Re: 05/03 Jake AMPS 358
Sorry about that! I fixed the date in the subject line.
I can give you an overall WCR:
Pooping: Had problems with constipation in the past years, but lately (last couple of months), his stools have been good size and firm. I try to keep very careful watch on the stool habits as it can indicate dehydration. I think he is ok in this area.
Peeing: Everything OK here. He was recently checked for a UTI - all ok there. I sometimes catch him about to pee somewhere he shouldn't and I think it is because he either forgets or doesn't feel like walking all the way to his litter box. I now have 2 litter boxes upstairs and 3 downstairs and they are all the low sided very large storage box size (each box is the equivalent of 2-3 regular large litter boxes). Usually he has no problems using a box - but I have noticed in the last 6 months that he almost never uses the downstairs boxes. I sometimes see him head down the hallway to the litter box, stop in midstep and pause for a few minutes as if he is forgetting what he is doing, and then turn around and come back without using the litterbox - so I think he has a touch of elderly dementia. I often carry him to the litterbox when I'm home.
Preening: Occasionally grooms a little after eating, but overall does not groom at all. He is 19 and just does not groom himself and he has not for years as much as he did when he was younger. I try to brush him but he gets very agitated and hissy so we only have very short grooming sessions. His fur gets small matts in it and he gets very upset when I comb them out. He does not mind nail trimming though.
Playing: He does not play much. He sleeps about 95% of the time. I recently saw him take a swing at a feather toy. He also scratched on his scratching post the other day (which I had not seen in a long time). He still loves catnip and will eat it but not roll around or play in it anymore. I've been giving him B-12 injections to help his overall health and his stiffness. He has a bit of either neuropathy or arthritis. He still gets around pretty well (albeit stiffly) and can pretty easily jump onto the couch or a chair and even jumps off the dining room table (even though I place him on the floor if I see him about to do this). Last night I made him and the other cats salmon for a treat and he got on the dining room table and tried to have some of my dinner too! Sometimes he walks without bending his rear legs at all but he is not walking on his hocks.
Purring: He purrs when he knows he is getting a treat, when he goes outside on his leash, sometimes when he gets to the vet for an appt.
