Gizzy Keeps Us Guessing

We love our Gizzy. He is a cool cat. When he isn't sick, he's very curious, and he wants to know everything about everything. He used to sit on the kitchen counter (on a special blankie) and watch while Mom made dinner. He had to sniff everything (even the onions) to know what it was. If you were petting him and he wanted you to pet him someplace else, he would gently pick up your hand (with his mouth) and move it to where he wanted to be petted.

Even though Gizzy has been sick, and not eating, he waits on the back of the recliner for Mom to come back from day hunting. He sits at the window and watches for the machine she drives. Then he watches her gather her things and waits for her to walk toward the door. He waits for her every day. He tries to get out into the hallway. He is really curious about the Outside. So today, when Mom got home, she dumped her bags on the floor, picked up Gizzy and brought him Outside.

He wanted to get down. He tried to wriggle out of her arms. He wiggled around so he could see everything. Finally Mom put him down, but kept a good grip on the base of his tail!!!! He didn't object! He trotted around, climbed the big snow pile behind the house, walked in the mud (it was 55F /13C) sniffed the big trees and tried to eat some dead plants. He checked out the big dog a couple of yards over (sniffed real good in his direction). Mom said his eyes were WIDE open and his ears were twitching like crazy, moving around to catch all the sounds. He trotted along, and Mom had to do a funny kind of run to keep up, so he wouldn't get away from her. He wanted to Go, Go, Go, but of course, that couldn't happen, so after a while Mom picked him up and brought him back Inside.

After all that fresh air, you'd think he'd be ravenous for a good meal of fresh, juicy stinky goodness. He ate for about one minute before he walked away. Later he had some crunchy treats. Now he's just napping. I don't get it.

He's old, he's not eating, he spends all day napping. His blood tests showed nothing more than a cat that's getting old. He can pee and he can poop OK. He eats crunchies. He eats snacks. Does he want to go to the Bridge? We can't tell. He doesn't seem to be in pain. He doesn't limp. He doesn't object when Mom picks him up. He doesn't want to be bothered, and he GROWLS at me if I pester him (and let's face it, I pester him. I want to PLAY!) The only time he seems happy is when he is near Mom, and then he purrs nonstop. But, he hasn't been keeping himself very clean, either.

Jasmine and I have been having a contest to see which of us is going to be Alpha Cat. She wants to Win. She thinks she deserves to be Alpha Cat because she is older, bigger and bossier. True on all counts, but I want to be Alpha Cat too. So we have been fighting. Like every day. We are fighting because Gizzy is not interested in being Alpha Cat anymore.

Mom has been talking to her Mom and Sister about Another Cat. Now this is exciting on so many levels. First, I could have somebody to PLAY with. Secondly, I would probably leave Gizzy alone. Third, and according to Mom, most importantly, I'd stop fighting with Jasmine to see which of us is gonna be Alpha Cat. She thinks if I had a pal, I'd leave Jasmine alone. Which I probably would, because, you know, she's a big fuddy duddy anyway. But the BIG THING is because Mom says that Gizzy might Go, and I'd be really lonely.

Go?

Go where?



(this picture of Gizzy was taken 5 years ago, when he was 10. you can click to biggify.)