Tuesday 7 June 2016

The cat is seriously overweight and no longer a girl

For 4 years Pushkins has been a girl, our little Pussy Fat Bitch is one of the more affectionate names we've had for her.


I'm a mother to 4 boys, the dog is male, so the cat helped to even numbers up a little. She has a pink cat basket, a pink studded collar, pink 'hello kitty' blanket, pink bed and pink food bowl.

That still stays the same, as does her name, but from now on Pushkins is a he.

I'm gutted, it's like watching Birmingham City get relegated out the Premiership all over again, it has no effect on my life and it's just something I have to adjust to.

Pushkins is now 'it' if Peter or I say he, it just doesn't sound right and we think the other is referring to the dog.

I took her to the vets on Thursday as she had been limping for 2 days, the vet said at 5.2kg she was seriously overweight. It's not from us over feeding her, it's the cat feeding scheme that is nearby, she goes out at night and eats all the food. The only way to prevent this is to keep her indoors full time till we've addressed the weight limit.

The vet x-rayed her foot and said nothing was broken and gave her a painkilling injection and said her paw was swollen but there was nothing in it, so probably tendon damage and he gave me a course of tablets to give her at home. I have forced 2 tablets down 'its' throat and haven't been bitten or scratched yet.

He handed her back over to me and said 'Pushkins is a boy' I was shocked, said 'she can't be, a vet in South Africa confirmed she'd been sterilised and the State vet had examined her before she boarded the plane in Johannesburg.'

The vet asked his colleague to examine her and confirmed SHE is indeed a HE and added 'oh the shame, a pink cat basket, make sure you break the news to him gently, at least you don't have to change the name, it suits boys and girls. But he has been neutered so we're NOT responsible for the cat population in Dubai.

Now I am considering a name change, no idea what yet, because Pushkins is what I called a girl cat.

I thought my husband would say I was being ridiculous, but he understands and suggested I bought a new collar and bed in blue to help me accept it and maybe find it easier to say HE.

Pushkins doesn't care, all HE cares about is being able to go outdoors. So far the litter tray contents has just been spread over the conservatory floor. During the day they both have access to the whole house, but at night we've taken to closing the conservatory door as Pushkins has been hand butting our bedroom door between 1am and 5am demanding to go outside.



I was feeling guilty so I tried a harness and although he walked a little way in it, I ended up carrying him back indoors crying.


14 comments:

  1. It's very tricky when they have been used to their freedom to take it away even short term. Hope he gets a bit more used to the new regime soon. Hope you are getting use to the 'gender reveal'.

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    1. We're saying she and can't get our heads round he after 4 years. Cat seems to be settling a little now and accepting it's fate

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  2. My had the same thing happen to her! She took in the cat from across the road and called her Kitty, also known as Princess Kitty. After four years the owner came across and asked if that her cat she had seen going into my mum's house. Mum admitted it was and said she was glad she had come across as the cat needed to go to the vet for various problems. Once the original owner heard this she offered the cat to my mum straight away and said he was a boy cat called Wilbur!

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    1. I've never had the urge to look at the cat bits and had no need to question the original vet either, what did you mum call the cat when she found out it was a boy?

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  3. oh a cute cat! but the name still works even if it's a boy now!:) don't change the stuff, the cat doesn't mind:)) #animal tales

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    1. I'll replace the stuff with blue when it needs it, and we're keeping the name

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  4. He doesn't care what you call him, or that all his stuff is pink :-) I had a Matthew Ginger cat and he was Matty Matty little catty, or Matty Fatty Catty. I worry about the Vets in SA though :-)

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    1. I know he doesn't mind, hubby and i are stuck saying she and we'll probably just call him she forever now

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  5. oh dear out with the dresses and in with the dungarees. often wonder how vets get these things wrong but not the first time I have hear of it.

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    1. Lots of comments on social media from people saying the same has happened with their cats

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  6. Hi Suzanne, this is so funny! We had a friend who was convinced they had a male dog, but it turned out to be a female dog (that they had named Jack), I'm not sure how their confusion came about, but that was funny too.

    I hope Pushkins hasn't been too affected by having girly cat stuff all her life and you can always, deny, deny, deny!

    xx

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    1. Pushkins is a very furry cat, so we've never noticed and to be honest never had the urge to look or even question the vets

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  7. How is the adjustment going - Pushkins certainly works as a male cat name for me as my Mum had a male cat called Pushkin. It must be hard though and I am looking at Moo as I type wondering how I would cope if she suddenly became he. A cat sex change is a first for #AnimalTales though ;)

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    1. Pushkins is still a she, neither hubby or i can say he after 4 years, it just sounds wrong. The cat is NOT happy being kept in all door but it's for her own good

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