Cancervive diary
The Big C
ALBERT
(AKA Bertie or Bert)
Bertie's Story
- A Tribute to Bertie
- In The Beginning
- Bertie's Favourite Hobby - Sleeping
- Bertie and Operation No. 1
- Bertie and Fishing
- Bertie and Christmas Wrapping Paper
- Bertie and Operation No. 2
- Bertie and Another Favourite Pastime
- Important Research!
- Let's Get The Party Started
- A Crafty Cat
- Give Up Crafting - Another Catnap!
- Look At My New Toy
- Rainbow Bridge
More to follow - I just need to find the right lead to get the photos from my phone to the computer now! Oops!
It's taken me a longgg time to do this page as I've found it SO hard to do. Each time I've tried, I've just ended up crying. I'm still doing that now, but it's tears of happiness that I knew Bertie for so long and cared for him.
I hope you enjoy this little history of Bertie and his escapades!
Will see you again Bertie, at Rainbow Bridge, wait for me.....
Paw Prints On My Heart
A faithful companion, truly a best friend.
A friendship I'll treasure until life's joyous end.
As with all life, I know that we must part,
But I will always have you with me...
For I have your paw prints on my heart!
I always wanted a dog, but with a brother allergic to animal fur, it was not to be. We had a goldfish for a while, but our next door neighbour killed it - yes a goldfish killer in our midst! It was a sad end to my little goldfish and I hated her for it!
However, after many years of having no pets, we had the chance of getting a cat so took it and Bertie arrived! According to his Vaccination Card that came with him he was 2 years old in April 1995. His previous owner was moving from a house with a garden to a flat and wasn't allowed pets. She said she would come and see him but never did.
It took us about three weeks to encourage him to come out from behind the sofa - bless. He was so timid and scared. We knew he was eating because the food we left out kept disappearing.
With our tender care and encouragement though, he finally came out and met us all properly. The slightest noise though and he was back behind his faithful sofa. The amount of white hair on that sofa - you could've made quite a few jumpers out of it!
I always wanted a lap cat who would like cuddles. However Bertie had other ideas! He wasn't a lap cat - by any means! However he loved lying on the arm of the sofa with me!
Looking so superior - he was good at this look!
Lying next to Mum taking it easy!
I'm ready Mr De Mille!
When he first went out, I took him on a makeshift lead - I didn't want him to escape and not come back before he knew his surroundings. Shame I didn't have a photo of that.
However this is a good one - whenever we went shopping and came home, who would come and check out the goodies in the bag?
I caught him checking out this bag and guess what?
He was only chewing on a cauliflower!
He always liked his greens did Bertie!
His other favourite pastime was sleeping - he was ever so good at sleeping with his eyes open sometimes - which spooked me every time!
Bertie's Favourite Hobby - Sleeping!
Waiting for the light to go out so he could sleep!
Another eyes open but asleep shot - spooky isn't it!
Well out of it!
Not the best of angles to sleep - but he manages it!
Not more photos Mum! Feeling camera shy
Oops - nearly caught napping again little man!
Oh what the hell, let's just go meet the sleep fairies!
Bertie has had problems with his digestion from a young age so we found out! I can't remember the exact date (think it was 1998), but Bertie - after many trips to the vet - had to have a partial colon removal. He had his little stomach shaved and a shaved area on his little paw.
We visited him every day after work - I remember lying on the floor inside his 'cublicle' - luckily he was on the ground floor cubicle. It cost quite a fair bit, but he was insured at the time so it was OK. He looked so small in there....bless.
Doing his 'eyes open but asleep' trick!
You can also see his little scar here after his op.
He picked up again though and we just had to be careful about which food he ate. He loved his biccies, but we had to reduce them as they could 'block' his colon. One vet to give him oily fish one vet said no. We just took it easy and tried him on different things. Hit and miss but he was worth it.
Well not all cats are lucky enough to have their own fish tank available to them. Bertie did though - a 250 gallon monster - all ready for him to try and chase - not in the water of course but through the glass.
Here he is trying to change the water in the big red bucket, he only tried to get in there once...never again!
The black line is not a fishing rod, well it is,
but it's a fishing rod with a toy on the end for cats!
Bertie and Christmas Wrapping Paper!
As you can probably tell, cats are not much good with ye olde sellotape and wrapping paper. The amount of presents I wrapped that had little holes in then from Bertie's claws when he tried to help. He did try...bless him!
He was very good after a few practise sessions - he wrapped his own pressies for me and the family and also he wrote cards too....how lovely is that. Such a clever cat - he is now the star of the internet!
Just trying to catch the sellotape
How good do I look by this strange looking fella with the white beard?
Obviously white isn't his colour as much as mine!
Please note this is NOT my Mum's santa!
Why do they need tags too? It's not easy when you have four paws you know!
See I told you so....who is worn out now?
Bertie had lots of christmas goodies - he had toys and treats as well as real turkey the same as us! Of course he should, he's part of the family and our celebrations! What do you mean you don't do that for your cats? I bet most of you do!
Several years down the track (2001) he was having problems again and he had to have the rest of the colon removed. However, he wasn't insured by now. When I renewed it, they said they wouldn't cover his stomach problems in future - and this was probably what was going to go wrong, so what was the point in giving them money?
It was a major operation and expensive- with not good odds.
He could do one of the following:
1. Die on the operating table (he was about 8 years old then)
2. He could come out of the op, but be the same
3. He could come out of the op, but be a lot worse
4. He could be OK!
Mum and John were all for letting him go, but I just couldn't do it. We had a week to make up our minds. On the Friday I remember saying to John "So what are we doing about Bertie?" and his reply was "Well book him in" and I answered "For what?"
His answer of "The operation of course" made my day!!!! He was being given another chance. I knew it was risky but we just had to try for the little man.
I explained about my cancer diagnosis and not having the money for the operation. I had tried all the cat charities to see if they could help - after all I support lots of them - and sponsor cats and send donations. Guess what - not one of them would help!! Not one. How awful is that for a poor cat and someone who has supported the charities.
Anyway after speaking to the vet, he said he would cap the operation and if we could pay by direct debit each month, he would accept that and not charge us interest. That was fantastic! It would mean eating beans on toast for a while when needed but it meant he could have the operation. It cost over £1200.
I remember the day of the operation, I was a wreck and didn't want to call them when the time came to see how he was doing.
My little man had come through it though and was OK! The next 24 hours would be crucial. Again, he did it and after some time in the hospital, he came home to us again! He looked so frail for a while and got a lot of special attention. Even more than normal!
Feeling tired after his op
Best check out the remote is still here
Yep, it is, but I'm tired...might have a little snoozette!
My scars - good for getting biccies from Mum!
The sympathy vote well and truly goes to me!
Poor little man...but he made it through again!
The vet said it would only be with time that we will known how he is going to go on. He was OK for quite a while and spent many happy hours sleeping and playing the garden.
Bertie - another favourite pastime!
Our neighbours at the time had a pond, and so there was loads of frogs and guess who loved playing with the frogs?? He never killed them, just made them jump by touching them ever so gently with his paw! It was so sweet to see.
Guess what I've found?
If I sit here long enough, they'll come out to play with me
Sleeping sitting upright! A skill I've acquired!
It's all too much - I need some sleep - lying in the sun!
Another good place to sleep
It's a hard life, being a spoilt (sorry well looked after!) cat!
As a white cat, we had to be careful of him in the sun - although he was pretty good and stayed in the shade most of the time. I did try putting sun cream on him a couple of times but he didn't like it - and made sure I knew too!
Another little thing Bertie did, which he seemed to do from the beginning with me - is that he puts his little paw up in the air as if to say "Please, I look SO cute when I do this, please!" and then if you don't do anything, he puts that paw down and lifts the other one up.
Please, I'm just TOO cute to resist aren't I really!!!!
It looks so cute doesn't it. He always knew I was marshmallow and I would give in anyway! Such a softie.
Apart from sleeping, roaming the estate (aka garden!), eating, being cute....Bertie also took part in some research on Catnip for Manchester University. Well for someone doing some research for it anyway!
He was given some toys (aka research items) containing catnip and I had to film him playing with them and then fill in a questionnaire. It was great fun and for a cat that wasn't too bothered with catnip - he had great fun with it I can tell you.
For proof please check out the following photos! The little terror had great fun throwing it all over the place and even managed to turn my duvet black when he played with them. Luckily it came out after a wash or two!
Now where have they hidden it, I can smell it somewhere...
Wonder if it's in that small gap....can I fit in there to find it...?
Got it - now for playtime
Yum - tasty too - not my normal diet but tasty none the less!
Smells as nice as it tastes!
No cameras whilst I'm 'not myself' with this catnip!
Me, my mouse and my favourite piece of tissue paper!
Oh no, where has it gone....this catnip does strange things to a cat!
Sure does make you tired though
Doesn't take much to wipe me out after playtime!
Ahhh a nice warm duvet and comfy bed all just for me
Well that's it for me....until tea time
Bertie also loved to play with his 'Red Nose' - the plastic ones from Red Nose Day - we played football and 'catch' with that quite often and I was always searching for them when he lost them yet again!
Sadly I don't have any photos of him playing with those as I was always playing with him!
Let's Get The Party Started....!
Yes, even cats like music...just don't look at his eclectic music collection too much! He also loved TV but I don't have any photos of him watching TV.
He often used to sit at my feet (or rather on them) and listened to the music when I was on here.
Which one shall I play today? Oh yes, "CAT" Stevens is always good!
Oh dear, perhaps not today.....think I need something to wake me up!
!
Well apart from the obvious - Bertie was really a craft cat as he used to help me quite often - whether it was when I was knitting, or crocheting...or card making. He liked to help with it all. He did try!
Here's Bertie with a knitted hat from one of the toys I made for charity. When I make cards, he's always there walking over the papers and helping me spread out the embellishments! So kind of him to help isn't it. Bless.
Well the craft box is there, just waiting to find the energy to get it all out!
Maybe a quick 'catnap' will revitalise me! What do you think?
Give Up Crafting - Another Catnap!
Well not much point in crafting now, it's almost time for tea so I might as well just have a quick catnap until my tea is ready - Mum is good at knowing what I want!
Oh what's the point, might as well nap for now until
crafting inspiration comes back again!
Perhaps another snooze might help
well it's what us cats are supposed to do isn't it!
Hey what's the funny look for?
I like a little catnap now and then!
Who needs Christmas to get new toys - that lovely Dr X gave me this to try out after my other one was destroyed. It wasn't Mum's fault, it was the naughty cat Socks across the road to blame we think!
So what do you think? I quite liked it, I got quite territorial about it and once I'd finished playing with it, I'd lie on it and sleep on it. It was MY toy and was going to stay mine. That little Domi had her own to play with.
Well I would if I could stay awake long enough
looks like I sleep all the time, I don't honest!
When I can open my eyes long enough,
I'll show you playtime!
Snuggled nice and tight with my new toy.....hmmm...sweet huh!
I will play...soon....
OK my eyes are closing more now...zzzzz........
wake me when it's tea time!
RAINBOW BRIDGE
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends, so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigour; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together.
Author - Anon
See you at Rainbow Bridge little Bertie....wait for me there.
I miss you more and more each day, you were very special to me.