Well, Nike got his annual summer haircut. I think he looks completely ridiculous, but he seems a lot happier. He's what they call a "poor groomer" so his long hair ends up all dirty and matted. We've been shaving him down the last year or two and it seems to work out a lot better. It grows back just in time for fall and winter, though I do worry a bit about him getting a little chilly this early in the Spring. He feels so soft, just like velvet.

He went from THIS



To THIS:


Notice his eyes. They used to be just plain green but as he's gotten older, they've gotten these weird flecks in them. The vet says they are harmless copper deposits. Don't know where he's getting copper because all we feed him is their Science Diet Sr. cat food at $25 bucks a bag. I think that's why he's put on so much weight - I was shocked that he was up to 17 pounds. He was only 14 last year. Of course, that was pre-haircut. He probably weighs less now. They keep telling us to put him on a diet, but he's such a pain about it. He wants food in his bowl at all times and he's not at all shy about letting us know about it.

We ended up having to run him into the vet on Friday. He was acting like he was in terrible pain and I was afraid he'd gotten a urinary infection, or a bowel blockage or something. I don't know what the heck was wrong, but $200 later, he came home perfectly happy.

First they wanted to do a bunch of blood tests and other lab work, plus the haircut, then they wanted to do another $70 test for diabetes on him, then they wanted us to authorize another $500 worth of feline dental work. Good lord, I barely spend that kind of money on my children, let alone a 15 year old cat! We love him to pieces, but there's a limit to how much makes sense with an older pet. Though we may have to start him on insulin. They said his blood sugar was a bit high, but we have to talk to the vet a bit more. I hope not, it sounds like a total pain.

But look at that cute face. He's been a great cat. He's very smart and understands us perfectly when we talk to him. He doesn't always agree with us, but you can tell he understands just fine. All he wants is to just lie on your lap (preferably right in the way of your computer or book) and be petted. Not like the "Terrible Twosome". They only get petted when they want to get petted, which for Sassy is about once a year! Buster likes to be petted sometimes, but he has no guilt about using his claws on you when he wants down. Little stinkers.

"Dogs have owners, cats have staff"