Good health to his Majesty
From: Norm <xyzzy@mfire.com>
Subject: an aging beast
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2004 1:50 AM

X-No-Archive: Yes

I looked up from my reading to see Beastie rouse himself from his chair
(it's a tough life!) and jump down, groom himself and start on his
rounds.  Beast has had heart toruble for 4 years now, stirrings of
kidney trouble for 3 and meds for thyroid condition for 2 but he seems
healthier now than he has been for over a year.  He's put on a pound or
more and generally he's his old meddlesome self if slow on the upbeat
and hard of sight and hearing.  Still, he must make his rounds so he
heads out to the front where he slides under the fence and and meditates
in front for awhile, usually in the wee hours, when I go for the paper,
he's there.  Then he'll walk round back and do the same in the
alleyway.  I feel less secure about him there for he doesn't hear well
but he's easily seen at least.  Now I go for a swim and Beast interrupts
his routine to pace me alongside the pool.  "Faster!  Faster!"  because
he knows it will be dinnertime when I go inside.  Beast used to be the
most playful older cat I've had and it's hard to get him to play now but
he will still seek attention and purr so I know he's getting by.  He'll
be 18 this summer (giving him the proverbial 1 year of age when he
turned up in 1987).  Norm

--
"The web has got me caught.  I'd rather have the blues than what I've
got."  <via Nat King Cole