Kitty Concerns

I was startled with a physical revelation this weekend, and I have been far more emotionally sensitive as a result. Our 12 yr-old cat has lost a noticeable amount of weight in a short period of time. There have been no other signs that something is wrong, though I have taken to cleaning the litter box myself to keep track of what I suspect is a definite decrease in use. When there are several people caring for the needs of a fur kid, signs that something may be wrong can go undetected. It hasn't crossed any of our minds to update one another on the day's litter box haul, water and food consumption, or our beloved pet's general, overall behavior.

Just before we moved, our big fur ball was given a clean bill of health. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that animals age faster than we do, and their health can change more rapidly than our own, as we tend to view them as part of the family whole. Though I know his life with us will be shorter than our own, it doesn't make the inevitable parting any easier to accept.

My hope is that my worst fears about his current state of health prove false and that his time with us goes on for a few more years. I have watched him grow and change along with my sons; playing and cuddling, his attention competed for by each of them. He follows us all around as we go about our weekly morning routines, and cries by the door when he knows we are about to leave. I've watched him wake from what seemed like eternal slumber and run to the door the moment he heard anything that suggested one or both of his boys were home.

Though he talks to us, seemingly sharing his day through a series of meows, there is no way to know if he's trying to tell us something isn't right. Much like with a baby, it is a process of elimination and visits to the doctor to pinpoint the issue. He may well just be getting old, in which case we will just have to adapt accept that his aging body may not be able to wrestle as much, be able to jump up on the couch as well, and his bones may continue to become more prominent as time goes by. I hope that this is all just part of the feline aging process. We are not ready to make hard choices, or experience life without him in it. I doubt we ever really could be ready for those things.

At the moment, while we are waiting to see his new veterinarian, its cuddling and doting as usual. Ok, maybe in light of our fears it's a bit more than it was last week. Today I appreciate the copious amount of cat hair clinging to my clothes and furniture; I mean is it really a big deal if I go out in public with evidence that I have a fur kid at home? Those who have their own understand, and those who don't well...I can only wish they one day know the love and joy of a four-legged family member.