Who's The Wisest of Them All?

Typist: Gryphon
Since today is World Cat Day and August is Senior Pet Month, it was finally my duty as a cat to take to the keyboard. After all, the Cascadian Nomads is a pet adventure blog and as the oldest and wisest in our family, I have had the most adventures! It's true that as a 19-year-old cat I am not as active, busy or crazy as the humans, canines or psittacine of our household...anymore. But I used to out-do everyone! Have you ever heard that saying about cats having nine lives? It's not true. I have many, many more and used them every chance I got. When you live your lives to the fullest as I did, it's good to eventually "retire." I am usually quite happy with my occasional rounds of the house which include climbing my stairs or carpeted tree to peek out of the windows. Most of the time I am curled up on the heating pad on my couch downstairs, sprawled out on the couch or chairs upstairs or purring on top of any person in bed, possibly allowing them to scratch my chin, neck or ears.

Gryphon, retired adventure cat

My retirement has been nice so far. I haven't sprayed the Christmas decorations since 2010. My rounds of the house are no longer referred to as "stomping" but, believe me, I used to stomp around loud enough to wake the neighbors! I do still howl loud enough to be heard throughout Cascadia but not nearly for the hours upon hours of years past. The last time I escaped my house was just a few months ago. I only made it as far as the next door neighbors yard and I was only out for five minutes or so. I didn't get in a fight, hit by a car or shot with bb's (as has happened before!) I guess every body has got to slow down someday.

As a retiree, I get shoulder walks around the garden and sometimes into the neighborhood with Bethany. I like those. Did you know I used to be a shoulder cat? Yeah. I went everywhere in the city with Bethany! I was famous. She'd let me down to be admired and petted and then back up I'd go for more adventuring. Since I get a bit wobbly if I am on her shoulder too long, Bethany now takes me on long walks in the stroller. The only thing I don't like about the stroller is that I usually have to share it with Amelia. I do like Amelia but all that youthful energy and excitement... It wears me out! When she first came to live with us in 2010, she and I chased and played. These days, though, I am not usually up for much more than a bit of batting but I do still like Amelia. I often let her share my couch downstairs. I do wish she wouldn't scratch it so much, however. I have never been much of a scratcher. I preferred spraying things. Bethany still complains about the dry cleaning bills she had when I would spray guests coats. I think she should let it go. That was literally decades ago!

Can't I have a private ride?

Retirement allows me to spend some time reflecting on the many friends I have made in my life. I have always gotten along with other animals. It's a good thing since I have lived with a cockatiel, gerbils, rats, a ferret, a cockatoo and a guinea pig. Since Bethany had such adoration of animals, I would bring her home live ones whenever I escaped the house. She would squeal and chase them around. Such joy! I never brought her a mole, though. It took hours to hunt those things down so they were a special prize just for me!

I truly enjoy the company of other cats. Except the one cat I lived with the longest, Emily. She lived with Bethany before me and never liked me so I never liked her back. When I was very young, I used to escape my apartment to visit the cats that lived in the apartment next door. At least Bethany knew where to find me! We had a cat stay with us one summer who was one of the best feline friends I have ever had, Dorje. His name means "thunderbolt of enlightenment" and his family would say he was a perfect example of the old adage "be careful what you name a cat." Perhaps that is why he and I, Gryphon, named after a character with the head, talons and wings of an eagle and body of a lion, got along so well.

Before I got to live with dogs of my own, I had a couple of dog friends. I used to play tag with a golden retriever I knew. She would chase me and then I would jump up where she couldn't reach me. Then I would jump down and chase her until she fell over! Good times. I played a similar tag with my dog Tynan but our favorite game was hide and seek. I don't know how he did it, but he always found me! Sometimes that made me mad and I'd swat his face but he'd just lay down and lick me to apologize. Tynan was the best friend I ever had... I snuck out and hid in the bushes the day the vet came into our yard to end Tynan's cancerous suffering. More recently, Wilhelm and I loved to wrestle. I had never played with a dog my own size before. What fun we had! It has been tough for Wilhelm to understand that wrestling just doesn't feel good to me anymore. But my dachshund is very warm to cuddle up to.

Tynan was the best friend I ever had

I was always very nice to Bobbie Birdie... except when I batted his tail sometimes.

Emily & I were rarely in the same place at the same time. We did agree on sharing the bed occasionally.

Wilhelm is a good little dog. I did like him better when he was smaller than me but I have shrunk and he has grown.

I definitely didn't imagine my retirement with three dogs, especially one as large as Huxley, but they all respect my seniority and wisdom.

I guess what I really don't like about retirement is simply that I don't like getting old. Bethany says it is nice that we have gotten old together and I guess I can't argue with that. She admits that she hates getting old too, though. I have seen and done so much in my amazingly long lifetime. I have had a lot of friends. Some of them are gone and some of them are still here. And they all love me. What more could a retired senior cat ask?

Now I know why I refused this typing thing before; it's exhausting!

Gryphon's 16th birthday, three years ago.

Gryphon this morning, enjoying World Cat Day, otherwise known as every day.