A sad day...

After years of dealing with our cat, Theo's ongoing health issues: pancreatitis, diabetes, colitus, worms, dental issues, a difficult eye virus we've always been very lucky with him. He's strong and has great stamina and has led a very happy life. But, a few days ago his appetite dropped quickly, weight was dropping and finally he stopped eating. We took him in and the xray found something that we finally couldn't deal with: a large tumor in his stomach area. The poor sweet cat has gone through medical hell his entire life but always he's dealt with health problems extremely well and has lived a very happy life. We've had a wonderful life with him and him with us for over six years. We adore him as he clearly feels the same about us . Today, is our worst day as we have to take him in and let him go...

When your sweet cat has a dark side

Ahh, Jetson (RIP) he was a lover cat, he loved people and spent most of his day worshipping in front of the heater God (aka heat vent). So mild mannered and sweet, EXCEPT when he saw another animal, then it was Mr. Hyde time. Strange yowls and hisses would this come out of his small delicate mouth. He'd puff up, the hair on his back and tail standing on end. It was well known in our house, if Jetson glimpsed the neighbor cat you better watch out. He was an indoor cat, so he never got in a cat fight, but cats weren't the only potential targets. He'd attack the closest thing that moved. One morning I was the victim of one such attack. One Saturday morning I heard the plump, neighbor cat Scooter outside. I went out to give him some pets and when I opened the door to go back inside, Jetson was right there all puffed up. I quickly put my foot up to block his exit, and in a panicky instant he chomped. Chomped my ankle. I remained calm and got back inside, Jetson was freaked. I couldn't be mad at him, it was temporary insanity, I know. But it hurt like hell and by the next evening my ankle was throbbing and swollen to over twice it's normal size. Monday I went to the doctor who prescribed heavy duty antibiotics. I was cured, and gave Jetson a wide berth when he was in his dark side possessed him.

Note: If you're bitten by a cat, go to the doctor right away, it will certainly cause an infection.

The Unbearable Lightness of Lenny

I'm used to cats ignoring requests (even though you know they know what you're asking them to do). Lenny (a.k.a. "Zippy the Pinhead") has put a new twist on this by interpreting my request to mean its exact opposite. Case in point: I strolled into the kitchen to find Lenny on the counter near the stove. In a stern tone, I said "down!" He immediately leapt UP, to the top of the refrigerator and from there to the top of the cupboards near the ceiling.

I'm resigned to the fact that when the dust motes sparkling inside his head collide, it's even money as to what will happen. I shall now cry "cabbage!" or "pentameter!" instead of "down!" because my attempts at modifying his behavior are obviously for entertainment purposes only; I may as well practice my vocabulary.

Anti-Gravity and Burning Hair

This is Lenny. He's a little over 1 year old and will, I fear, be stalled in adolescence his entire life. The other night as I was reading on the sofa, I heard something rattle and looked over to see Lenny high atop a bookcase. Not wanting to startle him into knocking items around, I calmly walked over, plucked him from the bookcase and returned him to the floor. Later when Lenny was on my lap, I noticed that while exploring, he had apparently met a lit candle, and the candle counted coup on his eyebrow. Sadly, the odds are not in favor of his learning from this experience. Trust me.

It's all about personality...

Tell us your stories about kitty cohabitation. Personality quirks most welcome...