Geriatric Kitty

Our precious Lucy has Kitty Dementia (i.e. alzheimers for cats).

How do we know this? Self-diagnosed from a plethora of animal-friendly website of course. It all started when I had a dream that I googled Lucy's meowing issue (more below) and google told me that she would die in less than 2 weeks. I was so upset that I got up at like 6AM to perform the real google search.

So I know what you are thinking...that is like diagnosing yourself with the Swine Flu (excuse me H1N1) from looking up a 'tickle in your throat'.

But honestly, I did a LOT of searching and the symptoms match up. Most specifically, this weird LOUD, gutteral meowing that Lucy does throughout the day but mainly at night. It sounds like she is going to die. I was going to try to capture video of it, but Nate said that was really mean, so no video.

Meowing doesn't sound that bad. I get it. But you haven't heard this kind of meowing, and people all over the internet with elderly felines talk about their cats doing this same thing. And it is common to happen at night. Which means 2-4 times a night Nate and I wake up to a cross between a cat sounding like it is being choked to death and a cat in serious heat. It's like having a baby, but not...because it is a cat. Apparently, this happens in cats with dementia because when they wake up they are confused and disoriented.

And, probably most sad is that Lucy really does seem absent or confused some of the time. She comes into rooms she would never enter before. She cries and cries until we find her and then she looks up and does a 'normal' "meow"...as in.."there you are..I've been looking for you."

I just love my Lucy so much, and I know her time is drawing near but for now we are catering to her confusion, grinning and bearing the midnight meowing, and loving her up as much as we can.