I took Kitty to see the vet tonight to try and get to the bottom (ooh,
excuse the unintentional pun) of her inappropriate elimination issues. It is
not just peeing, there has been the occasional packet over the last few
months too.

She actually behaved quite well, to my surprise.  TED asked me to get her
out of her carrier.  I think it must have helped that the carrier had a
front opening with a wire mesh window so she was aware of what was going on
all the time, rather than the top opening box that she could not see out of
which I used before.
She was not a willing volunteer to come out on to the examination table when
I opened the front, even so, so I picked her up and took her out of the
carrier.  So far, so good.  No slashing or growling.
I explained her history as an ex-feral, her uncertain temper and warned him
to take care in handling her.  She headed straight for me so I tickled her
behind the ears and talked babytalk to her.   She purred while TED examined
her as long as I kept doing it.  Even when he stuck a thermometer where the
sun doesn't shine she only raised her back end and kept purring.  Blimey!
TED said "Oh, isn't she just a lovely tiny old thing?"  I bit my lip.
Her temperature was normal but she has a heart murmur and quite a fast
heartbeat which he says might tie in with thyroid problems in addition to
what is causing the other problems.  I suggested that her fast heartbeat
could be because she was frightened, although obviously the heart murmur was
nothing to do with that: a heart murmur is a heart murmur, but I remember
just before I have any operation myself my heartbeat goes sky high - even
though I am trying to be calm.
He does not think that she has any form of urinary infection.  If she had,
she would be peeing a little bit very often, and she isn't.
When she pees on my magazine, or elsewhere, the pee is the size of a saucer,
so he sort of ruled that out.
We discussed the possibilities, which were kidney failure, liver failure,
thyroid problems and senility.
She had a full blood profile two years ago when she was missing and found
injured and everything was working just fine in the important organ
department then, which TED seems to think is a good sign.

BUT, BUT!!   I have had to come home without her, leave her there for lots
of tests and she hasn't had her meal!

She is so, so tiny but has a huge presence.  The whole house is echoing with
loneliness without her.

Tweed