On aging
My friend Gus is getting older. There’s no denying it now. He’s really slowing down. He’s horribly underweight. He has serious medical problems and limps around from arthritis. And I think that the worst for him is the fact that he’s losing bladder control.
I’ve known Gus since 1990. He’s been my closest companion and confidante since we met. We’ve been living together for years. It’s hard to see your best friend grow so old.
I should explain that Gus is my cat, a bluepoint Siamese boy who used to play fetch with cellophane, who used to have his own teddybear which he would throw in the air and catch and tackle, who used to sniff my panties and get his head stuck in the leghole and run around the house with panties on his head. When he was a kitten I’d dye him pink with food coloring. He’s the house inspector and has to put his seal of approval on all that enters, furniture or person or animal, vegetable, or mineral. Once he was mad at me for spending too much time out of town and he peed on my friend’s head while she slept. Sometimes he’d use the toilet.
He’s like my son, although he’s old enough to be my grandfather. What’s to come is going to be very, very hard.
July 21st, 2002 at 10:05 am
If you haven’t already, go take him to the vet. It may be something as simple as a bladder infection causing this, which is easy to fix.
Another thing to do is get more boxes, and put them in more places. It may be old bones just can’t make it down the hall any more.
12 is older, but not that old. Put him on kitty prednazone (sp?), that’ll help his joints a lot. 88 mg “old people” asprin should also help. You’ll be amazed at how more active they become.
If your vet isn’t doing these things, it may be time to switch vets. There are a lot of things you can do for geriatric pets nowadays, amazing stuff.
(Yes, my wife’s a veterenary technician… why do you ask?) 🙂
July 21st, 2002 at 3:10 pm
Yep, I’m going to set up a box for him upstairs, too. I’m thinking that it’s connected with his kidney failure, although a bladder infection could have something to do with it. Unfortunately he can’t handle aspirin or steroids (aspirin makes him yack blood). The poor guy’s already on 3 pills, vitamin syrup, and subcutaneous fluids daily.
Anyway, we’re going to the vet tomorrow. Wish us luck!
July 21st, 2002 at 4:25 pm
Well, it sounds like no matter what he’s had a very good home these past 12 years. Even if he has to get in the re-incarnation line soon, sounds like your time together has brought you both great karma. I don’t wish luck, I wish wisdom (well, I wish luck too!)
And if it is time for him to move on (and we all do eventually, it’s quite natural), it’s a parting, not an ending. I always look at it like a friend that’s moved far away that I can’t get ahold of. Sad, yes, but not tragic.
Anyway, apologies, I get sappy when I’ve had too much beer. No matter what don’t forget all the other ones in the shelters that need an enlightening home. Nothing memorializes a life well lived than giving a new life the same opportunity.