ricketyclick

The power of Ceiling Cat compels me to post this image:

Never in my life have I met a more aggravating cat. Needier than any dog. Demanding. Manipulative. Passive-aggressive, even. Jealous–jealousy was at the core of his being.

Kitten-cute all his life, he had the longest whiskers I’ve ever seen on any cat.

He didn’t show up for supper night before last. He didn’t come home all day yesterday. He wasn’t there for breakfast this morning.

(Not, mind, that he ever eats much–mostly he showed up for meals because other kitties were getting stuff, and that meant he should get some too.)

But as I walked out to the garage to drive in to work, there he was on the patio. Weak and bedraggled, he went right back out when I brought him in.

I took him to the vet, who, basically, shook his head and said that there were just too many things going wrong. Expensive to diagnose, expensive to treat, and no guarantee that Johnny would ever get better.

I held him on my lap while Dr. Dayton prepared the euthanasia paperwork and took care of another patient. Johnny took no pleasure in being held and petted, but it seemed a comfort to him. Mostly, he was just dull and unresponsive; I was prepared for him to simply stop breathing right there.

Then it was time, and there was an injection, and now he’s gone.

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Update:
Both of my other cats, including the semi-feral Razor Girl, aka Squeakers, are asking for and getting a lot more lap time already, only 24 hours later. It’s possible, I suppose, that they’ve noticed Johnny’s missing, and are seeking comfort or reassurance–but frankly, I think it’s simply because my lap is free. Johnny demanded way over half the available lap time. He was cute, and I loved him, but he was a greedy jerk.

Meet Oscar, staff cat at a hospice:

Since he was adopted by staff members as a kitten, Oscar the Cat has had an uncanny ability to predict when residents are about to die. Thus far, he has presided over the deaths of more than 25 residents on the third floor of Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. His mere presence at the bedside is viewed by physicians and nursing home staff as an almost absolute indicator of impending death, allowing staff members to adequately notify families. Oscar has also provided companionship to those who would otherwise have died alone. For his work, he is highly regarded by the physicians and staff at Steere House and by the families of the residents whom he serves.

It is so tempting to simply let one’s jaw drop, and marvel at those amazing animals, with their mystical senses that go beyond mere human understanding.

Hogwash.

There’s something real going on here, something that can be detected and measured. The New England Journal of Medicine is a research journal. Somebody should be doing some research.

Update:

This story is getting wide-spread buzz. The New Scientist takes a properly skeptical stance:
(more…)

Via Tam

I just wanted a quick shot of this lily that volunteered in a bowl overlooked amongst the kitchen clutter, but Johnny was jealous. That’s Johnny, jealous of an onion. (Yes, onions are lilies.)

The onion got soil and water; we’ll see how it does. Johnny got lap time.

[Edit 22 Apr 2007]Months later. The onion rotted. Johnny’s pretty spoiled too.

Why gardening with cats is a bad idea:

(The picture is slightly gray and fuzzy because it was taken through the kitchen window. I’ve been trying for this shot all week, while I cleened the window, figured out that ISO 800, while fast, is too grainy, waited for good light, waited for a good pose (on a cat who could detect when I was watching and who came in to beg for food and attention), and finally learned to drape a black T-shirt over my head and the camera to kill the glare, and to set the camera on a solid base instead of just holding it up to the glass. )

The camera is my new 5.0 Megapixel Canon A530. The A530 is very nice, but lacks a few features I wanted: aperture/exposure priority (although full manual is available), remote settings and triggering via USB, and and provision for an outboard lens adapter, all available on other Canon models. A couple 0f blue-sky features: timelapse mode and hotshoe (external flash) adapter.

(The 6.0 Mpx A640 is also available, which also has some of the features I want. Unfortunately, the somewhat larger backscreen, is said to be not as bright and clear. And, of course, it’s a good deal more expensive.)