Thursday, May 14, 2009

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.

15 comments:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

What a day, Pat. I know you probably needed a nap after a day like today. However, it is good to do it and get it OVER with... Glad all of the kitties are in good shape!!!! Seems like all of us need to lose some weight!!! ha

Cute story... Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy

NitWit1 said...

Your cats are better behavied than Luckie who starts to tremble all over when we enter the clinic and tries hide. Then she barks badly at the vet who saved her from euthanasia by his 3- day persistant pleading with us.

Snap said...

Too funny. We just made the trip to the vet with our three kitties. When I make the appointments, I make them for three weeks in a row! That way, if I don't catch all three, I take whoever is left the next week. I'm happy to report, I was able to catch all three and off we went. They all gained a little weight, but still trim. I carry extra towels. At least one always makes a mess of one kind or the other before we get home.

Hilary said...

They sure do keep you busy. And they're so worth the bother. :)

Peter said...

What a great photo of Missy, and what mesmerizing green eyes! Out of interest, who is the cat that is on your profile?? I have always been captivated by the round, thoughtful eyes, the slight droop to the white whiskers, and slight look of puzzlement!

One otherwise near silent cat that we once had sharing our lives with us, used to "sing" her way to the vet, and be much calmer on her return voyage. They know don't they!

Pat - Arkansas said...

Peter: The cat pictured in my profile photo is Sweetie Pie. She really is my "sweetest" kitty.

NitWit1: Silly dog! Luckie doesn't realize how really lucky she is. Thanks for listening to the vet's entreaties.

Snap: Hmmm... I may have to try the three weeks in a row business next year. That's a pretty good idea. Thanks.

Betsy: Nap? What's a nap? LOL. Well... I may have taken a couple of minutes shut-eye while sitting at the computer. I'm prone to do that; a sign of getting older?

Hilary: Yes. They definitely are worth the bother. I used to laugh about "old women and their cats" but I absolutely see the value of having to care for animals. Besides, I'm told that stroking an animal helps lower one's blood pressure.

Jeannelle said...

Oh, "senior cat food"....hilarious. Sounds like quite an ambitious undertaking for one day. Glad to hear the cats are healthy. Missy is beautiful!

Flea said...

Hi Pat! I lost track of you a couple of blogrolls ago, but I'll be putting you back in so I can catch up! Good to see you!

rhymeswithplague said...

Sweetie Pie, Missy, and Squeak -- didn't they do commercials for Rice Krispies???

Sniffles and Smiles said...

What clever kitties!!!! What a delightful tale!!! I love this! You have some real personalities there! And you tell this so well! I love it! ~Janine XO

Rose said...

With all that Bubbie went through with his broken leg, he don't mind the carrier....but boy, when we tried to get Cougar in for his return visit, it took Roger and I both about three tries to get him in and to get it closed.

And we had two dogs, and had to do the single trip with them just as you do with the cats. Our vet is only about a mile or two away also--thank God.

Patty said...

Sounds like quite an ordeal. But you managed ok alone. Our daughter that is temp living with us along with her daughter and big black cat, we call him Baby Kitty, which he is not, weighs around 15 pounds. We put him in a large carrier at night, otherwise, he's constantly patting at everyone's closed bedroom doors and if the door is open, then he goes in and pats the closet doors. A gentle knocking.

The last dog we had, even though I put her in an open cage to take her to the vet, she would cry the whole way over and back, which was about four miles. I could have the radio on but it didn't matter. Talking to her calmly didn't help either, so I just let her cry. Coming home she wasn't quite as bad, but still cried. My husband couldn't believe she did this, so I took a small voice activated recorder along and he soon found out how much noise she could make.

Beautiful cat.

Betty said...

They sound like quite a handful. Nice story.

Suldog said...

Yup. I remember the one time I had to take my cat to the vet wrapped in a blanket - no carrier available - and how I drove with the cat/blanket in one arm, Coalie struggling with all of his considerable might to get free - he had an abscess on his head, from a fight, but otherwise was strong and able - while I'm trying to maneuver on the road. Would have made some hilarious video if someone had been there to shoot some.

Catmoves said...

At one time, we were owned by a humongous (17 pounds) cat who wandered into our home and decided the food was good enough for him to stay.
There was no trouble getting him to the vet, for when we'd open the car door, zip, he was laying on the shelf behind the back seat and waiting for his chaffeur to drive the car. And he lay quietly in one of our laps until the vet was ready to see him.
His behavior was NOT comparable to other cats who have owned us.
Thanks for your gentle story.