“When I saw he had my name written in his stripes, it really was fate,” said Mim Greene, who lives with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), about her beloved cat Kismet.
From Drogheda but living in Portobello, Dublin for the last 35 years, Ms Greene got rescue cat Kismet from the DSPCA when he was nine years old, shortly after she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease.
She received her diagnosis almost seven years ago but feels that she had symptoms for seven years prior.
“I fell down the stairs, I would be walking across the road and my legs would give way and strangers would have to pick me up and drag me off as traffic was coming towards me,” she recalls.
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After a self-diagnosis, she went to a GP where she was told “you’re too old for MS”.
She was also told by doctors that she was having MS-like symptoms as she was overweight. “I starved myself and lost three stone, which was really hard to do when you can’t walk far. But I was still falling over.”
After her diagnosis, she admits she knew nothing about the disease. “As one of my friends said, you don’t get MS until you get MS. It goes into every area from your life. It’s a really horrible disease.”
“If the doctor had listened, I would still most likely be riding my bicycle, but now it’s gone too far and I’ve got the worst form. They tell you there’s no treatment for what I have so I don’t really want to look at that because I have to try to stay positive.”
Kismet is a huge help in keeping Ms Greene feeling positive.
Due to her condition, the former therapist had to leave the job she loved. “When you can’t remember your clients’ names, it’s not good.”
Alongside Kismet’s company, she also said that if it wasn’t for her training in transpersonal psychology, she wouldn’t have survived the diagnosis.
“It’s been hard and I think a lot of people don’t understand MS. I had one person say to me, ‘MS is no big deal.’”
She listed fatigue, memory loss, not being able to work and people misunderstanding it as the worst elements of the disease.
Ms Greene, who is on disability allowance as she can no longer work, said “people don’t get that it’s a struggle. I have to manage well, because I don’t have any family.”
“He [Kismet] is my family. He is absolutely fabulous, but you know, he can’t do the shopping or put out the bins.”
Ms Greene’s brother used to live 15 minutes from her but moved to Donegal during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As Kismet came over for a cuddle, Ms Greene described him as the most affectionate cat.
She always loved cats and in particular loves how they’re a “really good judge of character, how they look after themselves and how cuddly they are”.
While Kismet is very important to helping Ms Greene with her disease, he is also experiencing poor health.
He has a kidney disease and a heart murmur. “Initially when he got the diagnosis of kidney disease, they thought it could be a weeks, months kind of thing. It’s years now and that’s completely down to the Irish Blue Cross. They are the best vets I’ve ever come across.”
As Ms Greene cannot work, she could not afford to take Kismet to a vet.
The Irish Blue Cross, an animal welfare charity, has helped sick and injured pets of low-income owners across Dublin locations since 1945.
“It’s down to them that he’s still alive, and he has a huge impact on my mental health. If I hadn’t got him, things would be a lot darker and they’re dark enough, as we know already, in the world right now.
“Animals are so fundamental to people’s health.”
The charity works across Cabra, Tallaght, Crumlin, Blanchardstown, Ballyfermot, Ballybrack, Smithfield, Walkinstown, Finglas, and Whitehall, providing low-cost veterinary care to pet owners who can’t afford private care for their pets.
The charity reports that its clinics and mobile units are “overwhelmed”, with 1,400 pets currently on the waiting list.
Through its #MoreTime campaign the Irish Blue Cross is asking the public to support its work through donations and fundraising.
“Pets can have an incredibly positive impact on their owners’ lives, providing companionship and unconditional love,” said Paul Halpin, fundraising manager at the Irish Blue Cross. “We treat thousands of sick and injured animals every year, ensuring their lives aren’t ended prematurely, and they can stay with their families.”
Kismet, who was renamed by Ms Greene when she rescued him, explained it was a word her mother used when “something was meant for you”.
“He is just a fabulous being. I feel very lucky to have him and I know he feels the same. I am a cat lady and I’m completely fine with that.”
