Poor dear Tropicana, our 18-1/2 year-old kitten, has severe chronic renal failure. She's on a lot of drugs, including human EPO (the feline version isn't out of trials). We have a veterinary tech visit daily to give her meds.Phylis and I ask ourselves every day: was today a good day for her? Was there something positive that perhaps balanced out her obvious discomfort and weakness -- her vomiting and difficulty eating? Some days she seems to be enjoying the backyard, and seems her old self enough that we think maybe the day was worthwhile for her.
Well, last week she had a very good day. We often have deer -- as many as a dozen at a time -- in the front yard. This is not where Tropi is usually allowed to go but this time we had let her walk out there to the edge of the field. And surprise, the very timid deer temporarily lost their timidity. I know I shouldn't anthropomorphise (she hates it when I do that) but I think she had what we higher primates call a "peak experience".