Bunty, as you can see in the photo is a gorgeous brown tabby cat. She was bought to Cat Rescue and Adoption Charity, Chats du Quercy a couple of weeks ago, found in a field on a sunday afternoon, in a dreadful state. Not long haired, but she had clumps of mattered fur that had to be cut out. She was trembling so much that she could not hold her head still to drink water. We thought that she’d been hit by a car as she could not co-ordinate her movements, nor stand, she appeared to be paralysed.
A quick call to our vet who said to take her to her surgery immeadiately, she was instantly diagnosed as being poisoned and was given an anti-dote. Our most plausible conclusion, as this was not the first case seen by our vet, is that Bunty had been abandoned, was trying to fend for herself and was living and hunting in the fields where insecticide was being sprayed, and it is this that has poisoned her.
We are hopeful that she’ll pull through but the last couple of days she appears to have worsened and she will most probably always have neurological damage which will affect her co-ordination ability. She is however, the most patient and forgiving of cats, she has a lot of love to give and loves cuddles. We’ll fight alongside her and give her the best chance of a good quality of life.
You have to wonder why this happens; obviously financially based, for farmers to gain the maximum out of one field, to kill and poison everything in sight(including humans!), is that acceptable?
Thanks Elaine. I like your ideas. Definitely need tips on heating, our elec bill is always through the roof! Seed idea sounds good too.
Lynn, good to hear Bunty is affectionate, especially after all that has happened, bless her. She'd have a right to be grumpy. I'm glad she is getting lots of love. She must feel it. All my 3 cats are very cuddly :-)
Good to see bunty up on her feet hope she gains in strength and goes on to be a loving companion to someone. Rachael, we have started a conversation about heating,just a ing a ‘natter’ really. I see the group as a supportive structure where we can share our experiences and pass on tried and tested self sufficiency ‘tips’. Someone told me to keep your wood burning fire going overnight (instead of using coal) was to cover it with damp potato peelings…then in the morning just knock them off, pop on some kindling and hey presto…fire!!! Not tried it yet myself but sounds great and we all have a few potatoe peelings around …back in England, we had clothes swops at my house and shared seeds, as France is so vast and we are a virtual community I don’t know how possible some things are but we shall see.
Bunty is funny, just the tip of her tail is white, she is a super affectionate cat.
...and white feet of course!
Thats great Lynn. Good news. Nice photos. Cute. She looks like my Chaussette, but he's got a white belly.
yesterday Bunty managed to walk a little further without falling over! She tembles less but today she is down again, overall a huge improvement which is encouraging. Photos from yesterday -
Hi Elaine, very pleased you started a group. Well done for being so brave! I have now joined, but sorry, no advice as I don't know how to run a group either. I was looking at it yesterday and wondered what happens next. Start a conversation I guess? I had an idea of something I wanted to talk about.
I have started a new group ‘low impact living’ where we can share our experiences and help support each other in this ‘transcesion’ towards walking lighter on the planet. Everyone welcome to join. Not sure how to ‘run’ a group so open to any advice -)
Morning Valerie/Rachael, we have a ‘low impact living’ group -))) it has just been approved so please join and we can start sharing things. The image is of planters with lavender, thyme and viola - all attractive, edible plants that can be positioned near the kitchen door for easy access.
Wow, that is interesting Chris, I'll read it more fully later, but your first paragraphs ' Additionally all use of land based sprays will soon only be permitted in the evening and night, not in the daytime although how this will work out and be enforced in practice remains to be seen.' are certainly not enforced here in the Tarn et Garonne, in fact I think this year it is worse than ever.
Thanks Lynn, the countryside is far from a safe or clean place where there is agriculture.
There is a bit here on a post I wrote on the 15th
I'm sick and tired of breathing it in and would quite like to move near a town.
Chris
Thanks for your good wishes Gary and everyone else, I'll try to get a better photo of her, now that she has improved, albeit just a little. The problem with cats and poisoning is that their livers can't take it, so it is still early days for her.
Yes apologies for straying off the subject> But on the other hand isnt this an excellent example of how everything is interconnected? From cat poisoning to vegetarianism to Gandhi to what next......
Mike Good solutions that dont meet resistance. Know what you mean. Gandhi is a good example. Personally i just try and live my life in the most ethical way i can. One can only start from where one is. If i cant do any good then at the very least try not to do harm. At least not in a conscience deliberate way. Accept i screw up. try to do better next time and dont beat myself up with guilt.
Glad you're optimistic.
And not forgetting Bunty who has been the cause of so much debate. Thank you so much. We are all rooting for you. All life is precious.
Quick reply Chris - antidote was an atropine product – robinul, the poisining likely to be organophosphate type
In the meantime here is an interesting link http://www.icatcare.org/advice/keeping-your-cat-safe/cats-and-poisons
Bunty's signs were neurological violent tremors, and incoordination, she still trembles and is uncoordinated. We are not sure if this is permanent damage or if she will improve over time. She has also had some respiratory problems.
Idiot that I am, I've just deleted my own comment! Sorry, in short Chris and to be correct I will ask our vet to decypher the blood test results that were done as soon as Bunty came to us and what the antidote is.
Out of interest, (as always), was the product being used a pesticide or another "cide" and what was the crop?
Also what did a blood analysis show or wasn't the cat tested?
Chris
I certainly don't mind Mike, it is all very interesting and after all, I do believe that Bunty's poissoning was 'accidental' and not deliberate, the question posed was really one to ask if this whole ethic of pesticides etc is acceptable, so not really off topic at all.
I'm probably about to go completely off topic again, but following your comments, I think the basis of the problem is wastage, wastage of food, and of energy. We all need to take responsibility, the food and energy problemes will not be solved overnight but we can all do a little bit to help so you have to stay optimistic, whatever everyone else is doing, I leave you with a quote from Ghandi -
Bunty is starting to perk up a bit today too, must be all the good vibes.
