<<< Prays she doesn't come back as a goldfish in Sharni's house....Might catch a cold and she'd put me in the freezer! :D lol

This is such a timely thread for me. All sweet pics (above)...and LMFAO@BamaKyttn's links! Geezzzzzzzz, those pups are patient!

I'm not a "mommy" in the traditional sense, and so I only have my cat Rocky to mother. He's been our "baby" for nearly 17 years now, and he's never cost us very much money over those years...till now. He's stopped doing most of the things that make having a cat so fun. He could care less if a fly landed on his nose. Going outside is more of a chore than a must and a new adventure. He hasn't cleaned himself in just over a year and hates to be brushed except for his head and under his chin. I thought bathing him would prompt his need to lick himself...but he just shivered and let the fur dry in clumps till I got out the hair dryer and insisted I brush him dry.

He's been on a drug I have to administer 1/2 tab twice a day...everyday for the rest of his life...for a hyperthyroid condition. He's gone from 16 lbs. to light as a feather since the onset of this condition. I can feel his ribs and hind bones even though he is rather furry. He gets severe bouts of constipation...at times to the point where I have to take him to the vets for an enema. This might not seem so awful to you, but Rocky WILL NOT let anyone handle him except me, and he'd even bite and/or scratch my face off if anyone comes near him or touches him while I am holding him. He's not a mean cat...just really scared, and has been all his life. Mr. Lixy is the only other human ever able to pick him up for a very short time without him hissing and clawing his way away. So, in order for the vet to "look him over", he has to be knocked out every time. I don't take him to the vets unless absolutely necessary, and while he is under anesthesia I have them do all his blood work, clean his teeth, cut his nails (he has all his claws), give him all his shots, take x-rays and give him an enema if necessary.

As the years go by it is getting more and more traumatic for him (and therefore, for me), and he is having a longer and harder recovery time each time. It can cost us over $350.00 when all is said and done. Even more if they have to keep him overnight.

I know he'll not be with us too much longer, though the vet says it could be a couple more years yet. Just this past Thanksgiving I thought for sure "this was it". First, he lost control of his bowels all over my house, then he stopped eating and wouldn't get out of bed except to drink water and look at his food. I noticed he seemed to be straining to evacuate something that wasn't moving and I thought I'd have to take him to the vets. I just couldn't bear to do that to him unless he seemed in pain, so I got a product called Babylax (first time I ever tried this on my own), a liquid glycerin suppository for babies, and hubby held him down while I delivered it as gently as I could. I quarantined him to the cellar (where his litter box is) for as long as I could stand hearing him scratch on the door to get out...and lo and behold this seemed to do the trick. He's bounced back and seems to be feeling much better today.

I have to admit, I hate the thought of life without him. But I would never want him to suffer, and my hopes are that he'll just die in his sleep one day so that I don't have to make the ultimate decision. He's been with us since Mr. Lixy and I first started living together...and so he IS our son. He knows what I mean when I say "Daddy's home", and he always greets me at the door on my arrival...unless he is sick (the tell-tale sign for me). He knows the word TUNA and can even tell I am talking about it when I spell it, so we have to say "the T word" around him. He's persnickety at times and loving at other times. He hates change, but will start a new ritual just when you think he's settled into a previous one. He's sitting right beside me as I type this and I swear he knows I am talking about him...lol!

Thanks for listening...and so sorry I took so much space with my mini-series! I just had to share my son's life with you all...who knows how much longer I'll have to brag about him!!!???

Here is Buffy,he must be about 30 now,good company no noise or mess,just dust him off now and again

Lost Buffy,he's here some where :rolleyes:

Here's the little bleeder

LixyChick,

No apologies required. That's about as sweet, open, and honest as it gets!

Thanks. :x:

Awwwwwwwww! TY (((jseal)))!!!!

Lixy Rocky looks like my Tasha...a russian blue too. I love her but phew she is lazy. She's about 9 or 10 now.

YES Lil! Least that's what he's listed as on his adoption papers. We got him from the S.P.C.A. so we really just figured he was a mixed up mess.

Did you notice they used a Russian Blue in Pet Semetary? YIKES!

P.S. I know I mentioned this before in a similar thread about pets...but it's worth mentioning again, here, for all to understand. We named our cat Rocky after the cartoon "Rocky and Bullwinkle"...but it turned out he was more like the pugilist in the Rocky film[s]...Rocky Balboa! He'd fight anything that got in "his yard" when he was young and spunky. I always feared he'd get some funky disease from some critter or another. Never did though! And...with "Rocky the Squirrel" as a pet, I always thought I'd get a chocolate lab and name her Bullwinkle (yeah, hubby hated the idea too...so you aren't alone in going YUCK!). Anyway...with Rocky's demeanor...he never allowed me to have another pet (the cat...not hubby). LMFAO! Damn cat!

okay, here's a pic of my furball...

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! So sweet! How could you not love that thing to pieces? I wish her good health and a long life with you (((maddy)))! And...if for some reason that is not to be...I just know the memories you make now will be treasured forever!

Lixy, when I read your post about Rocky I just about cried...I know it's hard to lose something that you've loved for so long, and I hope that he's with you for a long time yet. He looks like a sweetheart.

I'm very sorry DangerousPet, I hope in time you can appreciate all the wonderful years you had with Max.