Kitty Man of My Heart

It’s been such a pleasure reading about everyone’s pets lately I thought I’d report on my own special feline, Max. He’s been a huge part of my life since he joined the family in 1988. As he approaches his 19th birthday (the human equivalent of 92 years!) he’s slowing down a bit but growing daily in affection. He’s the Kitty Man, the Fuzzy Boy, my own personal Snuggle Bunny.

In the past few months Max has lost the sight in his right eye and become just a tad hard of hearing—although I would swear he can hear me open my eyes in the morning because he comes into my bedroom screeching loudly enough to wake the dead. I suspect he can’t hear himself meow unless it’s really loud. And it is.

We still go through our morning ritual of standing at the top of the stairs to decide who’s going to walk down first, but now he takes a step, looks back to see if I’m following, then takes another step, looks back, and on and on. Usually after checking on me four or five times he’s convinced I’m in my proper place and we go on to the kitchen.

Max takes aspirin for his heart every other day, and he seems to know which day is a pill day. Instead of going straight to his bowl he waits for the by the counter. He doesn’t like to take his pill, but he accepts it much as Thunder (who we lost in 2003) accepted having to take her insulin shot every morning.

A few months ago my neighbor rescued two stray cats, Boots and Abby, from a local golf course. Those two cats have given Max a whole new lease on life. He’s incredibly interested in where they are and what they’re doing. I’ve gotten into the habit of feeding them in the afternoon and Max taste-tests all their food. He’d almost completely stopped going out on our screened porch but now he’s out there every day, swaggering around like the lord of the manner, protecting his territory.

It’s so nice to have a Kitty Man around the house! Tell me about yours.

posted by Karen @ 6:30 AM