Shady - 'purring moggy' breather....

Anyone who's breathed with me here, at home, in the U.K., will be very familiar with Shady, Kiri's dear old 'Heinz 59 variety' cat. That simply means he's not a pedigree breed and is now into his dotage - just like moi ! As you know, I always marvel at the volume of his catty baritone voice - he really likes to join in with several of my wonderfully gifted singers , 'though I've not managed to teach him to sing in harmony, or even tune! Which is more than can be said of the singing parrots which you can 'beam up' on line, singing opera (sent to me by Rosalind P - cheeky !)- I especially like the one squawking 'The Queen of the Night' from 'The Magic Flute' - poor Mozart...must be revolving in his grave, where e're that may be.... There are singing cats too... Back to Shady. His gentle breathing, cute ribcage undulation and contented purring are very soothing - and as far as I know the latter can't be explained by any expert - maybe it's a feline version of trilling on one note, copied by Baroque composers...Although he's in good health for his years, my furry friend is not eating as heartily now that he is sleeping more than 'hunting' in the garden, and beginning to lose weight. He is not as active in his tree climbing activities either - only up to six feet instead of ten - still a major achievement as far as I'm concerned! He's altogether slower generally, and it seems to be more of an effort to climb the stairs; his haunches (hips) are weakening - which reminds me that several people, who also find it tricky due to maturity and various physical discomforts, have asked for my advice on the subject. Of course, breathing is a vital part of bodily function, and if not regulated correctly can be disastrous, as I'm sure you all know. One of the most common symptoms is ascending stairs when the knees, or back, are sore or just weaker. My advice - and it sounds very odd, is to go up backwards, using a bannister rail, and a friends' arm whenever possible! A walking stick can be used if you don't have a person to help. The same applies on the downward journey - awkward but effective - I found this out on a visit to a friend, living up 165 stairs in a Berlin flat some years ago, before my exercises cured a slipped disc in the lumbar region of my back, just take care. Whilst going through this routine, breathe in deliberately slowly through the nose with lips closed, and out slowly through pursed lips - this makes the whole process less exhausting. If you have nasal problems you'll be forced to inhale through the mouth, but this really dries the throat, so be careful. If you have any particular breathing problem, get in touch - and maybe it can be sorted out - 'til then, as efficiently as is possible for you - k..p b.......g...