Wow...18 yrs old. That's wonderful and I'm sure kitty has had a wonderful and loving home. Just another word of caution....a cat's skin at 18 is very thin so make sure there is minimal pulling of the hair as it can hurt. My Speckles who has just passed over the RB hated to be brushed but I tried anyway. As she got older, she didn't hesitate to tell me "ouch". Good luck and please keep us updated.