We drove off to the Big City and I was dropped off at my doctor's office. My ride, his children, and my child went off to the used book, cd, cards, & comic store. When I was finished they were waiting for me. Everybody had gotten something. Not surprisingly, my son still had over $8.00 left. See? Mr. McScrooge. I'm telling you. This was a kid who, at the age of 10, saved enough money via Christmas & birthday money to buy a griffon puppet from the Renaissance Faire (over $100). At the age of 12 he took over $200 with him to a medieval reenactment event and bought a bow, arrows, odds & ends as gifts for others, and a pair of medieval period shoes (got a discount as well when they found out that he was using his own money!).
The down. Zaphoid has been very vocal this week. He's wanted a LOT of attention. But he wouldn't let me anywhere near him to check him out. He'd let me brush him. He'd let me give him treats. He'd let me love on him. But nothing else. As the week went on, I noticed that he was having a harder time eating treats. He was swallowing them whole rather than chewing them. ::closes eyes and breathes deep:: He's 12 years old. His mother was a feral cat and we have no idea what kind of nutrition she had while he was developing. I've done my best to feed him & the rest of the Horde Science Diet, the special Lamb diet (when Samantha became allergic to chicken, beef, & seafood), and Iams except for the really lean times when I just couldn't afford it.
Last night Dale and managed to get him between us. We petted and cooed at him and he finally, finally, finally let me look at his mouth. His back teeth are gone. I have two sample cans of gooshy food. Jen gave him a bit as a treat about two hours ago. He's still eating the dry food and drinking water and we're putting out dry with water mixed in it but he really doesn't care. Do you know that attitude that elderly people sometimes get? I remember my grandfather getting it the day he turned his head to the wall. Quigley the day he went into my floor heated bathroom across from the kitty litter and wouldn't come out (he wouldn't eat either even though his teeth were fine) until he came to lay on my chest to cross the Bridge. I don't want to lose Zaphy but my daughter Jen... Zaphy's mom seems to be... not accepting... but almost as if she's not worried. She knows she'll break down and be sad... but it's the circle of life.
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