Senior Pets

I took Pumpkin, our beloved cat we have had since our first year of marriage back when we only had Izzy and lived in an apartment, to the vet last week for a check up. He has been slowing down a lot, and being that he is 15 I wanted to get him checked out. He is in good health I discovered from the exam, for another $200 I can run blood work and be sure, but I just took the vet's word that she is healthy. The vet proceeded to tell me she is a "senior cat" and our two dogs, Millie and Zelda, 10 and 16, are senior as well. She then proceeded to tell me only our new cat, smudge, was not senior, and in case I still didn't get it she told me 75% of the pets in my household were senior. I guess her point is that we should bring them in for regular visits when they are "senior". Actually I am not sure what her point was. I took Pumpkin, who was completely freaked out, and headed next door to our grooming appointment, Pum kitty has not been taking very good care of her fur in her senior years. The groomer took one look at her and made me stay to hold her so to not traumatize her. After I got bit twice in the first 5 minutes of her shaving off her matted fur areas, she finally put a collar thingy on her. Actually pumpkin is a boy, but for 15 years I have been calling her a girl. Anyways, 30 minutes and $20 later, I had a very angry half shaven senior cat. We went home and she sulked around the rest of the day.

Zelda is still doing well in her senior years, she stole my entire carls jr burger off the table tonight with no problem. She takes rimadyl every day for her arthiritis, at $1 a pill, we try to just give her a half a day, she moves like a puppy again. Millie is still our baby, so I can't even begin to think of her as senior, I am sorry but she is only 10!! Actually 9 and a half I think. Smudgy will turn one on May 17, her Aunt Kim's birthday! My nana's birthday as well. I knew that cat was special when Mark and Lizzy brought her home from Petsmart resue adoption center. Most of my pets may be senior, but they are mine for life, and I will care for them and love them through their best and worst.