My Sweet Alex

today

My lovely Ali-cat is a special, special cat, my favorite cat and my bestest bud. We've been together for 10 years. Though he sometimes can be a bit mischevious, I couldn't ask for a better fur-friend. Alex is not a lap kitty, but he bestows plenty of affection, with his monster-purrs, head-butts and a well-timed flop at your side (or on your legs). A bit of a klutz (just like me!), Ali has been known to get so into a good scratching or brushing that he rolled off the furniture in ecstasy. Alex loves tussling with his pal Mikko, bathing, patrolling the garden, gnawing on his giant mouse "baby," and guarding water (one of his favorite past-times is sitting by the dehumidifier and watching it drain).

And now Alex is also sugar cat. Yes, he has feline diabetes. I just found out last Friday and have spent most moments since focused on Alex, how he feels, what he's eating, and what we need to do to get this thing under control. The good thing is that diabetes is not a death sentence. It's treatable with diet changes, and possibly insulin (Ali is taking insulin). He's doing quite well right now, and every purr and pet means even more.

I don't want to get up on a soapbox, but if something seems off about your pet, take him/her to the vet. At worst, you'll definitely know you have nothing to worry about. Or you may catch something early and ensure your best friend is around for years to come. If you have a cat, and haven't done so, you may also want to read a bit about feline nutrition. I'm learning a lot because of Ali's diagnosis and am working on switching all three of our kitties to a new diet.

Here to 10 more years with my sweet Alex and to enjoying every moment we get with our special friends. Love you fluffy-butt.