I just donated to my local humane society in memory of Betty White.
I haven’t donated to them in quite a while because I had a bad experience there a few years ago.
But today, I’ve decided I shouldn’t stop supporting a good organization because of a bad experience with one volunteer, so I think I’m going to start making monthly donations again.
One very positive experience I had with them was adopting our family cat, Ollie, when we first moved to town. He’s been a wonderful pet, and my kids all adore him.
Ollie, however, will be fifteen at the end of this month and is starting to show his age by doing some really bizarre things.
For example, this morning, he started patting at the water in his water dish and then cried when it was empty.
He will also stand beside his overflowing food bowl and yowl because he’s hungry. If you point out that he’s got food, he will happily eat. He just doesn’t seem to recognize he has food in his bowl anymore unless you show him.
He also now cuddles with the dog. He has always co-existed with Sadie, but now I frequently find them sleeping together. This is fine. I just find it strange that it took the cat ten years to figure out that the dog isn’t all that bad.
And finally (and possibly most annoying), Ollie has taken to yowling in the middle of the night beside my bed. If I don’t immediately respond, he will jump up and bat at my face until he gets my attention. He doesn’t seem to want or need anything. He just wants me to say hello. Once I do, he leaves. Our bedroom door is now locked at night.
When Ollie was young, he was an easy-going guy. Now he’s just grumpy and demanding. He wants me to pay attention to him all the time. Honestly, he’s become a bit of a pain.
Last week, because all these behavioral changes were accompanied by Ollie losing a little bit of weight, I took him to the vet to get checked out. They ran a lot of tests, which resulted in me learning that he’s healthy, just old and ornery.
“This happens to many senior cats,” my vet informed me. “As they age, they turn into cranky old men.”
I am now $500 poorer because of this excursion and seriously thinking that I might need to divorce my husband before he turns 65.
Ollie has taught me I’m not a fan of cranky old men.
Sorry, Dave.
XOXO
