Kohala, I have no advice, but I would try to squeeze out that vet visit if you possibly can sometime in the future, just to know what is going on. I completely understand the financial pressure you're under right now. I hope your husband is better!

My Mimi will be 15 in June. So far, so good, but I do see her changing her ways a bit, sleeping more, wanting to go outdoors, less (which is fine with me), but she does still have her feisty attitude. I think Butter has been good for her in this way, as he keeps her on her toes and alert, where if she were an only cat, I think she wouldn't have as good of an excuse to get up and hiss and let him know she is still the queen. I find her personality to be a bit more unpredictable these days, though, and we have to be careful with her around the children because she will strike out with claws and teeth when you least expect it. She has never been like that before.

Mimi has always been 6-7 pounds, so she doesn't have a whole lot of extra weight to spare. I know how you feel, though, because I want her to be with us for a long, long time to come, and it isn't unheard of for a cat to live 20+ years. I hope Grasshopper and Mimi can be among those that do!