Hal is in the other room licking/nibbling at some really mushy tuna and I’ll be damned if that doesn’t make me about the happiest I’ve been in days. Also, using the phrase, “I’ll be damned” makes me my father. But that is neither here nor there.
Yesterday, the vet was pretty thoroughly convinced that Hal had Feline AIDS (FIV, if you will). Tests proved that not to be the case. Which is a wonderful relief to me because, although I know that it doesn’t have to mean gloom and doom (my nephew cat is living quite purringly with it), my powers of worry are quite well developed. It’s my super power.
Hal came home last night without the vast majority of his lateral teeth and with, the vet says, countless sutures. He actually stopped counting. “An hour’s worth, that’s all I know.” He also sent me home with syringes of painkillers that I squeeze into him (the cat, not the vet) every few hours. The drugs, he said, were hard to come by but Hal’s pain level wasn’t even on the 1 to 10 scale, so he was parting with some of his treasured supply. When he asked if I’d be able to do it, I said yes, emphatically, but what I meant was, “Yesnowbringmemycat.” I’d figure out drug administration later.
All I wanted to do was hold him, but once we were home, all he wanted to do was hide. Which, sure, I get. But in this house we cuddle, dammit. He did finally come out several hours later, on his own terms, for some painkiller and an episode of Man Men. He probably curled up on my lap thinking he was going to see boobs. Ah, silly cat. It’s only implied sexy time at AMC.
For some reason, Hal wants nothing to do with our upstairs. He’ll visit the litter box up there and then haul kitty ass right back down. So, last night, I made a bed on the living room sofa, so as to provide oversight and PRN pain killing. The moment I laid down, Hal climbed in next to me, lay his head on my arm and that’s how we both woke up six hours later. I winced when I saw the small puddle of crimson colored drool, knowing the reality of tooth extraction. My own once kept me off my feet for days, dizzy and yarfing, because of an exposed nerve. Pretending only to be interested in rubbing his belly, in went the painkiller (oddly, he obliged) and wouldn’t you know, minutes later, he was up on the counter licking at some food. We haven’t progressed to actual bites, but if he’s hurting as much as the vet says, I’m gonna take this as a victory.
Thank you for all your sweet words. They are deeply appreciated. Even by His Excellency who is normally way too cool for appreciation.
WONDERFUL!
So happy for him (and you). He’ll be back to his normal ol’-self in no time!
Nice work, Mama!
so glad to hear that Hal is home!
an idea – if you have an immersion blender, you can try pureeing some of the tuna with a bit of liquid (chicken broth maybe?) which will make it easier for him to eat. My dog had some inoperable tooth issues and we were making him homemade dog ‘soup’ for weeks…
(now that i think of it, i’m sure a regular blender or minichopper or food processor would work as well…)
Heather, I am so glad Sir Hal is back home. I definitely know how hard it is to be at work when your baby is at the vet – my last kitty, Ella, was a frequent visitor.
Keep us updated!
My shih tzu had 23 teeth extracted in October of 2008. He had an additional 4 out about two months ago when the vet discovered that the broken tooth had actually rotted into his jaw and caused a fracture. I totally understood how terribly guilty you felt, but my 12 year old Asti recovered just fine and I’m sure Halitosis will too. And you thought the breath was bad before… wait until the wet food stench gets to you!
Great news! So glad he is home and getting doped up.
Ha! So glad he’s on the mend!
And I think Hal’s got the same Mad Men syndrome as my boyfriend. It took him boyfriend about 3/4 of a season to figure out that the boob shot’s never going to appear.
So glad Sir Hal is back home with you! He definitely sounds like he is on the mend, what great news! Don’t beat yourself up about not noticing his sickness sooner, our vet told us animals hide their pain from us as an instinctual survival mechanism – in the wild if an animal looks pained, it looks “weak” and then would be prey. Does the vet have any idea what caused the severe tooth pain and need for extraction?
Yes, this post about Sir Hal…and I’m glad he’s feeling better. But, really, the way you write? It just gets to me. I lurve it.
I hope your kitty-wampus is back to good health soon!
I ran to the computer to check for a new Hal post as soon as I got home from work…my own two cats are a little put out that I haven’t been to the kitchen to give them their dinner yet, but I had to know how the little guy is faring. So glad to hear that he’s home and on the mend! Gizmo and Lucy, by the way, send feline greetings to Sir Hal from afar
Oh good! So glad to hear that little Hal’s doing better! Can’t wait to get my own kitty.. someday when we have the right place for it! (i.e. an “electronics only no kitties (hence fur) allowed” room)
So glad to hear Hal is home and riding the Narcotic Express. And getting lots of lovies & comfort from his mom. It’s amazing how fast they heal. A human woman is usually a week or 2 a least recuping from a hysterectomy; a female cat spay which is the same thing: 24-36 hours. If they had thumbs, we’d be history, I’m tellin’ ya.
I’m so happy that Hal is doing better!
Yay!!! so glad he is well!
i wish the best for Hall and for you, Heather- i know i have taken time off work to make sure kitty pain med via syringe were given every 4 hours so the kits would be comfy, mainly so i would feel better as a friend…. heavens knows i would do the same for me!!!
i hope all goes smoothly in the next few days!
So glad to hear His Excellency is on the mend!
I am a veterinarian, and your post is great because as a vet, I forget about all the worry and anxiety owners feel. I know what’s wrong, and try my best to fix it, and reassure owners, but the power of your words is a great reminder to me of the other side of things.
That being said, don’t worry, Hal’s going to make a full recovery and pets don’t remember the pain they were in, nor do they hold grudges
So no more guilt, okay?
So glad he is back home and eating!
Poor little guy. Glad he’s feeling better. Going to go hug my cats now…and check their teeth.
Yay, go Team Sir Hal and Heather! I’m so glad he’s back home and eating. What a huge relief.
Glad to hear Sir Hal is back home and on the mend! As I found out over the last couple of weeks, as long as they eat and pee and poop, they’re going to be fine. If you’re looking for extra-special goodies for him, my aunt’s cat used L-O-V-E baby food (chicken was his favorite). I’d go with something organic, or even take actual chicken and puree it, but it is magic.
Yay for Hal! A good couple nights of couch cuddling and special tuna to lick should have him back to normal in no time.
So glad to hear Hal is doing better. I was in a conference all of yesterday with no internet access, and I actually thought of you and Hal and hoped everything turned out okay. Happy to see it did.
So glad to hear that he’s feeling better, and especially that he doesn’t have feline AIDS. How awful would that be?
I am very glad to hear Sir Hal is on the mend. I had a sick puppy over the weekend and it is the absolute worst feeling when one of my 4legged babies is sick and I can’t do anything for them. Hang in there, they mend even quicker than kids.
Oh, by the way – you’ll be a great mom. Its easier to tell when kiddos are sick or hurt – they’ll tell you.
Best wishes.
I just caught up. So glad to hear that Hal is back home and doing better! Much love to him!!
When my ex moved to Australia (where all ex’s should go, really) I managed to get “our” cat back from him. After a day of wondering dear god what has died in your mouth? I took said kitty to the vet. Kootenay had to have all of his teeth except the canine’s and the tiny little teeth at the front, top and bottom out. Not a molar to be seen in this poor little kitty’s mouth. I was horrified at the pain he must have been in and for how long? One bad tooth is enough to send me into a wimpering huddled mess! Kootenay survived and excelled after this horrible experience and to this day will still eat his kibbles. It is quite funny to hear him crunching them on his palate. The best part. His little canines stick out making him look like a vampire kitty….adorable. Sir Hal will be just fine and he will forgive you. That is the amazing thing about cats, they have an infinite capacity for forgiveness.
I’m so happy to hear that Hal is feeling better and you guys are getting some good cuddle time. I ran to find my Lily when I read your first post to give her a big hug. I still remember being in tears dropping her off to get spayed and that was planned! Tuna wishes to him!
Ugh. Tooth extraction IS the worst. Poor furry thing.
I am glad he’s feeling better. When our dog broke a tooth (eating our door, but nevermind that part) I took no end of grief for making him dog food, rice and cream smoothies.
However, a week later when I put a bowl of regular dog food in front of him he looked at me like, “Seriously? This is NOT what I ordered.”
Here’s hoping Hal can get back to a little indigence soon.
Wow, I just went through this with my cat so I feel your pain. The guilt, UGH! Srsly scares me for babies, too.