You sure know just the right words to say, huh, Lara? Reading your description of how he strained to pull himself up was heartwrenching but it made me so happy at the same time. To see him play was icing on the cake. I had to chuckle at his reaction to the scratching post, as though he was saying "I may be sick but I'm still a cat. I'll use it if I feel like it." LOL Mighty prayers headed your way, Barney and Lara and Scott.