Fatty, my Piglet

 These last two weeks I've had really great friends and family reach out regularly to check on our little friend, Fatty. While he isn't back to his 5 year old self, he is certainly doing better than expected for his 17 year old self. He is a little trooper and has wanted to live, and looked at me several times after eating his meal to say, "I'm not quitting yet." We've made some changes to make his life more calm and comfortable. I had to take a step back and realize that he isn't the energetic fat-ball that he once was, and that he will never be again. He is now what he can be: a geriatric cat with some special needs. And I realized that if I wanted to help him, I had to meet him with his limits and know what they were. Sometimes that does require looking at him and thinking like a vet. I'm grateful for the informative veterinarians I've met over time who have trained me but also grateful for a vocal and emotional kitty who exhibits when he is good and when he needs space or help. Lastly, I'm grateful for my dad who has relentlessly cheered Fatty on and has poured his 60+ years of cat ownership common sense into our chats. He knows by looking at Fatty what's what.

We made Fatty more comfortable by separating him from Bentley to start. Our dear Bentley is nearly deaf, and has kitty dementia on some level so has been....LOUD and occasionally aggressive (murderously aggressive) with Fatty. So a domestic feline divorce was needed. It really helps Fatty to be separate from Bentley when we can't be around. He can relax, take his time eating, and sleep in peace. Bentley can roam, pounce and scarf down whatever he likes without feeling threatened. Bentley has been jealous of Fatty's separate space and has reacted in a really funny way. His jealously has led him to wait patiently outside of Fatty's "quiet space" and as soon as it is opened, Bentley dashes in and proceeds to rapidly: scarf down any remaining food, use Fatty's litter pan, and roll in Fatty's bed. All the while delicate Fatty watches him with some level of horror for Bentley's lack of decorum...

Bentley licking Fatty's head...a nice moment of brotherly love.

Otherwise I have tried to let Fatty well, be a cat, more like a grandpa cat. I realize he needs extra time, like grandpa, and more rest. He is at 50% of where he was when he was young: he is jumping, curious, eating, drinking, grooming and purring. I definitely help him get started in the mornings with some medical help but the rest of the day he is just happy to be himself, a slower version but still his gentle sweet little self.

One last anecdote: just as he was starting to pull through a poisonous spider bit him. This little guy couldn't catch a break! His paw pad got swollen three times the size it normally was. In the end, Fatty had the last laugh, lived up to his name and ate the spider.

Little guy couldn't catch a break from bad luck! Thankfully the swelling went down.

"Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So, today is my new favorite day." -Winnie the Pooh