Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Felix Senis, Felis Senix

So I've been noticing that Harry isn't as alert as he once was. I'd attributed this to the fact that he's the cat equivalent of eleventy-seven human years, but lately I've begun to suspect he's lost his hearing. That would explain many things, including why his meows have become deafeningly loud. (If he's not deaf, he's probably wondering what crack I've smoked that makes me sneak up behind him and yell "HARRY!" at the top of my lungs.)

His ears don't even twitch, and after I've sat right by him calling his name with no response, I'll pat him and he'll startle. So.

It makes me a little bit sad, but I'll be less angry with him for waking me up at night with his smoke-alarm yowling.

3 comments:

SP said...

Awwww.

Huh? What?

JC said...

Yeah; it's depressing to watch him become more cautious - he used to climb right dow the back stairs to join me out back, and now he doesn't want to go past the first step. I've had to imagine how he experiences the world now, and am trying to find more ways to be more visual with him. I may get a laser pinter to get his attention. I've also been giving him a lot of physical attention, with back rubs and snuggling, and he eats it up. Since he can't hear me talking to him or just being around him, he's a lot more isolated, and I'm trying to compensate. Poor guy. It really breaks my heart.

SP said...

Weren't you going to move to Galena, Illinois at one point?