A Note on Cinder

Many people have been asking about Cinder!
Thank you so much for your care and concern for the other patient in the LeToomis household.

He is doing surprisingly well!!! When we got the heavy news in late January, they estimated that we would only have a month with our dear kitty-- but he is still going strong in May!

Cinder is getting a lot of love--although I am not sure that is different from the normal routine. We've gotten him some fancier food to make sure that it is as appealing as possible for him. He takes steroids, which we have discovered can be crushed and served in a "meal topper" broth and he laps it up easily. This is a much improved way of giving him a pill. Chris and I were never successful in jamming a pill down his little kitty throat. It was traumatic for everyone involved, and did not seem to be worth it at all.

Now that it is warmer, Chris and Cinder found a compromise in allowing Cinder to be the outside kitty he has always wanted to be. Chris takes Cinder outside on a leash! Cinder is great about putting on the harness and leash without much fuss. When he goes out, he usually explores the gardens, or the little patch of grass along the driveway. Then, he finds a nice spot and lays down to soak up the outside smells and sunny rays. He watches the robins and chipmunks, and then wishes he could stalk them without the loud human nearby.

He is never happy to be told to go back inside--and the very vocal kitty that he is-- he lets us know it. He does, however, concede and walks himself begrudgingly back in. There are other times when Chris must risk his life, or more realistically, his eyeballs by picking up a dissatisfied kitty and carrying him inside.

Cinder is a bit more needy and annoyed these days, but we are not sure if that is from his deep wish that we would return to work and our established routine, or  if it is the lump in his belly. Hard to tell.

Chris and Cinder have this beautiful bond that I love to watch. It is adorable to see how happy Cinder is when Chris arrives home. There are times when Cinder is harassing Chris--and so Chris feeds him, then plays with him, then checks to make sure his box is clean--and nothing soothes Cinder!! Then, we realize that the thing that Cinder needs in that moment is just for Chris to stop doing chores and to sit quietly so that Cinder can sit next to him. This is a demanding kitty who wants, very specifically, for Chris to be present for him. Because sitting quietly next to me is not the same. 

On the whole, we are grateful for each day we get with Cinder and his strong personality. We hope that we will continue to be surprised by the amount of time we have with him.

XO
a