had a cat years ago, Joey, who had a stink eye that would bore right through you. You have to love ’em!
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They certainly get their message across!
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