Clyde The Black Cat’s 19th Birthday Wisdom
It’s our dear Clyde The Black Cat’s 19th Birthday with a little wit and wisdom, cat art, extravagant cake for your to enjoy and prizes.
It feels like yesterday that we were celebrating our angel Merlin’s 19th birthday. It was a big milestone for a cat with kidney disease and the thought of him turning 20 seemed remote and turning 21 a miracle. He almost made it to 22. Cats are forever surprising us with their comings and goings. Elderly cats or those with chronic illnesses tend to rally in waves of wellness between the depths of “is it time to go?” Some cats fight longer and harder to hang on tooth and nail.
Clyde is one of those panther warriors who came to us ill at age 16 with kidney disease and diabetes. If you haven’t read how his life did a 360, start with this blog post. He’s carved out a new life as muse, author and blogger on Mondays. Despite the odds, he’s coasted with remarkable grace through more ups than downs. The past couple weeks things shifted and it’s time to monitor his quality of life and the balance between good and bad days.
He had another hypoglycemic episode that left him wobbly and unable to jump onto the bed. Corn syrup mixed with water in his food worked its magic and he bounced back. Not only did his blood sugar stabilize but the next day he jumped up without assistance onto the bed in a rumble of happy purrs and headbonks. I’ll leave the birthday boy to say a few words of his own.
Well, it looks like I made it to the big 1-9! I’m kind of stubborn and yes, I am very demanding. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Honestly, it was touch and go this week. When I’m feeling under the weather, I go under the bed. I hadn’t done that in ages. It’s no fun having diabetic neuropathy and plantar stance. It makes my hind legs flat like a bunny. You can see them in the photo at the top. It first showed up two years ago but vanished with Methyl-B12 (aka Methylcobalamin) is a special form of vitamin B12 that can be absorbed in the spinal fluid. I was doing so well my humans stopped it but I’m on it again. It must be working because it makes me want to dance and..
Savor All Flavors of Emotional delight called happiness
Cats are masters of living with intention. We have a direct connect to Spirit moment by moment (better than any WIFI) without the complicated human notions of worry, wool gathering or wondering “what ifs”. As an old cat (19 is 90+ in human years) I’d like to think I’ve accumulated some wisdom. You know how they say older is better? I disagree. Older is wiser but not necessarily better. With some humans older isn’t always wiser either. At least I accept what is. For the cat god’s sake, I’m not three anymore. My old bones say be careful and if it hurts, stop.
I’ve not been able to jump much higher than my height let alone what the stats say how high can a cat jump? There is a deep firm cushion making the jump to my mom’s bed easier on my joints. I have a new feeding station with a raised optimum height and my favorite litter box is moved a few feet closer for easier access. That’s all most considerate but I’m thrilled to be able to go up and down stairs several times at day.
I’m pleased as punch for small pleasures, want for nothing and grateful for the black cat love at @blackcatsofIG
I’m also grateful to live with three exceedingly polite and tolerant cats. Odin does steal up to my third floor lair to nibble on my food and piss in my litter box because he can’t help being an asshole territorial. We kiss hello and have an understanding. I know they wish me happiness in an old-fashioned kind of way. They respect that I’m a vintage cat who loves vintage cat art.
When life is upside down, celebrate the new perspective.
My birthday prizes for our dear subscribers include:
1) Would you and your cat like to be featured on our blog? Submit two photos and few lines about your cat and their name to [email protected]. The first one will be presented on Monday barring acts of god and full moon madness
2) An pawtographed copy of our book with a surprise gift. It has something to do with my story in the book. If you think you know, email Layla with the answer. The first right answer wins.
Big black loving purrs,
Clyde
P.S. I’m not asking for any birthday gifts but I’d love you to buy someone you love our book. Did you read our fantastic 5 star reviews? Our affiliate link to Amazon
83 Comments
Timmy Tomcat
Clyde we all wish you a wonderful 19th year and are sorry about being a bit late to the pawty.
Timmy and Family
Buddy Budd: Dood! Hopin yoo getta lotta more Birfdayz ta come. I wanna do da 19 shuffle az ah jus hadda 18th mah fren
Yer Blue Buddy
Buddy Budd
Pawesome Cats
A very Happy Belated birthday Clyde – 19 years is a wonderful milestone to be celebrating! May you continue to thrive for many more years in your loving home.
The Swiss Cats
Happy belated Birthday, Clyde ! We’re glad you had a wonderful celebration ! Purrs
meowmeowmans
Happy birthday, Clydie! We love you, and have loved you always (well, at least since we first met you at PAWS). You are a very special mancat, dear friend. Hope you had a great day, and that the coming year is as special as you!
leroys.mama
Happy birthday to one of our favorite inspiring senior cats! May you and your family (cat and human) continue to bless each other!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks so much dear Leroy and mom and for stopping by from Instagram xoxox
Mickey's Musings
How wonderful to be 19 and living in a loving home.
We can see how happy you are too 🙂
Happy 19th Birthday Clyde and we purr you have more happy birthdays!
Purrs Georgia,Julie and JJ
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks so much dear black cat friends xoxox
Erin The Cat
I am unspeakably late, but I bring you the very best birthday wishes on this most auspicious day. Happy Birthday, Clyde, and may all your birthday dreamies and wishes come true 😉
Birthday Purrs for a special guy
ERin
PS Mrs H has agreed not to sing so your ears will be spared a rndition of that tune 🙂
Dalton/Benji/Angel-MrJackFreckles/Pipo & Angel-Minko
Happy (Belated) Birthday, Clyde!
Nineteen is quite im-purr-essive!
Purrs!
We sent you an email…
ellen beck
Happy Happy Birthday Clyde!
Oding can’t help but to be an ahole, I think he just likes ya 🙂 So glad you are doing well now and living the life of Riley with your wonderful human and feline family.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks Ellen, and I think you are right 😉 Sending lots of warm purrrrs to you and the gang this winter xoxox
Ellen Pilch
Happy 19th birthday sweet Clyde! XO
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks a bunch Miss Ellen xoxoxo
The Florida Furkids
Happy Birthday Clyde! 19 is very impurressive!!!
The Florida Furkids
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks dear friends and I wish we were in Florida xoxo
DONNA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND MANY MORE!!!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Many thanks xoxo
Caren Gittleman
Happy Happy 19th Clyde!!! You are one special kitty!! Xoxo
Layla Morgan Wilde
Purrs of thanks Caren and Cody xo
Summer
Happy birthday, Clyde! Binga is 7 months behind you, and she is also still going strong!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Wow, I forgot Binga is almost 19. She deserves and big blog post celebration xo
Memories of Eric and Flynn
Wishing you a very happy 19th birthday, Clyde.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks dear U.K. friends xo
Marjorie and Harvey (nearly 15)
* Cheers Proudly * Well done Clyde!!!! You are amazing and we are so proud of your senior achievements.
We love you, Clyde.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks kindly Marjorie and Harvey xoxox
jansfunnyfarm
Happy 19th, Clyde! You have had a long life and done well. We’re so glad you are celebrating such a momentous age with your family. We hope you have many more good days with them!!!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Jan, thanks so much for your good wishes xox
Scylla, Fenris, Tuiren, YinYang & Chimera (ATCAD)
Happy Purrday Clyde, we are so glad you are here to celebrate the big 19. Have a GREAT DAY and a Wonderful Purrday Week.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks so much and what a good idea to celebrate all week! Big black purrs to my fellow book author Yin xoxo
Cathy Keisha
Happy Birthday Clyde! You are more handsome than ever. My Pop has a saying “growing old is a contact sport” which I guess applies to us kitties too. I hope you have a good quality of life until you reach Merlin’s age cos without a quality of life, is life worth living?
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks CK and I’ll take the compliment. It’s all about the quality not quantity at this point xo
The Furballs
Wishing you a very, very Happy Birthday Clyde! Don’t for get to make a special wish!! xoxox The Furballs
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and special headbonks to my fellow author and badass black panther Buddha xoxo
Lola The Rescued Cat
Happy birthday, Clyde! We’re so glad you’re able to celebrate 19 years of life. You are a very special cat. (P.s. thanks for visiting us and participating in our comment-thon!)
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and we’ll stop by xo
Deziz World
Happy Birthday Clyde. Big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks so much Dezi and Raena xo
Sally Swanson
Clapping my paws and wishing you many more hugs and purrs from your furry friends at home and your humans who do such a great job of taking care of you! You are such an elegant black cat! Happy Birthday, Clyde!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Sally, kind thanks and flattery is my Achilles heel 😉 xo
Teddy
Clyde I am so happy for you – 19 is a wonderful age and you’re still mostly on top of your game so what’s not to be happy about right? My Mom remembers clearly when you began showing up at Miss Layla’s……and eventually she was able to coax you inside…..and you have been living the high life ever since. Talk about the best life EVER – you’ve got it. I hope your birthday is incredibly special. I mean that sincerely. Here’s to MANY more!
Hugs, Teddy
Layla Morgan Wilde
Teddy and mom, thank you for your good wishes. You are remembering our former feral Domino who is turning 16 this spring xo
Skeeter and Izzy
The Happiest of Birthday Wishes to you dear Clyde! We knew you would make 19 no sweat!
Keep it between the ditches dude! You are sooooooooooooooo purrrrrrrrrrfectly suave and dashing as any “mature” gentleman should be.
We love your wishes too!
Happiest of Birthdays and wishes for many more!
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo 7 the Angels >^..^^..^<~
Layla Morgan Wilde
Many thanks my dears. You’re liable to make an old gentlecat blush. It’s onwards one paw forward at a time. xoxox
Anonymous
PURRRRRS TO YOU ALL. I DON’T DO FACEBOOK OR ANY OF THE OTHERS.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks and that’s okay. Comments here are the best and much appreciated xo
Kathryn
Happy Happy Happy Birthday Clyde~! It is great to be old! Cats are never old in real life, even if they are old in years. You are as young as you feel, and I bet you feel very spirited! So, you’re still a young dude!
I had forgotten that every cat year is 5 human years. Ched is 16, and will be 17 in two months.
Kathryn
Ched’s bro Mao had CKD and he made it to 16 and 1/2. Emma Peel made it to 20, to the day. August 20 1972-August 20 1992.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks so much. I’m still feisty for sure. Check out the age calculator which varies. 19 is 92 to @96 in human years. Yay for Cheds xoxo
Kathryn
You are doing so well! I am so happy for you and your humans.
You cats really are just like people, but better.
I will be so sad…
When Cheddar…
He was in the New England Vet Hospital for 2 days in 2010 with struvite crystals, but he’s been fine since that.
I feed him Fancy Feast, beef, turkey, chicken
Gerber’s baby food 2nd foods, Beef, Chicken, Turkey,
Shreds, beef, chicken, turkey
Nutrish…
Him being here and nudging me awake to pet him has been very helpful in this marital estrangement. All pain seems less because he’s here with me.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Aw, Ched is better than a therapist. It can be harder when there is only one cat xoxo
Mugg Muggles
Happy Birthday Clyde! Remember what Bette Davis said, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies!”
Layla Morgan Wilde
Oh MM, so glad you stopped by! Love that quote. I may have to borrow it! oxox
databbiesotrouttowne
dood….stopping bye with best fishez, mice creem dishez, happee day wizhez ♫♫♪♪
and lotz of ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ heerz ta 19 mor; heerz ta N joyin yur day, heerz ta
fish pie oh plentee heerz two a yeer a head filled with happeez N healtheez !!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Oh, yaas bring on the mice creem dishez purrrrlease and I’m making big wishez xoxox
Vicky C, Inky & Toots
Happy Birthday handsome boy!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Vicky, Inky and Toots many thanks xoxo
Maggie
Happy Birthday dear Clyde! You waited so patiently at PAWS until Layla came to get you – smart lovely boy!
xxoo
Layla Morgan Wilde
Aw, thanks Miss Maggie, you make PAWS brighter for all the cats xoxo
Andrea
Happy BIrthday to Clyde! My own Meadow is approaching that milestone herself.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Andrea many thanks! Purrs and headbonks to your dear Meadow xoxo
Kim Levasseur
Happy birthday Clyde. Wishing you many more wonderful years.Good health,lots of love,plenty of soft napping spots, many special moments with your furson mom. God bless. From Louis and Elvis.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks Louis, Elvis and mom xoxo
Alana
Happy birthday, Clyde! Niles is just ahead of you and ready to turn 20 in August! – Alana.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Oh my goodness Niles is turning 20? We must celebrate. Thanks xoxo
Rox
Happy Birthday Clyde…you are lived by all!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Rox, and hopefully loved too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by xoxo
Sue Brandes
Happy Birthday to a very special boy. My boy will be 19 this year too.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks Sue! Please let me know when your boy is turning 19 xoxo
Eastside Cats
Clyde, you are a lovely mancat, and we all wish you the Happiest of Birthdays! Hugs and purrs to you!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks dear Eastside cats xoxo
Chirpy Cats
Happy birthday ? Clyde! Thanks for that insight into a 19 year old cats day. Sounds like you know how to pace yourself. Wow, I wish to have your grace and demeanour if I reach that milestone. Lots o luv and whisker tickles from Mr. Jack and the Chirpies xx
Layla Morgan Wilde
Many thanks dear Chirpy Cats and whisker tickles are always welcome xox
Rene S
Happy happy birthday! Wow 19 years old! It’s time to celebrate!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Oh yes, thanks not a moment to lose xoxo
Diane Ricciardi Stewart
Happy Birthday, Clyde!!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thank you Diane xoxo
Brian Frum
Happy Birthday from all of us Clyde, your such a special dude! Hopefully you’ll see some different things in the Blogosphere before too long.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Brian and fursibs, thanks and we look forward to the news xoxox
Holly
Happy birthday Clyde from Plush, Midnight, Shadow and their non-black cat minions.
Layla Morgan Wilde
Thanks very much xoxo I love that name Plush.
The Island Cats
Happy Birthday, Clyde!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Yay, you’re back! Thanks and purrs to my fellow book author xo