The Mouse Watcher
Matai is dying. For the past year she has slowly been losing mobility. The Vet can’t give the disease a name, nor can he say how long she's got, all he can do is monitor its progress and give her the support she needs to continue for a while longer. The disease is turning healthy tissue in her legs to a useless collagen mass. She can’t extend her front legs now and as one of her back legs is becoming increasingly compromised, watching her walk is painful. Often now, we go and find her if she has spent the day outside, carrying her in for food and to sleep. However, her spirit is undaunted and her zest for life and interest in things is still keen. Her favourite occupation is mouse watching. Of my original six, I only have two mice left. They are very elderly at over 2 years old now, but they live well and are healthy!
Matai can be found sleeping beside their tanks most nights. She sees herself as their guardian. Recently, having houseguests necessitated moving the boys to another location. Matai continued her vigil but when they failed to reappear, actually went into a form of pining decline. I didn’t realise at first, what was wrong, thinking perhaps her illness was finally catching up with her. Then, when I cleaned out the mice, I decided to put them back with her.
One tank back in situ (these pictures were taken a while before this incident, by the way), I went and cleaned the second. Returning him to his safe place, I laughed, as I found Matai crouching on top of the first tank, rubbing her face against the wire, purring loudly. Inside the tank was Minstrel. Not only was he inside the tank, he was up at the top of the wire, reaching through, touching her face and chewing at her over-eye whiskers. She didn’t flinch, she just stayed there, her broken heart mending with the tender and naughty touches of her little mouse friend. She moved from him, after about 5 minutes, to greet Piper, who did exactly the same to her. Now, when I check them, she comes over and checks them with me. The cute way she is sitting here is the only way she can sit. Her front legs just don't enable that 'normal' pussy-cat stance now. But she's happy, she's not in pain, she gets let off a lot of naughtiness and has heaps of cuddles and kisses!
Who says cat can’t get along with mice? She adores them and as she slowly declines, it’s my hope that they all go together – she’d like that, I know. After all, in her mind, they are her babies!