The Joy of an Older Cat

My cat, Mandy, is eight and a half years old. Which is approximately in her mid fifties in cat years.

She was merely a kitten when I got her from the humane society. So she has been with me almost her entire life.

She used to do kittenish things like use my stomach as a springboard as I slept or race about the apartment at a breakneck speed. She could jump from the floor to the top of the refrigerator when she was a year old.

Those days are over. She is more likely to curl up beside me while I sleep instead of taking advantage of my prone state. She cannot jump to the top of the fridge any more, especially since she put on a couple of middle age pounds. She runs, but not as fast and she doesn't knock everything down in her path either.

To make up for the loss of her kittenish exuberance and energy, she has gained in affection and comfort. She sits in my lap more than she ever did before. She shamelessly invites my attention by rubbing her head against my arm. I love her, and I believe that she loves me.

To all of you who own a older cat, you might find that life is mellow. There is nothing like reading a good book with your cat curled up beside you (or on you). Her purrs are sweet music, relaxing after a hard day's work.

So many people just don't appreciate older cats. They look for the kittens or the lively young ones. Often they abandon the old for the new. This is sad. To throw away years of love and devotion to aquire something cuter is a shame.

We should cherish our older cats because old love is the best love.