my strange cat in rants

I used to have many animals - maximum was 4 dogs and 5 cats - mind you, this is in a NYC apartment. I found all of them.. actually found more, but got homes for them. Around 2000, I found my last cat. Actually he was the last one I'd found, and might be the last one I'll have. When I found him, he was a young cat, about 5 or 6 months old, I found sitting on a dumpster on my street.

He was clearly part Siamese - his body was light colored and his points were darker, actually tabby striped. Yes, there are tabby point Siamese cats. Now, he's all striped, seems like a brown and tan tabby. Yet looking at him from a distance, one can see that the body is much lighter in certain areas.

I named him Yipes after a commercial that had been shown when I was a child: Yipes, stripes, fruit striped gum. It turned out that he was well named as he turned into a bit of a bully - I figure this is what the other cats think as he chases them around: Yipes!!!!

I had him neutered immediately and got him his shots also. This was the first cat not to be declawed, also. (Possibly added to his sense of superiority when it can to cat interactions...)

He grew and grew. He is now large enough to be able to place his extended claws on the kitchen counter when he is standing on the floor.

Over a years ago, when I went on vacation, I came back to a very sick animal - I don't know how much is psychosomatic, but he is hyperthyroid. He needs meds and a special diet. Lately, he eats less and less of the special food, so I may cut it out completely. I also have to vary his meds - too much and he has no appetite, too little and he's running ragged through the house. Interestingly, a hyperthyroid cat is also more clingy - another way for me to tell if he has too much/too little medication in his system.

He LOVES people food! I have to fight with him when I eat turkey or chicken, or cheese. When I drain the can of salmon, he wants the "juice"... and some of the salmon. But also when I drain a can of corn, chick peas, carrots, soup, WHATEVER... he wants the liquid!

When I go on vacation now (fewer than before, for sure) I have to get a cat sitter. I tried three - the last one is a keeper. She charges $200 a week!!! That adds serious money to the cost of a vacation, but at least I know he's happy and well cared for.