Aging Cat

[rejectomorph]

The oldest of my two cats must be over 15 years old, now. She turned up, fully grown, in the fall of 1987, and had her only litter of kittens (that I know of) in May of 1988. She used to bring gifts of rats and birds, until a few years ago. Then, rather oddly, she began bringing acorns and walnut shells. Every night, during the time of year when they could be found, she would bring a half-dozen or so of them. This fall, she has stopped doing that. She never wanders far from the house now, and, all but the warmest weather, prefers to sleep indoors. No longer able to jump very high, she now struggles to climb fences, clawing her way up, and seldom attempts to climb the tree in the front yard where she once spent so many hours. I don't think that she will be here much longer. She sleeps longer each day, and likes to remain close to me whenever we are both in the house. Still, from time to time, she will break into one of those inexplicable cat runs, as though she were in a race. Then, she will curl up and purr herself to sleep. I'm going to miss that cat.

Comments

from Santa Ana

[(Anonymous)]

Our old cat lived to be 17 1/2 years old. We called him the Deez. We moved many times and he always hung in there. I remember the disgusted look on his face while he got a big lick on the head from my sister's oversized dalmation. For a while we lived in the mountians in a semi wilderness area. He was all black and at night you couldn't see him unless he wanted you to see him. I remember one nite we went for a walk down to the river during a full moon and as usual he jouned us. He moved along behind us darting from shadow to shadow as if playing a game then joined us on the bridge where we all stood and watched the water. We always thought he stayed in the shadows because he was afraid of Mr. Owl, the big white owl that flew over every nite catching any unsuspecting animal small enough to fly away with. He had nothing to fear. He was big. But careful.
Later when we moved back down into the city he wanted to be outside and spent a lot of time on the roof. Quite a daring climber almost up to the end. Running up his favorite tree and onto the roof. He slowed down a lot toward the end but managed to outlast the tree which was removed and when he passed away we put him in the ground by where the tree had been. Theres another tree there now. Grew all by itself over his spot in the garden. Its his tree. He was a good friend that old cat.
He liked to eat raw liver. We would cut it up for him. It was his greatest pleasure. Funny, hadn't thought about that in a long time. We are better people because of our cats. Haven't bought liver since. If I did I'd probably cook it.