Finn is still with us. A normally full-figured, fluffy cat, he must be a good 10 pounds lighter. The medication the vet prescribed makes him throw up. And of course, the only place in the house where he wants to puke is the carpet in the master bedroom. Plus, Finn can only eat about a spoonful of stinky canned cat food in one sitting. Right now his self-proclaimed feeding schedule is 3 a.m. and 4 p.m. In an effort to try to get him to eat more during waking hours, we've supplemented his food with milk and tried to coax more food into him at other hours of the day. However, it doesn't seem to be helping. I know this because I've been up since 3 a.m.
I am pleased to say, Finn has more energy. He is still keeping to himself more than usual. But he seems to be in a holding pattern. And, dare I say, his health possibly has improved from a couple of weeks ago. One of the drawbacks of him losing so much weight is I found a large bump near his spine. He isn't limping and he lets us pick him up, so I am going with the theory he isn't in pain.
Also at 3 a.m., Luna gets up with Finn, demanding her take of the stinky canned cat food. After all, if it is good enough for the cat! This makes the ordeal of feeding Finn twenty times harder, because the dog is underfoot, reminding me she too wants her treat. Generally I give Luna canned pumpkin*, mixed with a little broth to keep her busy while I mix up Finn's concoction (which also includes putting it in the microwave to take the edge off the chill of the milk).
While Finn is eating, I sit with him in the master bathroom. We have a baby gate in front of the door, barring Luna from barging in. Finn won't eat eat--and quite possibly can't see the food (the vet confirmed what we figured out, the poor cat has cataracts) unless someone is sitting with him. Welcome to life with an aging pet.
After all this, Finn scurries under the bed for the next 12 hours. The clock will probably read about 3:15 a.m. and I will put a bit of vinegar in a bowl into the microwave in order to get the canned cat food stench out while Luna goes out to take care of her business.
And finally, when I let Luna back inside, I have to reprimand her to let go of the turtle she is inevitably carrying. Once the turtle is out of her mouth and she is back in the house, I pick up the turtle, walk out to the front yard (in my pajamas, because it is the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT) and set it free. When I come back inside, Luna will be sound asleep on my side of the bed. It doesn't matter, because by then, I'm wide awake.
*Canned pumpkin is good for a dog's coat and digestion, just in case anyone was curious. Plus, it is much less expensive than canned cat food and doesn't smell bad. Luna, who is extremely jealous of the attention Finn is getting right now, considers it a treat and lets me finish up with Finn.
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