Does your Cat (or any pet) misbehave since caregiving your loved one?
Have you been required to take care of your loved one's pet after they have passed? Does your pet have cute antics that entertain your loved one?
And finally, has the cat or dog transferred their loyalty to your Mother?
My parents enjoyed seeing the cats whenever my parents came over for supper. But once my parents started to use canes, the noise tended to freak out the cats, so when my parents were quietly sitting on the sofa, the cats would slowly come out.
Elderly pets have their age decline. One cat has had dementia for a few years now.... another cat has glaucoma so I have to wrestle with him to get eye drops in, usually he wins... [sigh].... and the third cat had a stroke.
The cat who had a stroke, who use to fall over any time she tried to stand up, and who we had to carry her about and hold her up for her to use the little box.... how she was determined at 18 to fix matters on her own... in a few short months she was back on her feet, not very graceful, but she gets around, and uses her litter box on her own. Her eyesight isn't good close up but she can notice things at a distance. Her mind is just as sharp as ever, she lets me know when she needs my help.
Mom went to the hospital and then rehab for about 5 weeks. Discovered Sebastian Cat would look for her in her bedroom while she was away. When she returned, he hovered until bedtime and slept part of the night with her. Now, I often find him sitting in her apartment with her. I tease Mom that she has stolen my cat.
A dog will almost wolf down it's food,
but a cat is notoriously a picky eater.
imo.
If you don't have a pet, you can complain about how your neighbor's cat sprays your car tires every season.
When we had our dog, it helped dH keep a schedule, practice giving outside of himself, and express love. It was like a therapy dog. It brought so much energy to our home! It was, however, a whole lot more work for me, especially when the dog declined and needed caregiving.