Sophie came to Paula as a favor to a client. Her owner was moving and needed some temporary accommodation for her pet. Sophie was meant to stay for 4 weeks. “Sophie is a recluse and constantly hides behind furniture. She will only come out to feed, then retreats to her hiding place immediately.” warned her former owner.  At Paula's house she was exactly the opposite and integrated very well with the other cats and dogs.

Four weeks went by, then eight, then twelve. Sophie's owner still hasn't come back for her after 6 years. That's how she came to live with the vet!

The Secret to Long Life:

So what's Sophie's secret to a long life? In a word: BREAD. This cat loves bread. In fact, when you get home from shopping the first thing you have to do is lock up the bread in a Sophie-proof breadbox. She will tear through a carrier bag, rip away the bread wrapper and eat half a loaf before you have finished unloading your car! It's not the best diet for a cat. So, bread is only given as a special treat and she gets a regular balanced diet of Hills.

Although she's nearly deaf and can't jump onto work tops anymore, Sophie still enjoys an active life. One of her favourite pass times is chasing a laser beam around the kitchen with the agility and enthusiasm of a kitten.

Too Old for an Op?

Recently, Sophie developed a cancerous growth on her tail and needed surgery. Many vets would simply tell you the risks of anaesthesia were too high for a cat of 23 years and refuse to perform the operation. They would recommend euthanasia. Fortunately for Sophie, Paula doesn't think that way. Her philosophy is: if there's any possibility of recovery then give them a chance.

A pre-op blood test in the Hollyoak lab showed that Sophie’s kidneys were performing fine (a prime consideration when administering an anaesthetic) and she was generally healthy. So despite her age, there wasn't any reason NOT to perform the surgery.

The surgery was routine, the cancerous tissue was removed, and Sophie awoke from the anaesthetic quickly – just like a youngster. And, she demanded FOOD!

If she looks a bit bedraggled in the photos, it’s because Sophie HATES to be groomed. I mean it – she hates it. In the past, she has gotten so upset when you try to comb out her matting that she has actually fainted! Fortunately, advancing years has provided a solution – deafness. You still can't comb her, but she doesn't hear the noise from clippers shaving off the matting!!

So, who knows how long she will go on. She’s had regular dental work, has lost few teeth. All I can say is I hope I’m in as good shape when I get to 100. ( hmmm … imagine chasing a laser beam around the kitchen when you're 100 years old! I wonder what the great grand kids would think.)