8 November 2020

Max: I'm hungry. Feed me.

Me: Sure. Just a minute.

Max: Now. Feed me.

Me: Can I take five seconds to put the computer down?

Max: Now. Feed me.

Me: [feeds him] Better?

Max: No. I don't like this. Feed me something good.

Me: [opens another can] Fine. Eat this.

Max: Nope. Try again. But leave this here because I might lick the juice up later.

Me: You need to eat, furball. [opens one more can]

Max: Meh. I want something tasty.

Me: That's it. That's nine ounces of food you usually like. Pick one.

Max: Nah. [walks off]

Me: [mumbles under breath, goes back to work]

10 minutes later

Max: I'm hungry. Feed me.

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I did not feed him again. There are a total of five plates in various spots around the house, and if he were really hungry, he would eat off one of them. I suspect there's something he wants more than anything I've offered, but I can't figure it out. I'm all for indulging his whims these days, but at an average of a buck a can, there are limits.

Just to make sure he eats enough, I think I offer 10-12 cans a day. Old men are spendy.

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Overall, for a cat his age with his medical issues, he's doing all right. He has days when he eats enough to make me happy, and days he just doesn't seem to want anything; there are days I know he's uncomfortable, but those are usually followed by a string of good ones. We can predict when the bad days are coming; on a really good day he's as active as he was 3-4 years ago, wandering the house, jumping onto his new perch by the window, jumping down, jumping to get to my lap...all the movement takes a toll. His sarcoma is on the inside of his back left leg, so I imagine he just gets sore after having a good day.

We're on the fence about having him put on Gabapentin for it; it would help with the pain (and he can't have any NSAIDs because of his kidney disease) but it can have a sedative effect. Which do we think he needs more? Less pain or more activity? Is there a medium? He's handling it well as it is, I think, but we need to start thinking about it.

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Yes, life is mostly about Max these days. That's how it should be, I think. He certainly seems to believe it.

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Max, 40 minutes later: I'm hungry. Feed me.

[sigh]