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, ...

  Moo, unsure about the greater world  Pest control came out and confirmed what we suspected—our house is hosting a full-blown rodent convention. Mice in the walls. One rat. And eight cats… who are absolutely scandalized. These are street rescues. Survivors. Cats who once knew the wild. But when a real mouse scurries across the floor? They freeze. They flee. They look at me like, “You expect us to handle that?” Except for Moo. Moo is the Uncat. Moo doesn’t cuddle. Moo doesn’t play. Moo doesn’t socialize. But Moo does patrol the catio and adjacent room with surgical precision. No fuss. No hesitation. One swift zap, and the mouse is history. That space is his domain, and he keeps it rodent-free. Try to bring Moo into the rest of the house, though? He wails. He trembles. He pleads to return to his post. Moo is a specialist. A one-room legend. Meanwhile, the other cats? They adore toy mice. Plush ones, crinkly ones, feathered ones. They bat them across the floor with glee. T...

  Tissou begging 🐾 Adopt a Senior Pet: Grace at the Edge of Time November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month—a time to honor the quiet, resilient companions who wait in shelters and barns, often overlooked, often misunderstood. They come with stories. They come with scars. But they also come with grace. Senior cats may arrive with feral habits, like our 14-year-old Tiger—named aptly, feared gently, and now, after years of distance, allowing himself to be held. These transformations are slow, sacred, and deeply earned. Some are nearing the Rainbow Bridge, and what they need most is not a cure, but a companion. Someone to walk with them toward the light. Someone to say, “You mattered.” Yes, there are challenges: Behavioral quirks from years of survival—habits that soften with patience. Health costs that rise with age—though some pet insurance plans do cover seniors, and Care Credit offers flexible veterinary credit, often increasing limits to meet emergency needs. Emotional vulne...