Today Flower turns 16! (We think.) Her age is based off what the vet thinks based on her health and physical condition. From what I know of Flower’s background, I knew when I trapped her that she was at least 10 years old. The vet used the condition of her teeth and eyes to estimate her age.

As you all know, Flower was with me last year for her 15^th birthday. The fact that she has made it another year to have another birthday is a pleasant surprise. Based on what her physical condition was like when she was trapped in November 2024, I have been treating her as a hospice case (rightfully so, based on her medical).

I did not think Flower would make it to the end of 2025. The time we have now is miracle bonus time. Little did I know that Jude would be the one we would lose in 2025.

Flower has good days and bad days. Right now, she still has more good days than bad. I know that at some point that dynamic will change. For now, I am honored that she has chosen me as “her human” to care for her in her retirement. 

In addition to the multiple broken bones Flower experienced from the dog fighting ring, she has arthritis, kidney disease, and is going blind. Every day is a struggle to get her to eat. I have to offer food almost every hour. 

Despite her physical challenges, I know that Flower is happy and it is not yet her time to go. Flower embarks on her “Tour de Agua” every morning. It’s kind of like the Tour de France, except Flower does a circuit around the house stopping at all four water stations. This cat does not pass a water bowl without having a drink. 

Flower is extremely intelligent and still engages in baby sign language and story time. She chirps and looks for me at certain times of day.

Since moving into the new house, safely away from the daily harassment and physical injuries we experienced from the neighbors at the old house, Flower has started to play. 

Flower started to play once we were in temporary safe housing. I didn’t think with her disabilities that she would play, but she does. Flower likes to rub herself on toys. Her favorite toy is the catnip banana. She also likes the rainbows and the fish made by the same company as the catnip banana. Flower will lay down and rub all over the toys. 

On her medication, she can do two pet steps to look out the window. Flower enjoys looking at birds, squirrels and bunnies. Flower now has a ramp at the new house that she can use to access my bed. My bed is now her “home base.” It is where she spends most of her time. She moves throughout the day to be in a sun puddle.

Flower still uses her warming mats and heat disc for extra heat for her arthritis. She wears a cape that was specially made for her with her arthritis to keep her warmer on her morning Tour de Aqua. It is like a small sweater without sleeves, so I do not have to manipulate her arthritic arms. 

In the new house, Flower has slowly become more tolerant of Simon and Jolene. She does not hiss at them much anymore. She does not engage with them, but she no longer hisses and growls at them. If she thinks they are in her path where she wants to go, she does the “Flower stomp,” an aggressive stomping motion to intimidate them to get them to move.

Simon still tries to play with Flower. Flower just runs away.

One significant point of progress, for those of you familiar with human development, is that Flower now engages in parallel play with Simon. This puts her at about toddler stage of development. She is comfortable being on the rug playing with a toy, while Simon is a few feet away on the same rug playing with his own toy. 

While Flower may not interact with Simon and Jolene, parallel play is a significant breakthrough. 

Flower is also more tolerant of Jolene now. When Jolene gets scared, she hides in the bed, which is now Flower’s territory. Flower does not seem to mind, if Jolene does not get too close to her. 

Last week, for the first time, I had all three cats in the bed with me. Flower was on one side and Jolene and Simon were on the other side. Flower was okay with this. She even walked around and kind of over Simon and Jolene to get to her ramp so she could get water and use the cat pan. Flower was also okay with returning to the bed with Simon and Jolene already in it. This is significant progress.

It seems to be more that Flower accepts Simon and Jolene are here and kind of ignores them. The one who had really won Flower over was Jude. I think if anyone stood a chance to get Flower to interact more with another cat, it would have been Jude. 

April 9 is Flower Day in Honor of Flower’s Birthday. To celebrate Flower Day, the ask is that you do an Act of Kindness. Flower experienced so much evil in her life. We want to combat that evil with good. If you would like to celebrate Flower’s birthday and honor this extraordinary cat, please consider doing an Act of Kindness.

Flower has been on this blog intermittently over the past 8 years for you to follow her story and everything she has been through.

Despite her rough life, Flower is very loving with me. She purrs. She licks me. She loves to be pet. She lives chin scritches. She is very calm at the vet office and allows all handling. I always tell Flower she is “grace under pressure.” Her demeanor is so calm. 

I don’t know if Flower will make it to 17 with her medical issues. I try to treat every day with Flower as a gift. I don’t know when she will take a turn for the worse or when her bad days will start to outnumber the good. I’m just trying to give her the best, most comfortable life I can until then.

Happy sweet 16, Flower! We love you! 

This little cat has been through so much. Please consider doing an Act of Kindness for Flower Day on April 9.