Our cat remains a popular ‘search topic’ on this blog. So perhaps it’s time for an update.

About 18 months ago our 14-year-old cat collapsed and lay miserably for a few days on a drip in the corner of a cage at the local animal hospital. She was diagnosed with lymphoma and prescribed a year of chemotherapy. This meant her spending a day a week at the vet’s for treatment. Later it declined to a day per fortnight, and then to a day a month. It was stressful and time-consuming for all concerned, and wildly expensive, but the cat appeared reasonably well, so we were content.

At the end of the year she collapsed again. The vet told us we might have to say goodbye to her, and we discussed some options. We stopped all drug treatments and took her home to keep her comfortable.

The very next day she seemed a little better, and the day after that she was better still. In short, deprived of her treatment she quickly started to thrive. Six weeks later the vet was startled when I rang to ask for a check-up. We’re now six months further down the line, and the cat is sleek and glossy, racing about the garden and pestering us for food. What to make of it all? Did she have lymphoma? Was all her treatment a case of miaowing up the wrong tree?