Cat Tales

"Missy"

Today was the day set for the cats' annual visit to the veterinarian. Taking all three of them on one day sets my budget back a goodly chunk, but when it's over, it's over. They are well behaved cats when away from home, like most children, and Dr. B. has no troubles with them. He calls them "compliant."


Since I am not physically able to tote all three cats at once, and since I have only one cat carrier, I have to take turns ferrying them between my house and the veterinary clinic, a distance of only a little over one mile. The folks at the clinic are used to this procedure, which I've followed for the past few years.


The first one to go was Sweetie Pie, the youngest (although she's not a kitten; it doesn't seem possible that I've had her for almost 7 years). I learned several years ago that if I don't take her first, she "hides out" when she gets a sniff of vet's office on the one I bring home, and goes into deep hiding, and I had just as well give up trying to get her to come to me voluntarily. Sweetie Pie didn't mind being inside the carrier; it was getting into the car that set off her vocal protestations. Thank goodness I had to listen to this caterwauling for only a mile! Once we got to the clinic, she was as good as gold and offered not another sound. Oddly, she didn't vocalize as much on the way back home.


Sweetie's mother, Missy, was next. She didn't like the carrier -- at all! Plum hardly! She and I both became contortionists before she was safely inside. Unlike her offspring, she did not protest the car trip and, like Sweetie, was a real pussy cat while at the clinic. She was greatly admired by the vet and the assistant for her chinchilla-soft fur and beautiful green eyes.


Squeak, the big boy, was the final one to make the trip. Ususally, he is waiting for my return and I have no trouble getting him into the carrier. Not today!! He went underground while I was gone with Missy and I spent the better part of ten minutes looking in his usual hiding places. I finally found him under my bed in a place that I could not reach from either side. Clever (and wicked) kitty! I went about my business as though I was home to stay, and in about 5 minutes his curiosity got the better of him. I was in the kitchen making a cup of coffee when he came strolling in with a "whatcha doing, Mom?" attitude. I snatched him up quickly and stuffed him into the carrier, and off we went. Whew!


All the cats are in good health, as I expected they would be. I was advised to put all of them on a diet of 'senior' cat food, although none are overweight. Guess middle-aged cats need to watch their diets, too.