creaky bones

mr. poo is getting older.

it seems like it happened quite quickly -- as though he suddenly aged many years in a very short period of time.

he turned 14 in june. it's hard to believe my parents have had him for eight years already. eight years! and yet, despite all that time, he remains the funniest, most novel and fascinating thing to all of us.

but, since around christmas, it's been more and more obvious that he's aging.

at first, we noticed he couldn't jump up on counters anymore. it was something he used to do with mischief and ease, but he gradually lost the ability to make it all the way up without knocking his rear legs on the cabinet doors below. after a while, he just stopped trying.

then he stopped being able to jump up to lower-level heights. beds, for example. and, just yesterday, he stood at my feet as i sat on the couch, looking up at me as i ate one of his favourite foods (bread with butter). used to be, i'd move the plate off my lap and he'd immediately jump onto my lap... but, yesterday, he just stood there, looking, waiting. i kept calling him up and patting my lap, but i could see he was thinking, "yeah, i don't think i can make that jump."

and then he turned and wandered off.

we've also noticed that, where kyle used to race up stairs two or three at a time, he now walks up. slowly. one step at a time. even a round of "the kibble game" -- where he sits at my feet, waiting, like a border collie, until i throw a kibble and he goes chasing after it -- slowed down dramatically. he no longer runs to get the kibble, he kind of trots. and, sometimes, he can't see the kibble where it's landed, which we suspect means his vision might be going a little, too.

and then, a couple of weeks ago while i was in my parents' basement, i watched him lope up the stairs to the main floor... and i heard his little bones creak as he went. every other step had a teeny "crack" sound.

and it made me sad.