Cat in a Box

Just over a year ago, Allie was diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney failure, meaning she had about 15-25% kidney function left.  Life expectancy at that point was anything from a couple of months to three years.  She is on two kinds of kidney support medications, plus Restoralax to keep things moving along, but as loss of appetite is a big problem in kidney-failure cats, she gets to eat whatever canned cat foods she wants (usually the crappy ones, but sometimes that ones that are $4 for a little tiny can!). 

So far, she seems to be doing okay, for an eighteen years old cat with crummy kidneys.  She's very skinny and somewhat arthritic, she can no longer jump more than about 15 inches, and she often stumbles and loses her balance, but she can still pack a mean punch when a certain dog gets in her face, she knows how to swat my tablet or mouse out of my hand when she wants lap time, and she's great at waking me up no later than 5:30 every morning with her yowling "Get up, I want food! NOW!"

The other day a friend emailed me to ask how Allie was doing.   I glanced down to see that the box said it all: