Adjusting

 Hi effurybody!

It's getting furry cold here so there is no sunny room time for me. Good thing the couch is pretty darn comfortable too.  

The mom bean isn't sure how this is comfortable.  Little does she know.  

She says there have been some changes in my behaviour since Sasha went to the Bridge. I used to wait for him to wake mom in the morning, now I do that all by myself. I've taken to tapping her on the head with my paw...with a teeny tiny bit of my claws out to make sure she pays attenshun. When that doesn't work, I knock stuff off her bedside table - books, glasses, cellphone, water bottle - it all goes flying. That works effury time!

I've been playing lots too and getting the zoomies sometimes. Mom bean has been finding toys all over the place. I won't tell her why I'm doing that now and didn't do it much before. 

I miss Sasha sometimes and I refuse to sit on his spot on the couch. I even get mad at the mom bean when she sits there. But I sure lub being the only kitty cuz I get all the pets and scritches. And treats too!  

Stay warm efurrybody!

All's well that ends well

 Hi efurrybody, it's cuzin Stanley here today.

The old mom bean took this photo of me waiting for the coffee to finish. More on that later.

Early this week, our sticky bean had another sticky bean come over for a visit.  The boys were playing hard and the other sticky bean fell on top of me and then our sticky bean fell on him. I didn't tell anyone I was hurting until that evening, when my brofur Sheldon wanted to play.

The young mom bean heard us hissing and hollering at each other and separated for the night. The next morning, she called the ebil v e t, and later when the old mom bean came to the house, we all went there. I had to stay for awhile and have x-rays. Thankfully, there was nothing broken - I was just very sore. They said I was a furry good boy and didn't get angry with them even when they poked me.

When I came home, I was furry wobbly on my legs, but the old mom bean petted me and gave me lots of loves while keeping the sticky bean away.  She also kept Sheldon in her bedroom overnight, and let me out of the other bedroom when I wanted a drink of water. I had to take some pain medications too for a few days - and I'm doing fine with that.

After a couple of days I was feeling so much better, and me and Sheldon had our morning tussle. 

The old mom bean took a video but her phone and puter won't talk to each other right now. But I can say that we both gave as good as we got, MOL!

Oh, as to the coffee thing - I used to live with the sticky bean's dad. He wasn't a good provider and sometimes all I had to eat and drink was coffee grounds and coffee water. Even now, I like the taste so even though the old mom bean usually drinks tea, she makes coffee to share with me when she visits. She's a good old dragon!

Sleepy cat

Hi efurrybody and happy Caturday!

The mom bean has spending lots of time watching the hurry hard game on the television.  I find it boring so I've been doing what efurry kitty would do, I nap.

This is my favorite spot on the bed.  It's furry comfy! 

Time for my another Caturday nap.  Hope you get one too. 

Thank you and Happy Caturday!

Hi efurrbody, Saku here.

Mom bean and I want to say thank you to efurryone who has stopped by the blog with condolences on Sasha's run to the Bridge.  

She sure has the sads, but I've been doing my best to give her lots of luvs and snuggles.  Yesterday I got her to play with my string toy and I think she really liked that.  

This morning I made her laugh too.  She says she wishes she was as flexible as me.  Guess we'll have to work out with the string toy some more. MOL!

Happy Caturday efurrybody!

Fly free sweet boy

This morning, our Sasha was re-united with his fur-sibs, Silver, Sami, Shady and Silas.  I am grateful that he passed peacefully in my arms at the vet's office.  I was able to reassure him that he was, and is loved, and his spirit will always be with us.

Sasha was the first cat we adopted when we bought the old house in 2000.  He has been a constant in our lives ever since.  While never a loud cat (unless he was demanding food or attention), the house feels empty and quiet without him.  I'm not certain Saku realizes he isn't here but did spend some time on my lap when I arrived home.  

About six months after Sasha joined the family, we adopted Silver.

The two were inseparable, at least until Sami joined us a year or so later.

I like to think the two are together again and curling up for a nap as they did so often then.

Sasha was always the patient teacher of all the cats who came after him, and they all loved him for it, and wanted to be near him all the time.  Well, except perhaps Saku, but the two did learn to tolerate one another.  I think there were just too many cats hogging Sasha's attention when Saku was a kitten for the two to bond.

From left to right: Sasha, Shady, Silas, and Sami.  

This morning as we sat in the car waiting for the appointment, I picked him up and he looked out the window at the sun.  Sasha was always happiest napping in the sun. Sadly, these last few days he hasn't wanted to be out in the sun room even when I had the door open.  He spent most of his time sleeping on the couch instead.  

The last two days were difficult as he had quit eating much, mostly licking at his food, though he was still drinking water.  Sasha hadn't been able to get up on the bed on his own, but I heard him coming down the hallway and lifted him up each night.  I had vacillated as to what to do, but this morning as he walked down the hall he staggered a few times.  I suspect he was weak and I knew the decision couldn't be put off any longer. 

I know that all of you reading this, understand how difficult this decision is and was.  If I could have, I would have kept Sasha with us forever.  We were so very blessed to have this special cat in our lives, and there will never be another like Sasha. 

Fly free, my sweet boy. 

Getting old ain't for sissies

It's the mom bean here today.  For those who've followed this blog for a long time, you'll know that our Sasha is, for lack of a better term, ancient.  We don't know exactly when he was born, but have used May 25 or 27 as his birthday.  The date was selected based on his approximate age when he was adopted and coincides with the date we moved into our old house.  Accordingly, he has reached an age of 21 years, 5 months this week.

Recently, I've begun seeing some significant changes in Sasha.  He is now sleeping nearly 23 hours a day.  Rather, I assume he is as I sleep 6-7 hours a day and don't know what he's up to then.  

His eating habits have changed too.  I feed the cats wet food twice a day, each receiving about a third of a can of Fancy Feast at each meal.  There is also dry kibble available at all times.  In the last week or so, Sasha has not been eating as much wet food at meal time as he did previously.  Instead, he's been eating a small amount, then napping, then waking up asking for more food about an hour or two later.  This has carried on throughout the day.  Since I am home, I've been catering to his needs.  (Saku has been quite confused by this development.)

Sasha is showing signs of physical decline as well.  Getting up and down from the bed, or onto the chair next to my son is increasingly becoming more difficult.  I have added a shorter stool to the side of the bed, so that he can use both stools to get up.  Last night, I woke in the middle of the night to him curled up next to me - he's obviously figured it out.  C says he will circle the chair until C lifts him onto or off the chair.  

He's been nearly deaf for sometime now - he startles easily if we come up behind him.  Now he seems to losing his eyesight.  I suspect he has cataracts as his eyes are clouding over.  However, he is quite capable for finding his way around the house. He certainly can find his favorite sleeping spots.  

I suspect we may not have him with us much longer.  But for now, he's still eating, drinking his water, and eliminating.  Sasha seems content and he hasn't exhibited any signs of pain.  This latter factor isn't necessarily a good thing, as I know cats are pretty stoic.  But for now, we'll keep doing what we can to ensure he is comfortable and safe.  My hope is that he will fall asleep one day, and simply not wake.  But if the day comes, that Sasha is unable to continue, I will make that difficult decision to let him go.  My son and I have been talking about it; this post is part of my own coming to terms with the thought of losing Sasha.

Water as I like it

 Hi efurrybody, Saku here.

Our furriends over at the Cozy Apartment have a new boy, Hector, living with them who likes to play in his water bowl.  Mom bean says I used to do that too, but I've grown up...some.

Now I prefer to get my drinking water from a dripping tap, or will use the fountain.  But efurry once in awhile, mom bean finds me doing this.

We hope it plays for you.  Have a great Caturday efurrybody!

I wants what I wants

 Hi efurrybody, Saku here today.

Efurry morning, the mom bean leaves the tap dripping in her bathroom for a little while so I can get a drink*. But this morning I wanted a drink from the tap in the kitchen.  She dared to say that I had to wait until she put away the clean dishes!

Doesn't she know I wants what I wants, when I wants it?  Good thing, I'm such a patient kitty.  MOL!

Have a great Caturday efurryone!

*Despite having a perfectly fine water fountain available in the kitchen.

We're still here

 Hi efurrybody, Saku and Sasha here today.  Yep, we're still here.  Mom bean says we don't do a heck of a lot so there isn't much to share.  BUT she's wrong, we do a lot...a lot of sleeping, eating, and a whole lot of p**ping.  She should know about the last 'cuz she has to clean it up. MOL!

We're still hanging out in the sunny room.  Most of the time, Saku naps in the tunnel but one day he was napping in the bed and mom thought his foot dangle was cute.

Saku: I heard the click of the flashy box.  How dare she wake me. By the way, Sasha is sleeping in the orange bed beside me.

Here's proof she feeds us too.  Sasha gets his dinner on the couch so mom bean can keep an eye on him.  He doesn't always eat everything at once and Saku has a bad habit of trying to steal the rest.  

Sasha: So mom bean takes it away and covers it up and serves it to me later in the evening.  I have her well trained!

We won't share you any proof of the third thing we do so well.  Mom bean cleaned up the boxes just this morning and she'd tell you it was a smelly task.  She says she might have to reconsider which flavor of Fancy Feast she feeds us.  

Thanks to the Tabbies of Trout Town for reminding the mom bean that we haven't posted for awhile. We'll see if we can stay awake long enough to put mom bean on notice a little more often. 

Checking in on Caturday

 Hi effurybody, Sasha here today.

Mom bean took my picture this morning after breakfast.  Did you know I always get to eat breakfast in bed?  She's been letting me do that for a long time now, 'cuz that Saku is a big pig and will steal it.

She wasn't furry happy with me this morning, 'cuz she was watching the noisy box and talking on her phone to the bean sisfur and I just curled up right beside her.  Yes there is a whole lot of bed on the other side of me but it's my spot!  Sheesh, some beans just never learn.

Have a great Caturday efurrybody!

Happy Birthday Sasha!

 Our Sasha is 21 years old today!  

This is about as much enthusiasm as Sasha manages these days, except when it comes to food.  (Photo taken yesterday in the sunroom - while the sun was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds.)

Sasha is a reliable alarm cat, waking mom up between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. every day.  He does this by getting as close as he can to her face and then yelling in her ear.  Sometimes she can get him to let her sleep more by petting him, but if she dozes off and stops he starts yelling again.

Despite all signs that he is losing his hearing, mom figures it's mostly selective hearing.  He  always hears the can of stinky goodness being opened, and mom needs only to lift the treat bag and he's up and waiting for his share.

He usually doesn't eat all of his meal at one time, preferring to have it served to him over the course of the day.  Mom has learned that breakfast is around 6:30 a.m., finished up mid-morning around 10, dinner is at 4:30 p.m. with the last tidbits finished around 8.  You can be sure if he cleans up his dish in one sitting he hollers for more at the other times.  Kibble is available throughout the day and he does eat it but it frequently comes up shortly thereafter.  

He loves the water fountain, especially if mom puts an ice cube in it.  Sasha likes to talk before and after he's had a drink, perhaps to ensure mom is aware he's getting his necessary intake.  She certainly knows the output is good!  Though he's having some difficulty climbing in and out of the big boxes, Sasha prefers those to the smaller and lower sided box she bought for him.  She's thinking she may need to cut an opening on one end of the big box so he can get in an out easily.  

Sasha's favorite person continues to be his bean brofur C.  If he isn't napping in the sunroom or on the couch, he's downstairs on the extra chair that sits beside C's computer desk.  The other day, he even let C get rid of some mats on his hind end.  Mom is the only one who can clip his nails, but that must be done only on paw at a time.  Sasha is still quite capable of showing his displeasure with a swat or a nip.  

Sasha has always been a tolerant cat, thought occasionally Saku tests his patience by leaping on him as he walks by.  Sasha no longer plays, spending most of his days and nights sleeping.  He has some interesting positions, often with his paw over his face, or this one where he's almost standing on his head!  

Today will be a day like so many others, mom catering to his needs and wants, lots of naps though there won't be any sunshine, and scritches and pets from mom and C.  We're all just grateful that Sasha is with us to celebrate this day.

A old photo, taken about 2007, of Sasha with his sisfur Silver.  The two of them adored each other. 

Not funny!

 Our mom bean told us a story the other day about our cuzins, Kelfie and Callie.  They are the resident kitties at the mom bean's brofur's farm.  

She got a text from her brofur that she read to us:

"Played a trick on the cats last night but this only works in an old house.  I was in the bathroom and a mouse ran under the door with a cat paw swiping at it.  So I opened the window, tossed the mouse outside, shut the window, and let the cats in. They went nuts trying to find it. :)"

"They both might need therapy."

She laffed and laffed....we don't think it is funny at all!  Here's Callie attacking him for being so mean. (Mom bean put the pink mask on him...now that's funny! MOL).

Hello from Sheldon

Hi efurrybody! The old mom bean came to visit one day 'cuz it was the sticky bean's birthday.  I was furry happy to see her, so was Stanley though he wouldn't cooperate with having his picture taken.  We got lots of extra scritches and pets...it was great!

But now that I see all the pictures she took of me, I'm not so happy with her! 

Does this chair make my bum look fat?  Here's how I feel about that!  

Have a great day efurrbody!

Good morning!

 Hi efurrybody, Saku here.  

Mom bean says this made her smile this morning.  I don't understand why. She knows better than to touch my belly. MOL!

Have a great day!

It's Cold out there

 And I don't care!

Mom bean took this picture through a window 'cuz she says it is way too cold* to be in the sunny room.  

I'm just a sun seeking cat so I stuck it out for a little bit before she dared to venture out and bring me back indoors. I was fine, I tell you, but she worries. Guess I'll have to find another spot for a nap.  

*It might be sunny but the outside temperature is -16C and the inside temp isn't much higher...crazy old cat!

Happy New Year!

 Hi effurybody, Sasha here today!  Saku and I want to wish all of our furriends a new year of stinky goodness, scritches and lubbings efurry time you ask for them.

As for me, I'm enjoying the sunshine in the sunny room.  Mom bean says it's a bit cool out there but I don't care.  Besides I'm not paying the heating bill. :)