Among the problems that were ascribed to Minuet when she was given up by her previous owner was – along with the non-existent diabetes and the inappropriate wetting, which has been solved – her absence of grooming. This was, it turned out, a falsehood.
To be generous, I can blame the belief that Min doesn’t, or didn’t, groom herself to the fact that her bum sometimes needs cleaning. But she is nineteen years old – over ninety in human terms. While I wonder about such comparisons, since veterinarians rate a cat as senior at the equivalent of forty human years, the truth is that a nineteen year old cat borders on the ancient, and if she is not as supple at that point in her life as she was a decade before, it is understandable.
Minuet nonetheless does groom herself. She tries her best to clean her nether regions, washes her legs and feet, and is quite forceful about cleansing her face after she eats. This vigour is interesting. My other cats also clean their faces following meals, of course; it’s amusing to watch all of them engaged in the same hygienic activity a few minutes after breakfast or dinner. But I don’t think any of them is quite as determined about it as my very-oldster.
Could this be a feature of cats with the adorable smooshed-in countenance? When, for instance, Renn, with his big nose, eats, it is probably his snout that receives most of the debris from his meal. The same goes even for a cat with a more average proboscis, such as Hector. But surely Minuet, with her tiny nose in the centre of a relatively flat face, must have bits of food, or flavoured sauce, almost evenly distributed over that beautiful visage of hers.
It may be, of course, that she is just very conscientious, though I can’t help thinking that the shape of her face makes her dining a little less discreet than the average cat’s. In any case, even at nineteen, Madame intends always to look her best – and succeeds.
It is nice to see a senior kitty groom herself after a meal.
ReplyDeleteA lifetime habit we are used to doing.
Way to go Minuet!!!!
Purrs, Julie
Not that it pertains to cats, but when my Dad was in the nursing home (at the age of 96), he was quite happy to share that it was a good place, because "they even wipe your bum for you."
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Minuet appreciates your efforts to assist, and is doing everything she can to take care of the rest. :)
Well done John..That's certainly getting to the
ReplyDeletebottom of things...! :)
Most of the cats l've ever known look after and
take care of themselves a lot better than a lot
of humans l know..!
Minuet knows she can take care of most things herself, but it is understandable that her nether regions will pose a problem for her. I am sure she is grateful for your help.
ReplyDeleteMinuet is a lady and it shows the way she cleans up quite lovely when she's done with a meal.
ReplyDelete"Among the problems that were ascribed to Minuet when she was given up by her previous owner was – along with the non-existent diabetes and the inappropriate wetting, which has been solved – her absence of grooming. This was, it turned out, a falsehood."
ReplyDeleteI don't want to badmouth Min's previous person--the old owner kept her for 16 years, after all, despite all the difficulties--but there was obviously some major failure to communicate going on between them.
She's a "woman", so of course she's more particular than the "guys." :-)
ReplyDeleteYears ago I was visiting a woman in a nursing home (I'd volunteered for a time to visit her via the "Friend Visitor" program that the senior centre had on at the time) and I recall that even at 85 and declining, she still would fuss with her hair. It's a female thing. :-)
Madame...you are to be admired, and so you are. I do as well even from such a long distance. I would love to see a more close up of your pretty aristocratic face,
ReplyDeleteMadame, such a beauty you are, despite the rude things that were just mentioned about you to the interwebs; how appalling!
ReplyDeleteMinuet is still a girl at heart!
ReplyDeleteI guess Undine is a lot nicer than I am because she does not want to badmouth Min's previous person, so I will. Since almost every "problem" this person had with Min has proven to be nonexistent or easily dealt with, I can only assume that for whatever reason, her previous owner just didn't want her any longer. Meanwhile, I'm so glad you took her, John and now she has a home where she is loved.
ReplyDeleteI am not entirely pleased with the previous owner, either. She was moving to a home that was not hers and was afraid of the urination problem; her schedule would make it difficult for insulin injections. I can understand that to an extent, but others would have made it work; a commitment is a commitment. As well, her belief that Minuet didn't groom suggests inattention to Min and her needs. In part, though, the owner was a victim of ignorance. Her veterinarian didn't just misdiagnose Min's 'diabetes' but didn't know how to diagnose it, choosing to interpret a single glucose-reading as diabetic, and it wasn't a very high number, anyway (12.5). No one advised the owner about insulin or how to combat inappropriate urination. (And, alas, she didn't research it much, I think.) In "A Christmas Carol", the Spirit of Christmas Present warns Scrooge to beware Ignorance most of all. How right he was.
DeleteI've read (and it makes sense to me) that when cats don't groom, it's often a sign of depression. Same with urinating outside the box. For whatever reason, poor Min was obviously very unhappy in her old home. It's been such a joy to see how she's blossomed since you took her in.
DeleteShe really is a sweetheart and quite the classy gal. I'm so glad she has you looking after her.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize Minuet was that old. She is a beauty no matter what age.
ReplyDeleteShe sure is absorbed in her postprandial ritual!
ReplyDeleteI love watching kitties grooming themselves, it seems rather soothing to me.
Minuet is a beautiful and proper lady, for sure!
ReplyDelete