Will I be able to take my cat with me to an ATOS medical?

Scared45

If the worst comes to the worst, and there is no way around my being assessed for ESA and I have to attend a medical, will I be allowed to take my cat, in a cat basket, with me?

This sounds silly, but we both get separation anxiety - I get panic attacks outside, but am much better if my cat is with me (perhaps because I have to look after her?)

At home my cat only goes out for half-an-hour or so each day and I know where she is; she's unhappy if I'm not at home for more than a little time.

shegirl

:rotfl: Ok,apart from it being totally mad,if you took the cat anywhere you would have to take it in a carier (not basket) and then you wouldn't be taking care of it would you-it would be caged up.

Thanks for the laugh though:rotfl:

gone4gold62

Scared45 wrote: »

If the worst comes to the worst, and there is no way around my being assessed for ESA and I have to attend a medical, will I be allowed to take my cat, in a cat basket, with me?

This sounds silly, but we both get separation anxiety - I get panic attacks outside, but am much better if my cat is with me (perhaps because I have to look after her?)

At home my cat only goes out for half-an-hour or so each day and I know where she is; she's unhappy if I'm not at home for more than a little time.

omg when do the kids go back to school ??? lol

Scared45

Yeah, I know it's silly, but she's fine in the basket - it is a carrier, but like a basket at the bottom - with me.. she's more curious about where we're going. It doesn't upset her at all because she's with me.

I wouldn't take her out for hours though.

pebbles88

Scared45 wrote: »

If the worst comes to the worst, and there is no way around my being assessed for ESA and I have to attend a medical, will I be allowed to take my cat, in a cat basket, with me?

This sounds silly, but we both get separation anxiety - I get panic attacks outside, but am much better if my cat is with me (perhaps because I have to look after her?)

At home my cat only goes out for half-an-hour or so each day and I know where she is; she's unhappy if I'm not at home for more than a little time.

hiya Scared45,

this is probably the most unusual post i have come across for a while on here... but having looked through some of your other posts it appears that this possible re-assessment is really scaring you.

I hope you arent a troll, so here goes anyway.

i would presume that you won't be able to take your cat, i know when i went for a medical with atos (few yrs ago) that the only animals allowed in the building were guide dogs, for the obvious reasons.

i can appreciate what you mean about being away from your cat, but I really don't think they will allow you to take the cat in, not just for building or hygiene rules, but as it may be a distraction for you during the medical? I appreciate it's a big thing for you, and that separation anxiety is a horrible thing to go through. But all they will want to do is conduct the medical/re-assessment as quick as they can as they have a large number to get through.

i know that sounds awful, and that it sounds like you are just a number to them, but that is how a lot of medical staff that conduct these medicals behave.

do you have a relative/friend or neighbour that can either accompany you to the medical, or could look after your cat for a while?

whatever you arrange, i do think you should try and get some support in place as soon as you can, this is a priority for you.

This is really important, as following the medical, there could be some changes in your life, im not saying they will find you fit for work straight away, but with ESA it isnt just a yes or no when it comes to being fit for work like it was with incapacity benefit.

They now have other options:

• they can either say, yes you are fine for work & say you need to claim job seekers allowance instead
• they could say no you arent ready to work right now, and that you need some support to get you ready to go back to work, & put you in the relevant group which i believe is called the Work related activity group
• or they could say no you arent able to work, and place you in the support group.

The other thread that you have posted on, i would say you need to make sure to keep up to date on it, and post if you have any questions.

please please try and get some support in place, there are advisers in the jobcentre that you can voluntarily go and see who can put you in touch with appropriate organisations that can help you. they will also be able to answer some of your questions.

hope this helps.

Scared45

Thanks, no this isn't a troll post just something else that is worrying me.

I guess my neighbour can look in and cat-sit for an hour or so.

I can come across as a bit divorced from reality at times, I don't have a tv because it was upsetting me too much - I mainly read books, occasionally come on the internet and just have my cat for company, really.

rinabean

Why the hell are people being so nasty? Of course this is mental - this person has a mental health problem. So do I. I do plenty of mad things, when I tell people about them who aren't close to me, they at least try to hide their amusement (which shouldn't be hard being as you have time to think about things before you say them when it's online).

OP, please try and realise that you are the priority on that day. Even if your cat is miserable for a few hours - which I doubt, for reasons dmg24 has outlined - it really doesn't matter in the grand scale of things (and I love cats, I'm not being cruel!). If you don't go to your appointment, it could have very bad effects on you and your finances, and by extension your cat. So even if you reason through that line of thinking, you'll see that it's best that you go, ok? And please do find someone to accompany you, I think that will really help you.

shegirl

IF this is genuine,then OP please think of what you're doing to your cat!!!

shegirl

shegirl wrote: »

IF this is genuine,then OP please think of what you're doing to your cat!!!

Meant to add,are you getting any help with your attachment issues?I just don't think it's healthy for either of you and is going to cause you problems.

pipkin71

Does your health issues mean you could apply to have the assessment at home, OP?

Scared45

No, I doubt it.. I just get very panicky when I'm outside - being with someone else doesn't always help.

I have been seeing a psychiatrist the past few months and he's been trying me out on different medications (anti-depressants) to try and help my panic disorder. Sadly these haven't really helped. I'm also on an anti-psychotic for my bi-polar and the combination of the 2 leaves me feeling drugged-up and groggy but no less panicky.

It may sound stupid, but my cat is my biggest friend, really, I've let myself get awfully isolated in the past couple of years. Food-shopping is sometimes a real chore even though the shops aren't very far away from me.

There is a local mental-health resource for people (I guess like me), and it has things like art therapy, music classes, relaxation, a cafe where people volunteer.. it's really a nice resource.

Sadly both times I went I was overwhelmed with the noise and activity, felt really panicky. It didn't help that a woman there offered to sell me drugs (not typical, I understand).

I'm aware that I need to do a lot more to try and help myself, the panic, the bi-polar and the mild agoraphobia has just been getting me down and I'm annoyed that I have to go through all this form-filling so soon after the last time.