Strawberry

This is Strawberry....He's an indoor only cat and he's almost 16 years old, but doesn't act his age! After we moved to a tiny apartment, Mr. Spock was still young and he cried all night long at the bedroom door. I suggested getting a friend for him so he'd stop crying. Guess what--they BOTH cried at the bedroom door. LOL! But it didn't last long. When I started looking for a friend for him, I thought it would be cool to have a solid white cat since Mr. Spock is solid black. But when I went to a barn to check out some kittens, I saw Strawberry peek out with his little gray nose patch and I thought he was adorable! I sat there forever with a string trying to entice him to come out. So glad I did--he has been my constant companion since. He is like a puppy dog, sticking right with me. When I'm sick, he won't leave my side except to eat or go to the bathroom, then he's right back. He will do the same for my husband. I call him our little nurse. He has stomatitis, a condition that affects his gums (I will tell you more about that later). I used to have his teeth cleaned regularly, but it never helped for long. He ended up getting teeth pulled a few times until the last time, he lost them all except his 4 canines. He still eats just fine. He only has wet food that I make, but he still loves his snacks when he can talk me into them. He insists on sleeping in the bedroom every single night, right beside me and usually with his chin resting on my arm for a while! He takes his prednisilone every night for his gums so he's a little "chubby", but has lost weight since changing to homemade food. He has a piece of elastic that he loves to play with. He used to gather up ponytail holders and put them in his water bowl before I realized cats could eat them, and before I had cats that actually WOULD eat them! Then one day he drug out a piece of elastic from my sewing supplies. I looped and tied it and he'd fetch it. He has had the same piece of elastic for years and he isn't very interested in a new piece, he wants the old one! He'll bring it to me, meowing the whole time and drop it for me, then I throw it, he runs after it and brings it back....over & over & over. And usually its when I'm busy (on the phone, cooking supper, etc). He will also bring it to the bedroom door and cry when he wants in. He has a certain meow when he has his elastic that I always recognize. I've taught him one trick--he will "wave" for his snack. Now sometimes when I'm eating or even just when he's hungry, he will wave at me.  I thought I imagined it at first, but realized he uses that sign to tell me he's hungry!