Mango's a real trooper. Or maybe it just seems so because I am human and not as closely connected to my Source as he is. His gait is different, by necessity; but it is not making him crazy or weird. He seems to stay a little closer to home. But it may only be that he checks in more often. Once he's out the door, I don't know where he goes. Though he loves to visit our neighbor, Shaula, where they have a cat door, too. Not all of their cats appreciate his presence, but Dick seems to like him.
It never occured to me to wonder if his coat was a different color at the skin. Who knew? He's a white cat under all that orange. From the left you can hardly tell anything is different. His left back leg (the only one, now) is a little more center when he sits than it used to be. And he has a funny little hop now. And so far, he prefers to avoid long jumps upward. He can scale the back fence, though, if he wants to badly enough.
He does mostly avoid running into his brother, Carmel. They were never good friends. Mango was always the stronger, quicker one. Now he seems to realize that he has some disadvantage now that he didn't used to have. Since Carmel outweighs him by 4-5 lbs, that's probably a good thing to understand.
So, it's weird here this winter. We built a heated cat condo for Carmel in the mudroom. He only comes inside now in the small hours of the morning before the dogs get up. Carmel must weigh 15 lbs. Our biggest dog weighs 8 1/2 lbs; other is 6 lbs. But dogs chase and Carmel runs, and that just perpetuates the cycle. Mango knew early on just to take a swipe or two at the dog that was bothering him - usually Bearly - and now peace reigns among those three. Carmel doesn't get it, and he's HUGE compared to them. I'm not sure how we'll deal with this over time. Carmel is happy enough that he has not run away from home. But in a 2 human-4 animal household he remains an outsider. It makes me sad. And while I try not to antropomorphise with the animals, can he really be happy like that?
Now, too, we're thinking of traveling - getting a trailer or something - and hitting the road. It appears that Mango may become enough on a home-body that he can go, too. But that will never work with Carmel. I think I'll be searching for a new home for him over the next several months.
He's a beautiful boy - we've forgotten if he is 6 or 7. He loves massages. It is a puzzlement. I've sent out an email. But I don't have the impulse to put him up on FB yet... Makes me sad.
Gotta go... dogs need feeding; I need a hug. see you later.
