Eating a lot and spending money at the vet’s office. That’s really the most accurate summary of how I’ve been passing the time lately. Besides work. Which has been bizzzzy, but simultaneously boring, so let’s move on.
Hal stopped eating a last week. Insert days of nagging concern here. Because the last time we went through this and it took me far, far too long to notice, and resulted in hours of surgery and hundreds of dollars, I’m particularly honed to his kibble habits. So, two days after Midge went in for her Orphan No More check-up (2lbs 6 oz!), I wrastled Hal into his carrier and made the half-mile trip to our new vet. Taking Hal to the vet makes me feel physically ill. Because he hates it so much. It’s panic at the disco with a full set of claws after which he hides for at least a solid 24 hours. Forgiveness is hard earned after a vet visit – and I’m the one bleeding. Which is why I thought I was experiencing some sort of alternate reality on Monday afternoon when went about this whole business with complete calm.
Vet let him out of the carrier: complete calm. She checked his mouth: complete calm. He wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t freak out or bite or Ginsu knife anyone with his talons. She talked to him and petted him and he lay on the metal exam table in such a state of relaxation that she had to heft him up to prod at him with a stethoscope. His innards sounded fine, but she was mildly concerned there was something else at play. The ulcer in his mouth, while painful, was most likely not our culprit.
“Is he acting more lethargic than usual?”
“He’s a cat. How do you tell?”
“Fair. What about liquids? Is he drinking more water than usual?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t recall filling his water dish more often?”
“He… well, he drinks… out of the faucet. He comes and gets us, lures us to the bathroom, taps at the faucet and we turn it on. So, yeah, I don’t know that one either. I think I’m failing your quiz.”
“Okay, what about his personality? Has he been different?”
“He’s been pissed. We brought home a kitten. But come to think of it, he’s kind of always pissed.”
“Hmm. I think we’ll need to take some blood for anything conclusive.”
I conceded. So Hal calmly took a steroid shot for his mouth but the blood draw was a massive fail. I had to give him credit for even letting us talk about taking his blood within earshot and not calling on the powers of Chuck Norris.
Okay, enough cat talk. The lack of blogging combined with feline-centric content is starting to bug even me and I’m one of the most Content-to-be-Boring people I know.
We could talk about how I’m making a slideshow of wedding photos for you! Also of interest? I saw J in an HTC commercial on the big screen when we went to see a movie the other night. And my spinster sister (heh. I kid!) is getting married! We don’t get to go – it’s a big ole hurry since he’s a Navy man and getting shipped out to scary parts of the world and we haven’t recovered from our own wedding yet – but I’m gonna send a cardboard stand-in to be her maid of honor. Not that she asked, but I know any day now she’s gonna and I want to be prepared.
Hey there!
Missed ya! But, now I understand why. Holy Moly!
So…
Here’s to Sir Hal’s good health…
Your sister’s wedded bliss…
Contentment with your work…
And more time for You, to do what you want. *Leaving time, of course, to do what you do best, while entertaining the whole lot of us.
OK, now I’m worried about Hal.
Don’t be worried. He’s okay. She was mildly concerned about diabetes, but said to watch him for a bit and then we’ll do tests. I’m guessing it has to do with the ulcer on his lip. And he hadn’t lost any weight, so I’m guessing that part of his not eating was due to stealing kitten food. Which is fatty and tastes better.
That is probably a big part of his lack of appetite for adult cat food!!
Hope he feels better soon!
Can’t wait to see the slideshow!
Heather, you MUST make every effort to get to your sister’s wedding!! I have three siblings – 2 sisters and 1 brother and I wouldn’t dream of missing any of their weddings!! Each one of them only gets one special day that is theirs.. and how could I not be there?? Ugh.. Maybe it’s just me, but I find that heartbreaking.
Don’t think I haven’t. We do not have the money. She knew when she decided to have a wedding with 8 weeks notice, not everyone could go. It’s impossible and making me feel bad about it isn’t very kind.
This is the spinster. It really is the groom’s special day more than mine. Mine would have been a quiet family dinner, and thank goodness we can still do that with Heather and Chris at some point. I’m not hurt. I’m touched that everyone tried so hard.
Touchy, touchy….jeesh!
You say that like you wouldn’t be.
‘”He… well, he drinks… out of the faucet. He comes and gets us, lures us to the bathroom, taps at the faucet and we turn it on…’ Smart kitty! He sure has you trained well.
Thanks so much for the Sir Hal update – I just hate it when furbabies need vet help. Ugh!
Glad to hear that things are going smoothly in your newly-wedded world.
Congrats to your sister and a “thank you” to your soon -to-be brother in law for his service to our country!
So sorry to hear Hal was sick! He is probably fine, as you said. My cat had a weird day about a year ago where he was hiding in a corner and not eating or drinking, and I freaked out and took him to the vet- where they ALSO worried about diabetes- but they gave him some cat Pepcid (funny, cat pepcid)and fluids, sent him home, and he’s been fine ever since. I think they like to wave diabetes at us to make us spend more money at the vet:) sometimes cats just have an off few days.
Hey Fish – I hope that Sir Hal’s tests help you figure out what’s going on. It can be so frustrating to just not know what the issue is… and whether it’s a big deal or not!
I’m actually going through something very similar with my dog, with him drinking water like it’s going out of style. They tested for diabetes too, but that wasn’t the culprit. Actually, in the last month my dog has had more tests and healthcare then I have for the last year!
Like Laura T. I had a similar cat medical story. One evening when I lived in a high-rise apartment in downtown D.C. my cat began vomiting and lolling on the floor. Panicky, I shoved him in the carrier and caught a cab to an all-night vet clinic.
“Where you take cat?” the cabbie asked. “To the hospital. He’s sick,” I replied, feeling foolish.
“In my country we do not have money for milk for children.”
“Uhhh … where are you from?”
“Afghanistan.”
So at the clinic I described all the sysmptoms and much discussion was had. Finally, a mircacle cure was revealed.
“Go to a pharmacy and get some Zantac,” the doctor said.
“Zantac? Like for reflux?”
“Yeah, he has an acid stomach. Break the pill in half and give him one every four hours.” Are you insane? With THIS cat? I paid the $300 fee and left for the local CVS.
Well, many scratches later I eventually got one half pill in him and he recovered completely. For a $300 vet fee. But at least I had plenty of Zantac in case I got an acid stomach, which just goes to show you how great it is to have pets.
And because this was pre-9/11, I only hope my cabbie friend didn’t abandon America, return home and join the Taliban out of sheer disgust.
Good luck with the little man.
I would probably be as bad as you with answering those questions about our cat. Drinking lots of water? Well she always drinks from the toilet or the swimming pool so hard to tell!
And I am so sorry about your sister. I think that hte cut-out is a great plan! Any chance they will be able to Skype the ceremony? That’s what we did for my gran who couldn’t make ours and while it wasn’t the same as her being there, at least she was part of the day.
Okay, I can’t wait for wedding pictures. Recently married myself and I have not yet grown weary of other people’s wedding pictures. I love them!
Hey, Heather – just checking in to see how Sir Hal is feeling – hope he is doing better, and that you guys haven’t melted into a puddle in this heat!!
Oh, man, he gave me a scare. On Saturday I went to pet him and I could feel every bone in his back. OVERNIGHT. I went to the store and I bought every kind of food there ever was and FINALLY, the good sir deigned one suitable to his needs and proceeded to stuff. his. face. 24 hours later, he was normal again and finally enthusiastic about food again. Both he and Midge wake me up to feed them at 5:30 because they haven’t grasped the concept of weekends.
Wow – that would have freaked me out totally!! I’m glad he’s doing better. Now if there was a way to teach him to tell time…..
Or how to turn on the faucet by himself.