Thank you, that's really kind.  There's been times when I've guilt
tripped so badly about things that have happened to him, bless him,
there's been so many illnesses and accidents.  He's my first cat and I
wish I'd known more about their illnesses etc before I took him on,
because I've had to learn as I go and he's suffered for my ignorance,
such as not being told you can clean cats teeth. It never occurred to
me to do it, then he had to have some teeth out and some are still
yellow.  Also I didn't know that he shouldn't have been eating dry
food and then he got bladder stones.  Also I foolishly believed the
manufacturers claims that cats regulate their eating, I used to let
him eat as much as he wanted, thought he was just a greedy/tubby cat
as he didn't go out and exercise, and then he ended up with diabetes,
I could go on but I don't want people to hate me I'm just confessing!
At the end of the day though, I love him and he loves me and the vet
seems happy with him.  In fact the new vet nurse came to meet him
today as she's looking after him this weekend (at my place as I don't
like to send him out) and she was amazed how young & well he looked
with his diabetes/kidney troubles, may it go on as long as he's happy
and healthy!  He's used up most of his lives over the years, it's
unreal how many times I've thought I was going to lose him.  Anyway,
now that I've found this group all you experts are really helping me
out with advice, maybe a little late in the day, but much appreciated
nevertheless.

A feeling maudlin but fairly proud of her "mothering" skills.

Marcia