My Boys, My Sons

My boys. What can I say about them? I love them dearly, but they can be pains. Mainly because they are spoiled. This is them on my chair. Notice I have my chair covered with a sheet. They use my chair more than they let me use it. This photo shows how they usually sleep, separate, not touching.

This next photo I caught them by surprise. This was, I think, the first time I ever saw them laying so close to each other on my chair. They looked surprised that I saw them.

This next photo is another with them actually touching even closer and sleeping together.

Tiger was our first boy. My husband got him for me when he was only 2 months old. He will be 17 years old this March. Tiger was very close to my husband and they had a very strong bond. My husband could usually understand what Tiger wanted even though I could not always figure it out.

Thomas was the only cat that Tiger allowed in our back yard. We had heard him crying one night during a bad snow storm. I could not see anything, so I had to wait until daylight. That's when I saw Thomas outside. He was always trying to come into our house, so we let him. The boys got along very well. Never fought. We all grew very attached to Thomas. Long story short, he ended up winning and moving in with us.

When we first met Thomas I found out he was about 1 year and 4 months old. Was not neutered. Did not know how to use a litter box. Did not know how to play with toys. I sat down with Tiger one day and explained that if he wanted Thomas to live with us, he would have to help me teach Thomas how to live indoors. Due to his having asthma, which we found when we had him neutered, he could not go outside anymore. Especially in the winter. What was that other person thinking, whoever Thomas had been with before? I explained to Tiger that he was our #1 boy and Thomas was his cat to take care of. Tiger did teach Thomas. Most people did not believe us when we would tell that story, but it is all true. I think I mentioned in another post that from the day we brought Tiger home we always talked to him. We talked as if he understood what we were saying. And eventually he did understand.

One day I was looking for Thomas all over the house because he had an appointment with the vet. I had the carrier out and he had run to hide when he saw it. I finally asked Tiger where Thomas was hiding and could he show me. He led me right to where Thomas was hiding under one of the beds. Who says animals are dumb?

I am worried about Tiger. He will be 17 this year and is on medication for an overactive thyroid. He has lost a lot of teeth, so I can't give them dry food anymore. He is also very stubborn. He expects to get his way all the time. If I don't give in to him, he has ways to get back at me.

I worry because I had a female cat who lived to be almost 17 years old. It was when I lost her that my husband got Tiger for me. I got thru the loss of my female cat only because I had my husband here with me. How will I handle it when it is time for Tiger to go? And how will Thomas handle it? They have been together for almost 12 years.

Well, I will do what I usually do when these thoughts pop into my head. I'll put it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.