[Sundae]

Nineteen is a good age for a cat. And Mia has changed significantly in the last year, so perhaps she is genuinely losing her marbles.

She wasn't vocal when she was younger - not at all.
She didn't call or even purr very much.
After my parents' other cat died (half-Siamese, VERY vocal) she became a normal, slightly quiet cat.

Now she doesn't really shut up.
She cries constantly to come out of the bedroom, to be let into and out of rooms, to go out of the house or come back in again, for food and just for general attention.
It doesn't bother me, I'm used to Diz McNoise, but I can understand that it's getting to Mum.

I think she would rather have Mia put down than adopted.
It would seem more cruel to her having an old and confused cat taken away from her surroundings for the last year or so of her life.
And I agree with that, as skewed as it sounds.
Given the choice between having Diz adopted or put down of course I would choose adoption for him (although I'd rather be put down myself that let him go) but he's still capable of adapting.
I'm not sure if Mia would even survive a cattery these days.