MSI Press Blog

  Simone, a Himalayan who at18 has passed all longevity expectations (typically 10-15 years) and became blind two years ago, cries a lot. She cries when she wants things, and she makes it clear what she wants. If she wants food, she stands by the bowl and cries. If she wants water, she stands by that bowl and cries. If she wants a clean bed pad (she is no longer able to use the litter box), she stands by the pad and cries. If she wants my attention, petting, etc. (about once a day) she approaches my chair beside the bed she sleeps on which is the same height, and cries at my elbow. But she also cries at other times, and I wonder if she is in pain. Most of the time, she sleeps, but her waking time seems not to be all that comfortable. 🐾 What Her Crying Might Mean Clear communication: Her cries for food, water, pad changes, and affection are purposeful. She’s still asserting her needs, and I try to be attuned to them. Sensory disorientation: Blindness can heighten vocalization, ...

  Simone: The Gamma Queen At 18 years old—well beyond the typical 10–15 year lifespan of Himalayans—Simone is not just surviving; she’s sovereign. In human years, she’s a centenarian, and she wears her age like a velvet robe: soft, regal, and quietly commanding. Simone is a classic Gamma: independent yet affectionate, serene yet perceptive. She loves attention but never demands it. Combing her long fur brings forth deep, quiet purrs—like a low chant from a feline monastery. Though arthritis and blindness have softened her physical presence, they’ve only deepened her emotional one. Her eyes, once brilliant blue, now clouded, still hold the memory of every gaze exchanged over nearly two decades. Her throne is a sleep number bed—higher than most, and perfectly suited to her new role as a tree cat. Once a bush cat who preferred low, hidden spaces, Simone now reigns from above, protected and elevated. During the day, she climbs three soft stairs to reach her perch, where cloth pads h...

  Our elderly gentlewoman Simone has had arthritis for 5-6 years now, controlled well enough by cosequin until recently; now she needs a monthly shot. Not only has she lived a long time with arthritis, but she has also lived a long time, period, for a Himalayan cat. The life span of that breed is 10-15 years. Simone is a dignified 17 years old. In the past year, she has developed high blood pressure controlled by medication, and in the last three months, she has lost all of her eyesight. Still, she manages. She spends a lot of time dozing comfortably in her memory-foam cat bed (shown above) that was especially developed for arthritic cats, but she insists on spending nights in bed with me in my sleep number bed, set at a very firm mattress level but topped with two layers of foam. It is also comfortable.  Tomorrow, she is going to the vet to have her front leg x-rayed; she missed the stairs leading to/from the bed, which, of course, she cannot see, and tumbled onto the floor. ...

  Murjan at the pet hospital, scouting out the area As an owner of older cats , I am aware that all kinds of things can happen with them, just like all kinds of things happen with people. In addition to various illness and cancers, our oldest cat, Simone , has gone blind . We are learning how to help her and manage her environment to make it more manageable for her. Older cats, I have learned recently (though not through personal experience) can also develop dementia. I found this article quite helpful (should any of our cats start showing symptoms): Cat Dementia: Signs, Causes and Treatment Options (msn.com) For more Caturday posts, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our  author au pair  services will men...

  I have to start out by saying that our geriatric cat, Simone (age 16+), a street rescue at the age of two, has a great vet, but no vet is all-knowing or always right. Ten months ago, Simone developed a cyst on her back. It filled and drained, filled and drained. Then, it just filled, and her vet drained it -- twice. She told me I could drain it at home if it got too back (bigger than the size of a golf ball), but she did not want to do surgery. Eventually, as could be expected, the cyst, in its drained state, became infected. An antibiotic injection helped, but the infection did not totally disappear. Orbax did no good at all. The vet did not want to remove it surgically because of Simone's age, but having to clean a pus discharge every two hours just did not cut it as a long-term solution. I asked the vet what reason other than age she had for not removing the cyst; there were none. She thought that Simone would not survive surgery because she was so passive during her exams. Wh...