...Robbie's Rondo

this was taken back in February...
before we finished the LR/DR...
I am apparently not smart enough
to figure out how to get photos
from my camera to my computer...
so I have to use what I have,
courtesy of the cyberskills of MM...

the furry, orange cat is Robbie...
he's 19 and my very most "senior cat-i-zin"...
[the black one is Frick...generally very stealthy...
so consider yourself lucky to see him at all...]

one of my first cats as an adult,
was a red tabby with long-ish fur
named "Tiger" ...[aka "Fang"...]

when Tiger left me over 20 years ago...
it was rather sudden and very devastating...
he was my buddy...
and I grieved for him for years...

so one day, when I walked into a pet store,
to buy worms for my tropical fish...
and saw a litter of red tabby kittens...
with long-ish hair !
I had to look at them...

there were 3 fluffy little girl kitties...
all cute... all red tabbies...
gamboling about...
but my eye was drawn to the
BIG guy...just sitting there... all mellow...

then he looked at me...and I was "toast"....
he was a doppelganger for Tiger...
their faces were so much alike...
it was almost as if Tiger had been reincarnated...
[just twice as big...]

he was twice as big as his sisters...
all red tabby fluff...
and SOOO mellow...
I was putty in his paws...

it should be noted here ...
that I fell in love with Tiger...
when I saw him in a pet store window...
a big ribbon on his neck...

of the MANY kitties I've lived with...
they were the only 2, that I didn't "rescue"...
the only 2, that I "bought" from a store...
everyone else was "free"...until I got the vet bills...

yesterday, I knew that I really needed
to get Rob to the vet for a "check up"...
[I had been putting it off for a month or so...]
and when I discovered that he had last been on May 1, 2007...
that cinched it...so I gathered him up and we were off...

he has a host of "sr cat" problems...
arthritis... NOT using the cat box... [sigh...]
and the last few months... getting skinny...

they clipped his nails...
which will curl around and puncture his paws...
if I don't keep my eye on them...

the vet wanted to keep him ...
and do some blood work...
to make sure that the weight loss...
wasn't from diabetes or a thyroid problem...
he also wanted to check the kidney/liver functions...
sure indicators of bad news...

so late yesterday, when I got back from the market...
there was a message from the vet...
his blood work was all normal...[ ! ]
so they sedated him and cleaned his ears...
[he has a mild infection...]

cleaned his teeth...[ more antibiotics...]
and gave him a steroid shot ...
to help the itching and the arthritis...
[should last about a month...]

today, when I went to get him, they said
that his thyroid was also "normal"...
so they sent us home with ear drops, antibiotics...
and a bill... for $ 350.00....

[if you're keeping track...
the "unexpected expenses" total...
is now almost $3000.00...
including that tank of gas that was $50.00...]

* sigh *

Rob was gorgeous when he was young and strong...
he would prowl the neighborhood...
when allowed out...but always came when I called...

he would arrange himself, regally, on the coffee table...
the sofa back... or any other "large" venue...
looking like something out of "Wild Kingdom"...

his personality is quite different from Tigers'...
in that he is more vocal... and craves attention...
he's NOT picky... and will allow almost anyone to pet him...
but he has a couple of favorites...
who MUST pet him, when they come for a visit...

every visitor is "fair game"...

but, the moment he hears his "special friends"...
he starts "calling"...makes his way to them...
and settles in for the duration...

when he was younger, nothing could deter him...
now, Lucyfur and Sneaky Pie can push past him for attention...

nowadays, he mostly sleeps...when he's not eating...
or wanting to be petted...
and that's OK... he's earned it at 19...
my vet says that makes him over 100 in human years...
he's certainly the oldest cat I've had...

so, here's congrats on your good check-up report, Rob... !
may the steroid shot "be effective"....
may your naps be good and the food to your liking...
and may your favorite people come to visit...
and pet you...

A LOT !!



Robbie, today [5/02/08] snoozing in his favorite spot...

[post script...I apparently AM smart enough to get a picture
ON my computer... but have not yet figured out how to use
the editing software...
in my defense...I changed the text color to black AND saved it..
it came out red anyway...and then printed both...ARGH !!]