Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
It's A Kind Of Magic
by Russell Turner - 16:42 on 01 December 2023
Since running took over, there’s been much less feline content in what was once a mainly domestic blog, so as my athletic endeavour has been slowed by the approaching winter it seems that an update on The Fearless Ones is long overdue, especially as earlier this week was the first anniversary of Maia’s much lamented passing.
Age is beginning to slow our girls, who will soon be twelve years old. They grow up so fast.
Willow is as frisky as ever, although she does spend more time snoozing in the bedroom than she used to do. Pandora shows her advancing years more, marked by rear-end arthritis which means some previously favourite snoozing shelves are now beyond her reach. Matchgirl, whose hips are similarly afflicted, has nothing but sympathy.
The former Tabby Terror had reached the stage where claws were vital in hauling herself on to the sofa and bed (and often used in reaching my lap, leaving pinpricks all over my knees); a good day was mostly spent snoring loudly in her bed next to the radiator. Two days ago she forgot herself, enjoyed some zoomies in the morning and paid for them later. Limping was involved.
Which is why yesterday we took a loudly complaining cat to the premises formerly occupied by the now retired Dr Death where she received a syringe filled with anti-inflammatory magic. It works for 90% of patients, we were warned, but there may be side-effects. Matchgirl, of course, feared the worst.
Yet a couple of hours later – far more quickly than the 4-5 days we’d been told before any benefits would be visible – Matchgirl was certain that the ageing puss was looking more comfortable. There can be a placebo effect (on the owner, not the cat) but today Pandora continued to look more relaxed and move more easily. If one day we find her back on her shelf we’ll know the elixir has done the job (and which it should do, the amount it costs). Matchgirl may be tempted to use it in her hips.
As for Willow, she continues to snooze. Grey cats don’t care.
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