Old, but Still Dangerous

Not long ago, I was waxing sorrowful here about my aged, infirm kitty cat. Today, he's at the head of the household shit list.

The vet told me his recent unsteady gait was due to loss of muscle mass, but apparently he hasn't lost any strength in his jaws. Last night he bit Kristine hard, leaving two deep skin punctures. She had been combing him, which he never likes, and having finished, she held out the comb for him to bite, which usually works off his irritation from the combing. For the first time in 13 years of this routine, he skipped the comb and chomped on Kristine's hand.

This happened around 5 PM, and by 9, the bitten finger was growing stiff and had swollen to twice its normal size. We drove to the emergency room at U-M hospital, where we got in and saw a doctor in less than an hour, probably a record for our ER adventures. They'd give her a shot and a prescription, we figured, then send her home. Not to be. After the second evaluation, they decided to keep her overnight for IV antibiotics.

And she's still there, probably until around midnight tonight. All this from our normally affectionate cat who until now had never bitten with more than a firm nip. I think he knows he stepped over a line. Ever since it happened he's been shy about approaching either of us. To tell the truth, I haven't encouraged him otherwise. I know I should make peace with him, but I'm a little pissed, and also a little concerned about handling him. If only I could communicate to him that if he puts me in the hospital too, it'll be a long damn time before his next feeding.