My Girl Prissy – Loving and Caring for an Older Cat

I think I’m driving one of my cats batty. Prissy is our oldest cat and is, naturally, showing lots of signs of aging. She has been losing weight, has stopped jumping as much (she pretty much just waits for one of us to come along and oh so carefully put her where she wants to be), doesn’t bathe as often as she once did, sleeps a lot more, and simply isn’t as observant as she once was.

Due to her age, whenever she disappears for very long, I’m off looking for her – then when I find her, I have a little celebration of sorts to celebrate her “okay-ness” – I fawn over her, pick her up, kiss the face I love so much, etc. She always responds with her motor running, but I have to get on her nerves!

I’ve also been testing her hearing occasionally, by snapping my fingers behind her back, calling to her from another room, and making annoying noises – just to keep proving that she can, in fact, still hear. Oh yeah, I’ve become a nuissance. I just love her so much!

Something that we’ve both found that we love is “Quick Bath” – they’re sort of like baby wipes, but for cats. When they get older and grooming isn’t as easy as it used to be, cats need our help. Prissy had always been so fastidious about her cleaning habits – diva-like, even, which is why she was given the name she was given.

So now, when I give her a quick little bath, she flaunts herself all around like the diva that she is. After a cleaning, she is totally full of herself! You can find the packets in the pet care aisle of just about any store. They also have a website, www.quickbath.com.

I recently read something interesting about cat’s age:

When a cat is 1 years old, she is equivalent to a human around the age of 15. Like a 15 year old person, the cat may look fairly grown up – and even be able to reproduce, but it lacks emotional maturity.

A 2 year old cat is comparable to a human in their mid 20s.

A three year old cat is equivalent to a 29 year old human, and from there on, the “for equals one” equation plays out – (meaning a 6 year old cat is similar to a 41 year old, a 12 year old cat is similar to a 65 year old, etc.)

Prissy’s pushing 70, no wonder she’s slowing down.

- Joi and Prissy (in lap and purring)

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