The flat has been on the market for a couple of months now, with several viewings but no bids. They tell me that's not unusual in December. However, I am now in a real bind because the cattery where my beloved cats have been for the last several months will close in mid January for two weeks. I have to remove the cats and pay the bill in full before that time. The total bill for the cattery, including vet costs, board, etc., for four cats, comes to around £12,000. Without a lot of help, I won't be able to pay it. I don't know what happens then. My biggest fear is that they'll re-home my beloved kitties, and I cannot imagine life without them. Please help if you can.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this again. In fact, it's mortifying. But when a 13+year career ends unexpectedly, it takes more time than expected to get a flat ready to sell, and the bills keep mounting up, it seems that's what happens. As before, I am an ordinary person, just like you. And I never thought I'd be in this kind of a situation at my age: I own a flat free and clear; I had a great job that I loved. I moved to Scotland because I wanted to get out of London and took a transfer with my job, and while I can't say anything about that because I can't, it is over. Covering the expenses for two houses while getting my flat in London ready to sell broke me to begin with, so much so that I now have enough debt moving back to London is not really an option even if I wanted it to be: I have so much debt I have to sell my flat in order to cover it and be able to live. I am now on the cusp of being able to finally sell my flat, but everything has come due at once and I won't make it through the month without a little help.

The good news is once the London flat is sold, I will be able to pay everything off immediately, plus, given house prices in this part of Scotland, buy a house big enough that I can have friends come and stay. The bad news is, I'm now behind on the rent on what was meant to be my temporary flat, and my creditors have begun to realise my cash flow problem is not a 'just for a few days' kind of thing.

Anything you can spare would help. I'm so grateful for what people have already done for me, and I hoped against hope I wouldn't have to do this again. I thought this part of my life was over, but it just goes to show that even at almost 60 yeas of age and with assets to one's name, all it takes is one swift kick and the whole world falls out from under you.

Current assessment of where any funds you send will go:

Rent on "temporary" flat: I am behind and now owe £1400

Bills: I am currently behind on everything, including council tax. My bills average about £700 a month irrespective of rent

Every-day expenses: I visited a food bank for the first time in my life this week, and much of what they offered was stuff that I couldn't really eat.