Cat's Name, Age, and Gender:
Coco Bear, 11, Female
Best Characteristics of my Senior
Coco is a joyful cat who loves life, and you see that in every move she makes. She has been my ray of sunshine for 9 years, and I cannot stay down when she's around.
Challenges of Life With an Older Cat
Coco was diagnosed hyperthyroid last fall. She was treated with medicine for a few months, and went through a radioactive iodine treatment in early January which required her to be quarantined in a clinic for 10 days. Thankfully, her thyroid is perfectly normal now. Expensive, but well worth it :-)
When, Where and How I Got My Cat
Coco was 2 1/2 years old when I went to our local Humane Society and found her. She was younger than I had in mind, but when she put her paws around my neck and made a pathetic "take me home!" cry I couldn't resist her. When my older cat had such a hard time accepting her I second-guessed my decision a few times, but it may have been the best decision I ever made (or maybe she made it). She was exactly what I needed.
I'd Describe My Cat As…
Her theme song would be "girls just wanna have fun!" There's a cruise line commercial with the line "lust for life!" and that's her. I've never seen a cat who loves life so much and enjoys herself so much. I don't think there's ever been a day where I didn't smile, and usually laughed out loud at her. She can also be very sweet. She loves to lick my chin, nose and eyebrows, and in later years she has become a lap cat and cuddler (I think she was about 6 years old before she came in my lap).
She's always been a foodie, and loves to mooch my food. She also has a nightly ritual of licking the silk flower arrangement on my coffee table every night when I come home from work.
Now that the hyperthyroid is gone she does not have any health problems. We've struggled for years to keep her weight down, but she's very lean now and I'm actually trying to get her weight up a little bit.
Advice
- Coco was a young cat when I got her - young cats get old. She's just as special at 11 1/2 as she was at 2 1/2, but different. Embrace the changes. I miss my wild child, but I love how loving she's become.
- When health challenges come, as they often do, fight through them with your cat and the love grows even stronger.
