Friday morning, I brushed out his fur, and managed to get him into the carrier for the drive to the vet's office for his 13-year-old checkup. He's dropped half a pound, she says, compared to the last time he was in, but that's not bad for a cat his age, nothing to worry about.
She said his blood pressure (would you believe they measure that at the root of the tail?) was good for his age, too.
He is missing that one tooth, but no infection or inflammation around the site. She observed that his lymph nodes are a little enlarged, particularly on the left, but to a lesser degree on the right, but she could find no evidence of an underlying cause. I asked what likely causes might be. She said a wound or a tumor, but she found no evidence of either. It could be, she thought, an earlier wound that has healed, but left this behind and it is healing, too. The plan is just to monitor.
He got his 3-year rabies booster, and a 3-year RCP vaccine, too.
Since he's eating, drinking, and eliminating, and doing his "new normal" activities, including being able to get away from the puppy... he's in good shape, says his vet. This vet has seen him through a few bouts of various kitty hazards, and there's something to be said for that continuity.
He was a very calm kitty while they examined him, too. Such a good cat!
Life is good, even if you have to share a house with a dog and an old lady! Spark on!
Poor Kitty's official name could be "Lucky"! A charmed life he's had, having you as his "purrson". Happy for the good report. 😻😻
ReplyDeleteLOL... an independent life, any "charmed" aspect is exactly that!
Delete13 years is considered a good life for an indoor/outdoor cat…may he enjoy many more healthy, happy years! Karen (Eissa7)
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
DeleteAwwww, sounds like Prisoner did a good job @ the vets, and that's because YOU are taking such good care of him.
ReplyDeleteLong may it continue! And seriously . . . just saw a cat's blood pressure being measured! Awesome!
Keep on keepin' on, right!?!
hugs
barb
1cd
Taking "good care" of a cat is relatively simple. Don't hover. Let him be a cat. Learned from one of the best... my dad.
DeleteDid you ever read Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories? My dad's favorite story in the collection was The Cat Who Walked by Himself.
13 yrs is almost spring-chicken territory for a sprightly shorthair! I am commonly seeing housecats make it to their late teens - while I want to credit improved healthcare & nutrition, cats are also... Cats!!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe statistics I have seen vary, depending on the cat's "indoor only" or "indoor/outdoor" status. Seems those we keep inside all the time live longer than those that roam in the wild, "on average". He's been known to tangle with wildlife, and we have foxes and coyotes in the general neighborhood, as well as other cats. Mostly, I'd put his wily nature up against 'most anything.
Delete