The Perils of Age

The oldest of our cats, and by far the greatest hunter of them all, has gone deaf!

Mushin, 16 years old and going strong.

We only noticed this last week, and I'm not sure how long ago it happened, but in retrospect she has been staying a little closer to us around the house.

Her nose still is spot on, though, and she comes pretty quickly when there is a fresh meal on the table!

Of course, since she can't hear her own meow, it has gotten a good bit louder, and definitely gets our attention.

She came to live with us at about 2 months old and has one of the best stories of any of our cats, past or present.
At the time, my future wife and I had just moved in together with 4 cats -- 2 that came with me, and 2 that came with her.

This little calico rode in the under-carriage of our neighbor's car almost 5 miles from the university campus, through traffic & then out a windy country road! Our neighbor had seen her in the parking lot, but thought she had scampered off. It was quite the surprise to see her pop out from under the car on the arrival home!

For a few days, she hid under the duplex we were in, and we left food out for her. She definitely had not been around people, and was very skittish.

Luckily, however, she was quite fond of our oldest cat, Solomon, an orange and white male whose story will be forthcoming. She followed him around for a week or so, letting him take care of her outside, and eating food with him nearby.

When I came home one day and saw her asleep in the grass beside the deck, I took the risk of sneaking up on her... I managed to get her by the scruff of the neck to bring her inside, setting her up in her own space with all the kitten essentials. And to this day she hates to be picked up.. I can't imagine why! =)

Over the years, she has brought home rabbits, mice, bats, and even flying squirrels. Even after having her canines removed some years ago because of damage, she still was able to hunt pretty well, and often brought home extras for any foster kittens we had at the time!

For quite a while, she would bring a mouse in, and if I caught it, I'd put in the bath tub for her to eat at her leisure without fear of it escaping. It was quite a bit like the Roman Coliseum, and it didn't take long for her to take them there herself, after announcing her catch so that we knew how skilled she was.

Now that she's deaf, she can't hear BlackJack growl at her when she rubs up against him, so she just gets closer and licks his ears. And he has no idea what to do about it!

With winter is coming on, she climbs into bed with us each night and lays on or between us, enjoying the attention, and bathing whichever cat happens to also be there.

It has bee a joy having her in our lives, and I suspect her wild diet over the years has left her healthy enough to keep on going!

Her name, Mushin, is a Japanese word, often translated as "no mind", a state of tranquility where action flows naturally without thought. Anyone who ever watched her hunt knows that is definitely her name.