MiMau is a good fifteen years old now, and she grows thin. We have been to the vet a couple of times with our complaint. There's nothing wrong with her except that she's hollowing out between her hip bones and her ribs. Her fur is as thick and soft as ever. There is occasional evidence of hairball accumulation, but blood tests show nothing even borderline. Certainly her hunting skills have not diminished. Nearly every day, there is a deceased mousey directly in our path as we exit the front door. She's a humane killer: the little bodies show almost no violence, just one killing strike. She used to eat the fresh meat, then she chose to dine on only the heads. Now, apparently, she's killing simply for sport, and to stay in fighting trim should we move away and leave her on her own. Not a chance.
She's a great cat and I'd give her anything that would fatten her up again. She likes to have me sit next to her while she eats her kibble. Maybe she'd like some canned food, but I doubt it. She's never liked it. Maybe some canned salmon? Fresh salmon?
MiMau demonstrating her successful hunting technique:
Wait quietly, and the prey comes to you.
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19 comments:
I don't know anything about cats but I bet Mimau wouldn't turn down some fresh fish. Sad.
Aw June, she's a cutie and I'm not a cat person either but both my daughters are and her cats just love chicken! So fresh chicken it is.
15 yrs old! give her whatever her little heart desires :)
x
We watched our little boy grow thin like this over his last years. He nearly reached 18. In his last few months he stayed very near the house, we think he liked to hear the vibration of underground pipes, and the noises of us moving around. In his last week he was confused, but still clung to home. One day I looked out onto the grass and realised that he was no longer breathing. It is heartbreaking, and took me a long time to get over. Lately, we have been adopted by a very hungry stray, so life is coming back to us. Tough times, but eventually remembering the love takes over.
Fifteen is pretty old in cat years. I do hope MiMau continues to hang in there for several more years, though. Sure doesn't look that old! :-)
We're not cat people either, but been thinking about getting one b/c our dog is completely helpless in controlling the mice problem.
Yours looks very . . . very stately, sitting there on that rock wall. P. S. Love the photo of your Jan '11 woodpile.
I know what you mean, watching my old Dachshund slow down squeezes my heart. He was the best hunter in his prime. Now, he just seems to hunt me and beg for treats. Instead of losing weight, he gains. I would say it was the difference between dogs and cats, the old camp cat Spooky grew very thin before she went to sleep in the shade of my car for the last time.
Having you sit next to her as she eats is probably more than enough . She obviously feels much loved ... and returns it , in the form of little dead offerings !
Our children are grown and once their childhood pets died, we were petless. There are times I'd love to have the company of a furry creature, but then we would lose the freedom to travel on a moments notice. Reading about Mimau brought back memories of our long gone cats, and got me thinking again about a new cat.
We lost two beloved kitty cats, they ate until the end, stayed outdoors, until I got them inside, one just layed around but ate and use a litter box, the last day our princess sophie was alive she got under a lovely plant that grew way over wild, cried out two times, hottest day we had for many many years July 7, 2012 and passed, the other kitties would not go near her, then our other prince Bailey he suffered, then went quiet in a box with his favorite blanky with him, on July 16 at nearly 2pm! It was so traumatic to me, Miss Sophie was a november 1993 babydoll, and Bailey boy came in august 1995 they were almost 19 and 17 years old..they were so precious to me, I had to see a person to speak with me I got so upsett, many made cruel remarks I like to think they will get their Karma, I would never say to anyone regarding their beloved pets a cruel remark, I think some people just don't have any manners whatsoever they had no one to teach them and just don't care! I nursed Miss Sophie she was so tiny I had to get a dolls baby bottle fill it up with kitty formula and gently feed her, she grew strong, and loving! Bailey boy was always kind of a wild boy, but he came in and settled down. Niether was ill and always loving and sweet. I started to notice they got thinner and not eating too much, then they acted funny preferring outside, but I would go out and get then tenderly as knew something was up, Bailey would cry a lot, I would hold him took him to the Vet an all feline clinic she said the end was near, I could not have him put down, he passed here but cried out a little..Miss Sophie just cried out two times on the hottest day we have had in over 60 years and I thought it the heat..She passed that day, I have not been the same since, we still have two cats, one indoors Miss Cody, and outside and inside Mr. Miyagi, they knew the others were gone to Kitty Heaven they smelled where we buried them. I will not take in anymore cats, got too attached, it was too traumatic for me..Lost 2 childhood friends I had known since I was about 4 also this summer, I cannot take anymore human or feline losses, sorry about your kitteh cat, he is so sweet and you are kind and loving, ciao!!!!!
MiMau looks a lot like our Slinkie, although Slinkie prefers to hunt the falling leaves. At this time of year we wake up to a trail of ruddy-colored Maple leaves that she has brought in during the night. We feel like the babes in the wood.
Slinkie doesn't eat "people food" either, just the crunchy kibble, with the exception of dessert. Crazy cat has a sweet tooth.
MiMau looks petit compared to cats I've seen but she is certainly healthy. Maybe she needs a kibble for older cats?
Frank's brother has a cat who has had that hollowing thing happening for several years now. She's 21! I suspect your lovely Mimau has a lot of good hunts ahead of her. She's a sweetie.
Oh, she's a sweetie! I see more than a hint of mischief in her and, I certainly wouldn't want to be a mouse in her line of sight!
I avoid feeding salmon to any of my animals. The cats I have fed it to would gobble it up like it was the bets thing EVER...and then within 5 minutes follow it up with projectile vomiting.
I have had great success with tuna though. Even my dog likes that treat, but then she'll eat anything.
Hope MiMau stays healthy & happy. I'd love to hear the story behind her name, one day.
What a sweetheart MiMau is -- and how great that she is healthy for her age. It's so hard to see our beloved cats age. My Gus is 14 and doesn't get around as well as he used to. Even though I've lost several beloved cats, including Gus' littermate Timmy who died from tainted cat food in 2007, the thought of losing Gus is especially painful. Let's hope for the best of health for both MiMau and Gus for the forseeable future!
Our cats love prawns. They're 5 - can't bear the thought of them getting old...
The vet sold me a bottle of kitty glucosamine chondroitin and I've been giving her that daily....and loving on her a little more (right now she is between me and the laptop) and she seems more interested in eating.
Maybe she was feeling neglected? :-p
How attached we grow to those furry bundles! At 14, Parker did the same hollowing out. He's gone now but I'm hoping your Mimau hangs around for a long time yet.
we could use her around here...the VOLES are back!!
I stayed at my son's house last week, and their elderly cat, Punky, stalked me, sometimes waiting crouched silently at the top of the basement stairs when I came up from the bedroom where I was staying to prepare the baby's 3 AM bottle. I know a little how a mouse must feel! Also, she would sometimes yowl forlornly early in the morning, sounding so much like one of the children that I had to go check. Personally, I think Mimaw and Punky will live for many more years - it's us I'm worried about!
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