My little old man cat, Bucky, is 13 and a bit. If he lives that long, which I doubt, he'd be 14 in November. I've had him since a tiny kitten when I was doing my post-grad studies.
When I first got him, he was so tiny that he fit in the hollow under my collar bone and that's where he slept nights. He had such a fantastic personality, came when called, snuggled, played, put up with two different cat companions, tolerated two cross-continent moves and the birth of DS last Feb.
Now I think he's failing. He's had some degree of kidney failure for several years but done ok with it, he drinks lots and still enjoys his wet food. But since we've come back from holidays (which the cats spent in spoiled and adored splendour at MIL's) he's gone from thin to skinny. And fragile. And slow. And craving water. He still leaps up - onto the couch, bed, bathroom counter etc, but he's not the same.
I think he's going to leave us soon. And I hope he just falls asleep. At the first sign that he's suffering I'm going to take him to the vet's to say goodbye.
I am so sad.