Older but still lovable (cat)

Roi sunning himself in his backyard

For best experience, view in full screen

Do you have an older cat? Does it need assistance to remain healthy and happy?

Our sweet Roi, all 17 years and 6.9 kg of him, definitely belongs to this camp. As he reclines on his nest made of soft towels atop a heating pad (set to low), you can see the folds of furry skin hanging from his frame like heavy velour drapes. He looks like himself, just deflated, as though someone had let some of the air out of his body.

He settles on his bed with care, extending one front paw, then the other, before gingerly lowering the rest of his body with dignity and calmness. Pouncing on anything is no longer in his repertoire and birds in the backyard do not stir up his hunting instinct. 

Once in a great while, we see flickers of his younger, more active and mischievous self. But they appear less often - and last in mere nanoseconds. We are grateful for them, and all the wonderful years he had blessed us with his gentle presence. Never a claw unsheathed. Never a hiss through his mouth. Just sweetness and patience. How did we get so lucky!