Do Cats Really Have 9 lives?

"The couch matches my eyes."

Now that Chip Cat's days are probably numbered, she has turned into a sweet, laid back and kind cat.  It's been months since she's pitched a hissy-fit.  We have all been getting along great, even Chim does not rile her up.  Chip has been a no-maintenance kind of cat the last 13 years.  Linda got her as a newborn kitten when Tier was in 3rd grade (Is that right Tier?)  She went to the Vet for the "surgery" when she was 6 months old, but that is the last time she was ever in the car, or for that matter, out of the house.  Chip will go out on the deck, but that's it.  Now poor Chip is limping and in pain.  The stairs are really painful for her, both going up and down.  When it does get too painful for Chip to go on, Linda will have the Vet come to our house for Chip's 10th and final life.  Chip can't jump up onto her favorite table in the storage room to sleep anymore, so she's taken to sleeping on Linda's good couch since it's low and manageable. As long as she does not scratch the fabric, Linda is letting her enjoy the rest of her life in comfort.