The Creative Cat

Beyond Food and Water, Loving Care for Your Senior Cat, part 2

A Poem Dedicated to an Old Cat

It’s Peaches’ 100th Birthday!

Cookie Reminisces

On The Conscious Cat

How to Care for Your Older Cat

On Catnip Chronicles

Peaches and Peonies

On Marg’s Pets

Old Cats Are Wonderful

Donate to FosterCat Through Other Blogs and Websites

Other articles about Peaches

Peaches Says, “Thanks for All the Get Well Wishes, They Worked”

Feline Faith and Understanding

This is a short list—Peaches appears in many articles I’ve written on my household, on pet loss, and even some silly things I’ve written on my website before I had a blog! Search “peaches” in the search box for more articles.

It’s Peaches’ 100th Birthday!

Posted: May 1, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: cat artwork, cat painting, feline health, my household of felines, MyThree Cats, peaches, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats | Tags: feline artwork, peaches, peaches and peonies, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats | 18 Comments

Peaches wears her green hat for her 100th birthday!

The big day is finally here!

And did I ever think I’d make it this long? Honestly, I never really thought about it! I can tell you from experience that we animals never really worry about these things as humans do, but that we are glad for every day we are here.

Especially when we’ve got wonderful parents like my mom, and a world full of friends, near and far away!

I've got a big box ready for all my gifts!

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes and the get well wishes as my mom and I continue to work with my kidney failure (and what a birthday gift I’ll get later today—another 100cc of fluids), and I hope we’ve given many other cats and their people the idea that living to 100 is not only entirely possible but not all that uncommon anymore. Little health issues may be troublesome as the years go on, but we’ve provided information on those so you know what to expect.

And the point I find most important is that older pets need homes too, so don’t be afraid to adopt us just because we’re old! My mom took me in at age 15, and I’m still going strong at 20, and my brother Stanley in this house lived to be about 25! With animal health care getting better all the time and all the information available to pet parents these days, any one of us could live a long and healthy life.

Now, mom, bring on the salmon pate!

There’s still time to bid on the print!

Bidding on the print of “Peaches and Peonies” is open until midnight tonight, May 1! Whoever has the highest bid by that time wins the print with all proceeds going directly to FosterCat, so you get to make a tax-deductible donation to a worthy feline rescue organization AND you get a piece of artwork as a thank you! Click here to read the article and bid.

Other articles celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Bid on this Print and Start Celebration Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Beyond Food and Water, Loving Care for Your Senior Cat, part 2

A Poem Dedicated to an Old Cat

How to Care for Your Older Cat

Cookie Reminisces

On The Conscious Cat

On Catnip Chronicles

Peaches and Peonies

Donate to FosterCat Through Other Blogs and Websites

Other articles about Peaches

Peaches Says, “Thanks for All the Get Well Wishes, They Worked”

A Day in the Life of a Senior Kitty and Her Mom

Posted: April 28, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: feline health, my household of felines, peaches, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats | Tags: feline health, palliative care for cats, peaches, peaches' 100th birthday, renal failure in cats, senior cat care, senior cats | 5 Comments

Another article in celebration of Peaches’ 100th Birthday.

The usual awakening.

Peaches didn’t awaken me this morning. All the black cats were on me or on my bed and Cookie was curled in the position of honor on my left against my ribs where she could feel my heart beat against her back. Kelly was having a bath on the sunny windowsill in hall and Dickie peeked in on his way from his favorite bed in the bathroom to the steps. I watched the doorway for a minute or two thinking she’d come upstairs once she noticed the activity. But no Peaches.

Not all my cats sleep with me every night, and not all participate in my awakening in the morning. But usually any cat who is in some chronic condition will be there in the morning or will show up in the doorway, make eye contact with me, our way of checking in with each other. If they don’t, it may not be a good sign. Peaches is very consistent and usually sleeps on me, and if not she doesn’t let me sleep late so this likely meant she wasn’t feeling well in one way or another.

She was fine last night, I thought, or just a few hours ago when I finally got to bed, and she was great all day yesterday. Things can change unexpectedly when the kitty is in chronic renal failure, though, so I bypassed my usual wakeup routine, put my glasses over my sore eyeballs and headed straight for the stairs.

She looked up at me from the butterfly rug where she was settled with all paws curled underneath, but she didn’t sit up or get up, and I could see her eyes were not as round and open as usual. Begin the diagnosis: she is dehydrated to a certain extent, she may be feeling some general indigestion as a side effect of the renal failure we’ve been fighting, and she might be constipated, an issue for Peaches as long as she’s been with me and common since she’s been in fluid therapy, plus she’d been eating very well but I hadn’t seen a significant “deposit” from her yesterday.

Well, let’s see how she eats at breakfast. Sometimes she’s a little sluggish. I was just buying time, though; I knew this wasn’t the case.

This was a very busy day ahead, I had stayed up late to get work done and especially made sure Peaches was in good shape so I wouldn’t have to worry while I was out. I really didn’t have time to fuss and fret over Peaches, but of course I would.

My brother Mark and Cookie take a break from yardwork.

What was on the agenda for today? Complete minor corrections to design jobs customers had sent over yesterday; pick up post cards and greeting cards for the show I’m having Friday through Sunday, deliver them to another printer to score and fold, pick up the ones that are done, pack in boxes; call the nursing home I’d be moving my mother to later this week; call the personal care home she currently lived in and make arrangements to pack her belongings and settle paperwork; pick up a check from a customer at noon, deposit; order greeting card boxes; talk to disabled brother about his budget for May; work on a few of the bigger jobs on my desk right now; photograph some of the new pieces for the show; visit mom in the hospital…I knew I’d be out or otherwise occupied all day, so I got as much in order as I could before I went to bed.

Each of us has days that are full, and herein lies the quandary of caring for a chronically ill pet. When I worked away from home I was always frantic about leaving my cats when I knew they were ill. I also didn’t know symptoms and simple treatments as I do now. Working at home, even when I’m out for a good bit of the day, and with two family members who regularly need care, paperwork or more, I have the flexibility to treat my cats throughout the day. But I give thanks to all the senior cats who’ve come before and taught me what to look for and what to do.

Peaches came in the kitchen, ate a little dry food, ate a little canned food, then left. Eating in general is good, but Peaches usually eats like she didn’t just eat a few hours ago, pacing around on her countertop, waving her paw at me until she gets her food, focusing entirely on it until the first serving is done, having a good long drink of water. This could mean many things, and it was up to me to figure out.

She was on the butterfly rug again when I went to my computer a little later, and didn’t move to jump onto my lap, as usual. I looked at her and felt just a flash of irritation, then concern.

Peaches and Kelly

Right now Peaches is a priority, not just because she’s my sweet little senior cat and her birthday is Saturday, but also because at her age and in renal failure, she can crash fast. I’ve seen her feeling fine in the morning, by evening her skin feels like bread dough and I need to get a reasonable dose of sub-Q fluids into her, and it will often take until the middle of the next day before she’s eating well again and feeling comfortable. So, let’s start the triage, then I can observe her while I get some work done before I leave the house, which means working with one eye on Peaches and getting up to follow her if she gets up to leave the room, which I’ve been doing for so many years with a succession of cats that it’s second nature now.

First, Petromalt, which I found long ago softens up nicely in the pocket of my bathrobe so that when you shove it in the cat’s mouth they can’t spit it back out in a lump. Peaches got two half-inch gobs, all of which went in. Ooo, not happy.

Second, just in case she’s developed any type of an infection, I take her temperature, finding it normal but also serving to grease up her other end. Just in case she is constipated, the thermometer and the petroleum jelly will help to dislodge something that may be in the way. Peaches has had bowel problems since before she was with me, and even on a mostly wet food diet with fiber supplement and a little sip of milk every few days—nope, I don’t like to give them milk either, but I discovered years ago that the extra fluid plus the fat in the milk can help an older cat with hairballs and constipation, and a tablespoon won’t hurt—she’ll still have occasional problems.

Third, aforementioned milk. Peaches was mad at me and ran, she’s a little suspicious but forgets she’s mad when she sees her dish and the milk carton. She doesn’t finish it, also not a good sign.

Cookie and Kelly at the computer

Let her sit, get more work done. Posting on Facebook, calling to confirm my order for greeting card boxes, calling printer to ensure my printing is done. Peaches leaves several times, always just to the water bowl in the kitchen and back; this is good. I make one more call, and off goes Peaches, headed for the basement. I finish my call and follow.

I’m not sure if she’s not entirely comfortable with any of the ten litterboxes in the house, but Peaches no longer uses one, even the empty, fairly flat one I added just for her. She prefers the floor in two areas. Fine, I can clean up after that very easily, and it’s almost convenient because I always know what she’s “done”; this can be hard to tell in a house with nine cats unless I confine her, which upsets her.

Do I look hungry enough?

Okay, there’s number 1 in the number 1 area, then number 2 in the number 2 area. Good girl! Yes, it was more than her usual, so that likely was the problem. Clean up, back up to the kitchen. After a little clean-up on the butterfly rug, Peaches is actually hungry.

I call my neighbor who recently graduated from vet tech school and who watched my cats while I was away three weeks ago, leaving a message asking if she has the time for fluids for Peaches. I can dose Peaches myself but it’s a little bit of a struggle. I also like Teri’s help; she will make a wonderful vet tech some day when the job market opens up again. Peaches really likes her and is completely relaxed when the two of us give her fluids; I also like being able to help Teri keep her hands in the business while she’s applying for jobs and working in a pet food store.

So between other phone calls and getting work done for customers, I feed Peaches a little at a time as she asks. By mid-morning she’s resting on my lap, by late morning when I’m ready to start my errands—a little later than anticipated because I wanted to be sure she was comfortable before I left—she is pretty much back to normal.

This was an easy morning, made easier by years of experiences with many other cats growing older. With each one I sharpened my observational ability, learned a new physical skill in caring for them such as dosing subcutaneous fluids, learned a lesson in symptoms and side effects, learned to control my fears and relax because I’d project my feelings on the cat, sensitive to me in return, and only make the situation worse.

Being an artist I’m attuned to minute physical changes in familiar things, especially my cats. After finding a veterinarian who didn’t wave me off when, for instance, I said my cat’s eyes weren’t as big as they normally were, I learned to trust these observations as well learning that a squint can be a sign of pain and sunken eyes appearing smaller than normal can be a sign of dehydration.

My mother two years ago.

And I’ve been able to use the knowledge I’ve gained in treating my cats to understand the same illnesses in humans, and vice versa. My mother has a history of illnesses and surgeries, including with the lung cancer surgery and subsequent COPD, renal failure and congestive heart failure that necessitated her move to personal care several years ago. I had learned about renal failure prior to that from treating one of my cats, so I understood what was happening with her when I saw the symptoms.

And when my Namir was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure he was prescribed the same medications as my mother, and it was comforting to be familiar with what each would do for him.

In fact, I had the same conversation with my mother’s doctor and with my veterinarian on nearly the same day about the importance of hydration: if we could keep these older bodies hydrated they’d be much healthier generally, my mother’s medications would work better, my cats would have a better appetite, both would have more vitality and their organs would function better and for longer. It’s a struggle to get my mother to drink enough liquids, and I can’t just pop a needle under her skin to hydrate her as I can my cats, and it’s always a comfort to me when I see the sometimes miraculous recovery after a simple dose of fluids.

watercolor painting of rainbow and hearts

Original sketch for Heal Your Heart.

I ran all my errands, made all my calls, checked on Peaches, checked on my mother, at the end of another day all is as well as it can be. I still have hours of packaging and tagging merchandise for the upcoming sale, and I can use those hours to muse about the spectrum of life, the slower span of humans arching over the faster span of our companion animals like the arcs of the rainbow where, perhaps, we all mingle at the end.

Other articles celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Bid on this Print and Start Celebration Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Beyond Food and Water, Loving Care for Your Senior Cat, part 2

A Poem Dedicated to an Old Cat

How to Care for Your Older Cat

Cookie Reminisces

On The Conscious Cat

Donate to FosterCat Through Other Blogs and Websites

Other articles about Peaches

Peaches Says, “Thanks for All the Get Well Wishes, They Worked”

Cookie Reminisces

Posted: April 26, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: backyard, cat behavior, cat stories, cats, cookie, feline affection, fostering pets, mewsette, my household of felines, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats | Tags: cookie the cat, freya, peaches' 100th birthday, rescue cats, tortie cats | 10 Comments

Even though Cookie doesn’t want to admit it, this is another article celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday. Cookie is my main tortie, and though she’s two years younger than Peaches she’s been with me the longest of any cat currently in my household, and she has many stories to tell. She’s also been a very special friend of mine all these years for reasons you’ll read in her story.

Cookie Ponders

I just don’t understand all this fuss about Peaches. I mean, I know she’s an old cat, but so am I, except that I’m “mature” where Peaches is just “old”.

It’s not hard to get “old”, really it just happens. What is more interesting is how you get there. And you have to have a good human who will take care of the important things for you.

I have lived my life in service to my mom, and I have let no other living thing, human, feline or otherwise, come before her. To me, and to the rest of us, she is like Freya, goddess of just about everything that is worth living for, and I have happily served as one of her chariot cats all my life.

Most people don’t know that tri-color cats have an excellent memory, and can recall everything we’ve experienced through our lives. It’s one of the reasons tri-color cats have been considered good luck through history, though most humans think it’s only because of our unique coloring. That extra gene that gives us our tri-color coat also gives us an extra ability both to remember and to perceive. Sometimes, we can be a little irritable, but it’s only because we’re processing an awful lot of information.

So I remember all the way back to my beginning, which was pretty grim.

There were four of us kittens with our mother and we were pretty happy and warm in our little box in a house until someone in the house decided we should be raised outdoors “like real cats” and put us outside. I was very young and still nursing, only tasting real food now and then.

Our mom moved us to a safe place then went off to get some food since she was told to “fend for herself”. We never saw her again, though we called and called for her.

Other little humans heard us, though, and led some other big humans to where our mom had hidden us. We were so hungry all we could do was cry. Unfortunately by that time two of my sisters were silent and we knew we’d never hear them again.

One of the big humans picked up my sister and one of the little humans picked up me and the big human told the little one that we needed special food and it might be a lot of work, but that we were probably old enough to survive if we got enough food.

So I went off with the little human, but not to live happily ever after. It seems his mom wanted no parts of me, even though he already had another feline in the house. He brought me inside overnight because she didn’t notice, but the next day she would put me outside. I really don’t understand some humans.

But he fed me and he played with me and I understood that he really loved me, so I stayed close to his house and when he came outside to look for me it made him so happy when I’d magically appear from under a bush or around the side of the house.

He always managed to feed me something, but there were times when there wasn’t much. Then the weather got colder and colder, and I heard him and all the other humans talking about how we hadn’t had “snow”, that icky cold wet stuff that gets on everything when it’s cold outside, “that early in winter”. When there wasn’t snow it was just cold, and it really hurt my paws.

Morning Snow 1, pastel © B.E. Kazmarski

One day I had had enough. Cold wet snow was falling fast and I just started walking. I found a spot where warm air was flowing out of a little window and I settled underneath it, since it was somewhat dry there. I heard the boy calling and when he got close enough I came out and he picked me up and began to carry me back to where we lived.

We stopped on the way to talk to a big human in a little house I had passed. While he held me and proudly told her “this is my kitty”, I could see there were other cats in the house looking out the windows. They looked so warm and happy I could only wish, but I knew my future was in this icky outdoors. Still, I heard her say, “If your mom puts her back outside, just bring her here.”

And later that day his mom came home and literally tossed me out the door into the snow, which was really deep and wet by then. He brought me back in, and I heard them on the phone, her saying, “I don’t care if that cat dies it’s not coming in here, he already has one…”

Then he put me in his coat and in a minute we were back at the lady’s house. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I’ll take care of her, and you can visit.”

So we went inside and she put me in a nice warm room by myself then left. There was a bowl of food and a bowl of water but I was so tired and confused after my awful day that I ignored it at first and just curled up on a nice soft bed and fell asleep.

The lady came back in and picked me up to take me to another room with bright lights. She sat on the floor and put me on her lap and talked to me while she gently ran her hands all over me, pulled on my ears, lifted my face and looked right into my eyes, lifted each of my paws and felt all my toes. Any other time I’d have given her a piece of my mind at treatment like this, but it wasn’t like the kids outside would do, and besides I was kind of in a stupor in the warmth with food and gentle petting.

I curled myself up on her lap really tightly and started on the second toe on my left hind foot. “Hmmm…” she said, picked me up and looked at my foot, pulling my toes apart and looking really closely. Then she let my paw go and I went back to it with my toe, feeling a big profound purr begin deep inside me, but again she took my foot and inspected it and let it go. This time she just petted me while I worked on my toe and after a while I heard her say, “Oh, little kitty, you’re nursing on your toe…” Well, when I lost my mom and then my sister and I was alone a lot, I needed something for comfort. What could it hurt?

Cookie in the basket.

I stayed in the warm, quiet room with the food bowl and the lady came to visit a few times a day with food in a little can—yum! I heard the other cats outside and we sniffed under the door at each other. She petted me and talked to me and called me “Chocolate”, but I was still wary and usually kept my distance when she came in, acting unconcerned, except when she sat down and then I could curl up on her lap and work on my toe. I just knew this had to end, and I wasn’t going to get too accustomed to the room or to her since I had loved the little boy too, and had to leave there. I had lost my mother and all my sisters, and I wasn’t taking any chances anymore.

But one morning when she came in and cheerily said, “Good morning, Chocolate!” I impulsively turned and walked over to her, put my tail up and asked her a question with just my eyes, “I’m staying here, aren’t I?”

“Oh, little kitty, I’m so glad you’re happy to be here!” Humans can be very intuitive too. I knew I was right. And I knew that I’d be devoted to this person for all my life. Eighteen years later, I still am. In fact, right now I’m properly draped across her lap, right paw extended and my chin resting on her right wrist as she types, and just a little purr is intended to massage her wrist and to relax me. Mom is working and I am attentive as her kitty in waiting. We are very happy.

Cookie and Kelly at the computer

I have seen many changes since the day she let me out of that room and I officially joined the household (and I had no idea until some time later that I nearly left with someone who was looking to adopt a tri-color kitty who ended up with Sunshine, a calico who had been wandering the neighborhood as well as me). I was the youngest then; now I’m the second oldest, but I’ve been here the longest. I grew to love all the cats who were here when I came for what they taught me, even those who came for a while then left, and all the others who came and stayed and are still here. I even managed to get over my pique when my mom took in another tortie, that scrawny, noisy Kelly who is so un-tortie in so many ways, and now it’s hard to believe that Kelly is a senior cat too.

Cookie-patra

I knew some day I’d hold this position of honor as the lead cat in the household. I was instructed by the best cats in the world just exactly how to take care of my mom and how to be a leader among cats so that you earned respect without having to lift a paw, though sometimes you need to say something. Usually, a stern look will do.

Cookie and Sophie

But mostly I’ve loved being one of my mom’s guard cats. I knew this was my place and learned the position from my sister Sophie, who was here when I came in and who became my closest friend in the household, though she could be a little strange at times. Still, whenever our mom settled down, we would take our positions on either side of her, either curled in vigilance on either side of her on her desk or literally leaning against her ankles, either just being vigilant or giving her the strength and support she needed in the moment.

We lost Sophie a few years ago, and it hurt as badly as losing my mother and sisters did all those years ago. I couldn’t even be there for my mom, or she for me, until one day we looked at each other and noticed we’d each quit eating and were losing weight and just feeling sick all the time. We curled up together and gave each other the strength to go on.

Namir and Cookie inspect my gardening.

We’ve lost others too, and last year we lost Namir; even though I wasn’t as close with him as I was with Sophie, and he used to run up behind me and swat my butt then trot away giggling, we had great times out in the back yard helping mom with her garden and just enjoying being cats out there and it’s just not the same out there without him.

There has been so much more in my eighteen years here with my mom, and I am looking forward to many, many more. Our Stanley lived to be really, really old, several years older than I am now, and I don’t see any reason I can’t do the same.

Mewsette questions Cookie

Besides, who would look after our mom if I wasn’t here? The only kitty I’ve seen with any potential all these years is Mewsette, who has been hanging out near me and asking questions. I have to put her in her place now and then because she’s a little too friendly for me, but even though she’s not a tortie she is big and strong and solid black and I think she may be able to be the next kitty in waiting.

About Cookie’s name…tortie cats can look very brown when they are young, before their markings develop clarity on a slightly larger body, and Cookie was the first tortie I encountered. I called her “Chocolate” because of her coloring and because she was sweet. Because she was small I called her “Chocolate Chip”. One day I called, “Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cookie, Cookie and she ran out from under the bed with big round eyes as if to say, ‘How did you know my name?’ ” She’s been Cookie from then on, but her full name is Semi-Sweet Butterscotch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. You know how these things develop.

Other articles celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Bid on this Print and Start Celebration Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Beyond Food and Water, Loving Care for Your Senior Cat, part 2

Other articles about Peaches

Peaches Says, “Thanks for All the Get Well Wishes, They Worked”

Help FosterCat Even More Through My Three Cats

Posted: April 25, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: cats, MyThree Cats, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats, shelters | Tags: donate to fostercat, fostercat inc., my three cats, peaches' 100th birthday | 1 Comment

my three cats logo MyThreeCats.com will donate $5.00 to FosterCat when you place an order!

MyThreeCats.com and The Studio of Bernadette Kazmarski have partnered to create a wonderful opportunity for you to help homeless cats.

In addition to bidding on the print, you can shop at www.MyThreeCats.com and trigger an instant donation to FosterCat, Inc. For each and every order you place at www.MyThreeCats.com now through May 1, 2010, MyThreeCats & Co., Inc. will donate $5.00 to FosterCat, Inc.

Once www.MyThreeCats.com has received your order, you’ll receive an email confirmation of the donation.

There are only 7 days left to this special offer, so please act now!

_________________________________________________

My Three Cats & Co., Inc. is one of my customers for design, photography and promotion. In fact, they are the longest-standing customer for my commercial art business—we’ve been working together for 12 years!

From the very beginning, it’s been the company’s philosophy to find the best products for your cat in value, durability, safety, nutrition and fun.

From the beginning, my own philosophy has been to work with customers whose product or service I used, supported or believed in so that my work could further my goals for the world. I think this worked out just fine between me and My Three Cats.

Please visit their page in the “graphic design and illustration” section on my website at My Three Cats to see some of the work I’ve done for them.

Happy shopping, and thanks for supporting both one of my customers and FosterCat at the same time!

A Poem Dedicated to an Old Cat

Posted: April 24, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: backyard, cat behavior, cat poetry, cats, feline health, moses, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats | Tags: cat poetry, moses the cat, peaches' 100th birthday, poetry, senior cats | 4 Comments

painting of a gray cat with a pink sweater

A Rosy Glow, pastel © B.E. Kazmarski

Dedicated to the most gentle, loving being I have ever encountered.

Things I Found in the Woods

Tiny rivulets of water released from thawing soil
flowing beneath last year’s debris, trickling and gurgling all around
hurrying down hillsides before the freeze returns.

A cup-shaped fungus holding a tablespoon of snowmelt
for a song sparrow to sip, practicing its vernal melody
for the time when spring arrives in earnest.

Ferns, newly-green, draped on cliffs,
fluttering like garlands in the mild, caressing breeze
gathering a little nourishment to last the rest of the winter.

Fallen trees blanketed with bright green moss,
thick and lush already in the brief January thaw
filling a span of life in but a few days.

Four young white-tailed deer, capricious as the gusts,
feeling the flush of their first spring as adults
cavorting as if winter might not return tomorrow.

An understanding that life and love are cycles,
and that the moment must be taken for what it offers
even if what it offers is not what we expect.

A fraction of your dignity,
and the desire to walk with you to the end of the path
as you transition from this beautiful world into the next.

__________________________________________

black and white photo of gray cat on bricks

Moses on her bricks.

I’ll tell Moses’ full story some day; 19 years of love can’t be condensed easily.

She had been a feral kitten my niece managed to capture, only because Moses was near death from starvation. To everyone’s surprise, she not only lived but thrived, except for her hobbled hind legs—the “knee” joint hadn’t completely finished and the bones kind of knocked against each other.

Just give me good food, no medications, Moses said, but most of all, let me lie in the sun every day. And so I did, indoors or outdoors when I could be with her.

She was healthy and rational until about a month before she died, and she knew what was coming and accepted it; I could see this in her eyes. To appease myself I had her checked by a veterinarian and even emergency when she had breathing difficulty one night. She forgave me for this, and I wrote this poem sitting in the waiting room for them to finish some procedure.

Waiting for Moses

I remembered a moment earlier in the day
even through the fear and pain of your impending death:
in that moment when I reached out to you
and you firmly rubbed your face against my hand,
nuzzled your nose between my finger and thumb
and lifted your chin for me to scratch underneath,
eyes squinting at me, whiskers curved forward, nose crumpled;
you, reassuring me.
The look in your eyes wipes the tears from my face
and I can, for the moment,
spontaneously smile and love you completely as of old,
above our grief.

And just a day or two later I was in the woods photographing the spring thaw in wonderment at the changing of seasons and the transience of life—here it was still winter but it felt like spring and everything that lived was taking advantage of the moment.

So was Moses. So should I.

Late in the Year, black and white photo © B E Kazmarski

So I resolved just to let her follow her course and she would let me know what to do.

I have kept this lesson in my heart with each of the older kitties I’ve loved since. I don’t care what’s coming for us. I love them right now, this moment.

Other articles celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Bid on this Print and Start Celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday

Beyond Food and Water, Loving Care for Your Senior Cat, part 2

Other articles about Peaches

Peaches Says, “Thanks for All the Get Well Wishes, They Worked”

Eva Offers a Donation in Honor of Peaches’ 100th

Posted: April 24, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: cat stories, cats, fostering pets, peaches' 100th birthday, rescue cats | Tags: donation, eva cat, evaevaeva, fostercat inc., peaches' 100th birthday | 2 Comments

Eva's expression

Eva says,

Help celebrate my BFF Peaches’ 20th birthday by going to my Blog and posting a comment-We’ll send 50 cents to Foster Cat., Inc for each comment made during the month of April!

Eva has computer privileges and her blog is very fun to read!

This is where I read that Eva needed an office assistant and, while mom was away, I actually applied for the position and had an interview! Then I developed renal failure and we all decided that I should stay put, but Eva and I became BFFs. I’m so happy we met! And see what a nice kitty she is?!

Visit Conversations with Eva at www.evaevaeva.com, but make a comment on Help Cats and Kittens in Need.

Peaches is back to work.

Thank you, Eva! Without people willing to foster, the two of us might be…well, nowhere. Scary thought. Please read about Eva’s amazing rescue; mine was nowhere near as frightening as this, and I am very proud of Eva for hanging in there until her forever mom came along…the second time.

And read about what FosterCat does for kitties so you’ll know why Eva would donate for the cause!

Thanks to everyone who opens up their heart and their home to a cat in need.

Peaches

Beyond Food and Water, Loving Care for Your Senior Cat, part 2

Posted: April 22, 2010 | Author: Bernadette | Filed under: MyThree Cats, peaches, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cats | Tags: optimizing cat's environment, peaches' 100th birthday, senior cat care, senior cat illnesses, senior cats | 2 Comments

Peaches' Profile

As a part of celebrating Peaches’ 100th Birthday, I am reprinting this article, Part Two in a two part series exploring Senior Cat Care that was first published in Cat Chat on My Three Cats in 2006.

Right now, Bogey is still pretty much at the top of his scratching post. He’s got the benefit of a good diet, lots of exercise with all his toys, and the knowledge that his little world really does revolve around him.

Kelly can still make it to the top of the refrigerator at 16

Many cats will go on like this well into their teens, still spry and playful with a good appetite and a good attitude, perhaps just sleeping a little more and losing a little muscle mass even with regular exercise. But just like humans, other cats will begin to deteriorate at a younger age, or will develop chronic or terminal illnesses. And because many of us have rescued our companions from a life on the streets, many will bear the marks of that early deprivation, well enough when young, but with increasing difficulty as they age.

Optimizing the Environment

Somehow, the favorite chair is a little higher than it was last year, it’s hard to lean down to the food bowl, those steps to the litter box in the basement are pretty scary and she’ll never get up on the bed without assistance again, it’s just too tall. Just as cats will adapt to or hide physical illnesses, so will they adapt to these growing daily challenges of aging. You’ll think perhaps Tiger doesn’t like that food, or wonder that suddenly he has developed terrible litter box habits and doesn’t want to sleep with you any more.

As you would if you thought your Tiger was ill, observe the changes to his habits and do your best to determine the cause. Does he sit on the floor and look longingly up on the chair or the bed? Does he head for the stairs and not go down, or have obvious physical difficulty negotiating them? Give him a little assistance in the form of a foot stool or step stool next to the chair or bed and see if he still likes to sleep there. Consider purchasing raised dishes for his food and water.

And even though you may not like a litter box in the living room, Tiger may be very appreciative and use it diligently, which will keep you both very happy. An attractive covered box with odor control features may work just fine on the main floor of your home.

Kelly on the rocker.

Eyes and ears can begin to fail in older cats, too, and Tiger can become disoriented easily if furniture is moved without a reintroduction to the room. If he’s got a favorite sleeping spot, try to maintain it through a remodel. He may also need a few extra hollers if you call him for dinner, too. Also, consider a night light here and there to light Tiger’s way around the house. If he starts to wander around the house and yowl, some affection and sweet words from you can help to reorient him and provide him with reassurance.

Encourage activity as long as possible, as this will help circulation, joint flexibility, weight, appetite and elimination. Consider also products designed for seniors that will help in these areas, such as Cat Sure and Joint Health.

My senior cats love some green in their diet, so I grow grass for them and have it accessible on the floor of the main living area . This helps them to maintain a clean digestive tract.

And just as older people tend to be less adaptable with temperature changes, try to keep a warm spot available at all times for an old cat to curl up in when it’s cold, and a cool spot in the summer. For extra warmth and padding for those old bones, what cat wouldn’t like a Woolies igloo or cat bed.

These conveniences will help your senior cat remain independent for as long as possible.

Grooming

Peaches still cleans between her toes.

In a body that doesn’t move as well or digest as well, consider the rigors of bathing. Tiger may not be able to reach all his areas and may develop knots or mats in his fur, even if he is short-haired, or a rash or flaking skin where he can’t clean the oils as he used to. As he ages, or with certain physical conditions, he may shed more, and constipation is a concern in older cats, often exacerbated by fur from grooming. Brush or comb him all over, especially in areas he may not be able to reach—he’ll really appreciate that, and the regular working of his skin will help to keep it clean.

Senior Illnesses

Get to know the big three benchmarks in Tiger’s daily life: activity, appetite and weight. Note any change in these three, especially if it happens over a short period of time and if it involves more than one indicator. Tiger may slow down as he ages, but if he just quits doing things he formerly enjoyed, like playing with a certain toy or starts sleeping more or in a completely different place than usual, he may be dealing with a chronic illness. If he suddenly loses interest in his favorite food or food in general, or starts losing weight despite his appetite, observe him carefully and make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and tests. Remember that your veterinarian will need your observations for a complete diagnosis.

The most common diseases in older cats are kidney and liver failure, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, anemia and cancer. The list needn’t be as frightening as it sounds—with early detection, a good diet and palliative care, these diseases can be cured or managed for more years of a good life. Along with the recommended twice-yearly exam by a veterinarian, observe your cat’s food and water consumption, and note any changes in behavior.

Increased activity level and a ravenous appetite with weight loss can indicate hyperthyroidism. Very common in older cats it is easily managed with medication if it is simply an overactive thyroid, but can also be successfully treated if it is caused by a thyroid tumor. A complete diagnosis is made with a physical exam of the thyroid and a blood test to check for thyroid hormone.

I treated Stanley for kidney failure for four years; he lived into his twenties.

Those symptoms can also indicate diabetes, along with frequent urination, which is diagnosed with a blood test and urinalysis. Many senior cat owners have managed the daily glucose test, insulin shot and dietary changes and been able to enjoy their cat’s company for years beyond the diagnosis.

An increase in water consumption along with a decreased appetite and occasional vomiting can mean kidney failure, also diagnosed with a blood test. It can’t be cured, but can be treated over the long term with dietary changes and hydration—even after all that water is consumed, Tiger can still be dehydrated because his kidneys are not functioning as well as they could be. Regular doses of subcutaneous fluids, often daily, will help Tiger’s kidneys continue to filter the body’s fluids, another treatment that can be done at home.

Cancer can be obvious in a highly visible growth, but can also be hidden inside, evidenced only by decreasing activity and appetite and weight loss. Many cancers can be treated without surgery, as surgery would be a last resort for an older cat, and treatment can keep it under control for quite some time.

Palliative Care

While many of the environmental changes can be considered “palliative”, this really refers to actions you take or treatments you give that help his body function normally or may simply make Tiger feel better. Dehydration is not uncommon, even when no chronic condition is present, as the body simply slows down. Regular application of subcutaneous fluids can help your cat fight diseases and simply feel better.

And beyond anything else you might do, it’s vitally important that you constantly give them affection, remind them how much they mean to you. The unfortunate truth is that cats only live a brief span of years compared to us, and that we’re likely to outlive them. However, if we commit some thought and some time to their senior care, we can certainly prolong their lives and provide for their comfort. After all, they have been our constant companions, offering unconditional love over many years. They deserve our special attention now, in their “sunset” years.

References

You can find plenty of references for care for older cats around the internet from CatChannel.com to The Cornell Feline Health Center to the American Association of Feline Practitioners and in books such as Complete Care for Your Aging Cat.

I’m proud to say that part two of this series won a Muse Medallion in the Cat Writer’s Association’s 2007 Communications Contest and the Hartz Mountain Everyday Chewable Vitamin Award for the best article on senior cat care in the same contest. That’s when I joined the Cat Writer’s Association and it’s been one of the best associations I’ve made in my career for both writing and learning.

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