Feline Assisted Living

I think we’re running an assisted living facility for our cat. You might think I’m making this up but honestly, this cat is living the dream of every elderly feline.

Just like an assisted living facility, all is provided for our resident. Casey never has to leave her climate-controlled home and everything is done for her. Meals are provided, medical services are taken care of, and her toilet is regularly cleaned.

Our current resident does not have to leave her living quarters, formerly known as our bed, except for meals and to use the bathroom. Activities are provided but not obligatory. And when it’s time for snack, the treats are hand delivered to our resident. Her medications are also brought to her (two of them cleverly hidden in her snack), although she gets a ride onto the kitchen counter for her subcutaneous fluids. She even has adaptive furniture to help her get onto the bed, a little pet staircase so she doesn’t have to make the giant leap from the floor.

Just like when my mom was in assisted living, I have to make an effort to visit her. When I get home each day, I walk up to our bedroom where Casey can be found, usually sacked out beneath the covers. I walk up, lift the covers, and get a swift rebuke as she yells at me for disturbing her. This is also not unlike my mom. Then as I spend some time petting her, she begins to purr and accept the fact that the annoying humans can actually provide care and comfort. My mother did neither of these things but that’s an entirely different kind of blog post.

The major difference between Casey’s situation and typical assisted living is that she does not have to pay for room and board. And, being a cat and all, she has no Medicare and cannot apply for Medicaid. Bill would be quite happy if Casey had some savings or retirement income that could provide for her care, but she is content to live her perfect retirement years on our dime.

I think Casey is happy with this assisted living facility, although it’s hard to tell given her shy personality. It’s okay, though. We love her and will continue to provide for her every need for the rest of her life. After all, that’s the job of all cat parents: to do everything humanly possible to keep their precious cats healthy, happy, and pain-free. I think we’re succeeding in this endeavor, but Casey has been asked to fill out a survey about how she likes the place, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Well, I have to stop this post now. It’s time to set up for BINGO. Running this facility is a full-time job, you know.