Two 21-Year-Old Cats’ Bucket List
Our theme today at Mondays With Merlin is Two 21 Year Old Cats’ Bucket List.,.
I’m excited to share news about another 21-year-old cat. Tigger, a 21-year-old cat with a bucket list who was adopted by an ex-pro cheerleader and marketing coordinator of a vet clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. Tigger has appeared on TV and garnered international press as the sad, old cat left to languish at vet’s boarding facility for 9 months at age 20. While adopting older cats is a virtue, exploiting them is not. When you get to be a wise, old cat like me, my fishy news radar is as sharp as my claws.
I enlisted my assistant, Layla to do some sleuthing and uncovered the truth about Tigger. We learned the details of Tigger’s kidney disease, his recent tumor in the thoracic area, where he was adopted and that his November birthday is a guesstimate, but none of the fuzzy math matters. Who cares if his new owner who goes by many names: Adrienne B. Adrienne Nicole, Adrien Nicole, Adrienne Buisch, a vet tech we could find no education or work history for? We did find a YouTube video interview with her talking about cheerleading, her redneck background and her love of animals and performing. And let’s me honest, a pretty young woman who loves the camera. Does it matter that she never posted anything about her cats before December 2015 when she adopted Tigger and another cat almost a year earlier? No.
Tigger seems happy and I believe her heart is in the right place. So far Tigger has enjoyed a day at the beach, a road trip to Washington, D.C., a stroll in their neighborhood in a baby carrier, posing in Santa hats and ugly Christmas sweaters. Adriene and her boyfriend, Michael Trentedue are crowdsourcing bucket list ideas from Tigger’s Facebook page like blind dates with a lady cat and a fishing trip. Maybe the two us should get together. Two 21-year-old cats. Tiggs, come visit me and I’ll share my favorite hammock!
Adriene is quoted as saying, “Tigger was skinny, matted to the skin, and drinking up to a gallon of water a day.” I’ve had CKD for years and drink a lot, up to 8 oz. a day. A gallon is 64 oz. Layla had to ask if Adriene was exaggerating and she said, “The water container we used for him was measured at a gallon…and he was consuming the entire container a day. So no exaggeration there which is why it was so concerning.”
Okay, things got more fuzzy from there and let’s just say nothing matters except the positive.
An old cat got a loving new home. If more people adopt old cats because of Tigger and his Facebook page or media attention, I say, WONDERFUL.
Tigger can’t speak for himself so we don’t know if the old boy likes going on adventures or appearing under the bright lights of a TV checking off items on a bucket list he didn’t create. He does look well cared for, relaxed and content. That’s good enough for me. I know as a 21-year-old cat, appearing on live TV would not be on my bucket list. Walks on the beach maybe. Traveling by plane to get there, probably not. I’ve flown on a plane once and moving from Canada to the U.S. was enough adventure for nine lives.
What’s on my bucket list? Not much. I’ve enjoyed a full life. Give a cat a safe, loving home, good food and uninterrupted nap time and we’re fulfilled. Cats, unlike humans, don’t have a need for self-actualization. Anyway, most of my adventures have been chronicled over the years here at my blog. The only thing left might be to write a memoir titled: Mondays With Merlin: Wisdom From Old Cat or something like that but my assistant is too busy taking care of me to write. I’d like to leave a legacy of advocating for senior cat adoption and we’re figuring out how to tie that into our black cat anthology. The Kickstarter is delayed until May. It’s way more work than expected. Our friend Chris Poole from Cole and Marmalade just moved from California to Indiana and he’s helping us with a video.
And I wouldn’t mind seeing my mom find her new groove before our Cat Wisdom 101 BIG 5th anniversary in about six weeks. For five years our mandate has been to enlighten and entertain cat lovers but she’s tweaking it to focus on women cat lovers. Will I be here for our anniversary? Will Layla? You’ll have to wait and see!
If you haven’t made a bucket list, it’s a useful exercise in gaining clarity and purpose.
Here are my five favorite questions to get the ball rolling.
- If you were to die tomorrow, what would you wish you could achieve creatively before you die?
- What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?
- What childhood wish could you make true now?
- Are there any skills you’d like to learn or improve?
- What is the most important thing you could contribute to the world?
It’s been nasty “April is the cruelest’s month” cold and I’m itching to get outside for my walkies and picnic blankie sunbathing. Tell me, what are you itching for?
See you next week,
Love,
Merlin
12 Comments
Cat Sanctuary
Tigger is one happy old fellow, there is nothing more important for one senior kitty than to has his own home to spend the rest of his life, being loved and cared.
meowmeowmans
It sounds like Tigger is happy and well-loved. That’s what matters, right? Come to think of it, those things are at the top of *our* bucket list.
We’re itching for warmer weather, too, Merlin!
Marjorie and the Dash Kitten Crew
We are interested to hear about tigger from you. Yes he is in the spotlight, as you day, crucially he looks well fed and content and as we all know a stressed cat is always vislbly so – they don’t hide stress at all!
You are correct to take a balanced view.
ellen
The love of an older cat is something someone has to experience to appreciate. If Tigger, is 21, more power to him, but as you said, the biggest thing is perhaps people wont pass the older kitties by and opt for kittens. Not that kittens arent nice mind you, because thats where an old cat starts, but, there are cats considered ‘old’ at 7!
I have Punchy outside at 16 (or more) and Ozzie inside at a solid 17 , I think their bucket lists are simple….. a warm day, rays of sunshine, some nice soft food, petting when they wish , and a comfy bed. Creature comforts for beautiful creatures.
Hoping you get a bit of warmer weather soon Merlin. I am hoping for some here too!
Layla Morgan Wilde
I’ve been thinking about Punchy and hope he’s got some more stories to tell.
Summer
I am still a young cat, so my bucket list is huge! And funny enough, some of the things on my bucket list are also my human’s – like she has always wanted to have a cat that could work as a therapy cat, and I go for my evaluation at the end of the month. She also always wanted to take a kitty to the annual Blessing of the Animals at Los Angeles’ famed Olvera Street, and she took me this year (that wasn’t on my bucket list because I didn’t know it existed… but I want to go again next year now!).
P.S. My human says the most common thing she hears from people when they are trying to publish books on their own is “It’s way more work than I expected,” whether it’s the crowdfunding, creating a proper layout, working with the printer or POD company, or ebook creation! So you are not alone. Keep in mind that everyone who has said that to my human now has a book out… so there’s a positive!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Even when we know, it’s still more than expected ;-). I have another book making the rounds of editors and expect nothing. Publishing in any form is not for the feint of heart!
Tamago
Sounds like Tigger is relaxed and happy…that’s the most important thing. It makes me happy that senior kitty has his own home to spend the rest of his life, being loved and cared.
Sometimes Cats Herd You
In the end, the important thing is that Tigger is being loved and cared for properly, and that he is comfortable in his senior years, whatever his age is. Thanks for looking into this, Merlin. Old kitties have to stick together! We hope this crazy April weather warms up soon so that you can get back outside into your hammock!
Skeeter and Izzy
We truly hope that Tigger is being cared for and loved the right way and not just exploited. It is sometimes unclear what is going on. We will purr and pray that his life is indeed happy and cared for.
We don’t have a bucket list but might start working on one. We hope that you continue to be around for a long time dear Merlin but we understand if that isn’t meant to be.
Loves to all cats everywhere no matter age or status.
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy & the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo & the Angels >^..^^..^<~
easy rider
I love this idea… and you and Tigger could see so much great things, that would be awsome to be a team :o) I agree with you this april is like a moody girl, sun&rain&wind&clouds and all that together in a wild mix….
Layla Morgan Wilde
It’s unlikely, the only travel I’d do is virtually 🙂 And yes, April is wild!