Vet Visit

Hello, again!

We (Fiona and I) brought Maxie to the vet for her annual vaccination recently. As you may have guessed, it took a bit of an effort to get kitty into her carrier bag. It's almost as though she knew this wasn't a drive to mum's place or somewhere else, but that it was to the vet.

Nevertheless, despite her protests, we managed to bundle the kitty cat into her carrier and into the car. Having decided to change vets this time, Maxie wasn't too sure what to expect. We arrived in due course and without much ado (wow, NO waiting time!), we were ushered into the treatment room.

Different vet, different clinic, same cold stainless steel counter. Maxie was lifted protestingly onto the counter top to await veterinary attention.

I dislike stainless steel countertops!

First came the weighing scale...

Why am I here?

Take me away please, daddy.

"Why are we here, daddy? Why are you weighing me? I don't like this, I wanna go home!" kitty wailed.

Then the vet came in.

"Hullo there!" came the friendly greeting.

"Eep! Who are you? Get away from me!" cried my cat.

Unhand me, you beast!

The vet was experienced in the escaping routines of cats, it would seem, as he had her in a firm grip faster than you can say, "Anchovies!" Maxie submitted with ill-grace to his manhandling, er, examination of her body.

We got through the usual question and answer session about her eating, her toilet, etc.

I haven't eaten today, stop digging for food!

Don't touch me, daddy, I hate you!

"I can't believe you're doing this to me. I'll never forgive you!" hissed Maxie when the vet left the room to grab the vaccine and dewormer.

Ouch! That hurts! Daddy, it hurts...

The jab went in without much fuss, as the vet was pretty quick (well worth the extra cost compared to the hassle we went through at a cheaper vet last year). Next, came the deworming pill...

"Be a good kitty, you need to eat this or you can't leave the room," cajoled the vet.

Grrrrrrrrrr

In popped the pill, up went Maxie's mouth, clamp went the vet's thumb as he stroked her throat until she swallowed.

"Let's just make sure you haven't tricked me," said the vet while he checked her mouth again to see if the pill was secreted in some nook of her cheek. Believe me, Maxie can pretend to be a hamster in an expert fashion when it comes to pills, speaking from personal experience.

The vet and I had a little chat about cat health, and it would appear that I've been overly generous with the tuna. So, kitty will be dieting soon. :X

Throughout my conversation with the vet, kitty was clinging to me in a manner not befitting her princess rank (for the first time in my life too, for that matter).

Whatever I've done, I'm sorry, Please take me home.

Kitty was subdued on the way back, and went slinking to a corner to recover her dignity. Thankfully, there were no unpleasant aftermaths and she was back to her usual standoffish self again within hours. Until next year.... heh heh heh.

PS: I may be taking a writing break over the Chinese New Year period, so I reckon I'll see you again next "year"!

Of Redocarations and Cats

The flu took longer than expected to leave me lucid-minded, and I figured I might as well just start afresh on a new week.

Part of my preparations for the upcoming Chinese New Year included replacing my dish-drying rack with a newer and cleaner model. Figuring I might as well replace it early instead of waiting til CNY proper, I propped up the box in the living room and prepped myself for some dish transferring work.

"Mrowl, Daddy. What's that? Did you get me a new toy?" asked a hopeful Maxie.

"Hahaha. No, baby. This isn't a kitty toy. You have enough of those already! This is for Daddy's kitchen," I replied jauntily.

"Pfft, kitchen! You only use that to make me my dinner anyway," scoffed my kitty while pawing at the box.

"Pfft yourself! I do use it for non-cat related stuff, thankyouverymuch," I said, indignant at her glossing over my own meals. At this point, I had just finished putting away the dishes from my old dish rack, and it was time to unveil my new chrome-plated purchase.

Smells weird...

Is that a new mouse trap?

I assembled the rack without much fanfare and stood back to admire my handiwork. Before throwing out the old though, something caught my eye and put into mind another substitution that could be made in the house.

Remember this box?

Maxie's little shoebox bed was getting a tad worn at the edges. As my old dish rack had a water collection tray that was still clean, I opted to get rid of her box and recycle the collection tray as a new bed instead.

The old dish rack, note the unwashable stains

Et voila! Kitty's new bed!

I opted to keep her bedraggled canvas "recycle" bag around just so she wouldn't freak out by my removing all her beds from the living room.

"Maxie, come check out what Daddy got for you!" I cried. Silence greeted me. Perhaps rashly removing her box wasn't such a smart idea.

In cold sweat, fearful that I had annoyed Ms High-and-Mighty, I looked around for kitty in all her usual hiding spots. Nothing. I called and couldn't hear her collar's bell's ring.

A little nonplussed, I bent to retrieve the box that housed my new dish rack from the floor to put it away.

 

Much to my shock, a disembodied challenge came from within. "En garde, human!"

Meep!

"Maxie, is that you?" I asked, somewhat stupidly. In response, the paw shifted and a bemused face came into view.

"Duh, who else?"

"Were you expecting the fish fairy, Daddy? Honestly, what were you thinking?" she said waspishly.

 

"Seriously, Daddy, I'm trying to play with my new toy here."

I lifted the flap of the box and gave her a sheepish grin. "I thought you were avoiding me cos you were in a huff  cos I substituted your box with a new bed."

"New bed?"

"You WHAT?" she snapped and came bounding out of the box to stare in aghast at her unwilling new procurement.

"I can't believe you did that without asking me!" she complained, before stalking to the bedroom all miffed up.

"It was getting worn down! You need a new bed for the new year anyway!" I objected, desperately trying to score some logic points.

In vain, I watched as she curled herself up under my bed and refused to come out. I decided to leave my angry kitty to sulk by herself and settled down for a read. Soon, somnolence overtook me and before I knew it, I was dreaming of a world where Maxie enjoyed my hugs and random displays of affection.

Alas! All good things come to an end, as I woke from my siesta and walked into the living room, bleary-eyed. A surprising sight greeted me.

"Well, I suppose it would have to do."

Maxie had somehow pushed her new bed to the right and got her recycle bag onto it as further padding.

"B-b-but I thought you didn't like it?" I asked, still in shock.

"It's no box, but I guess it'll have to do. Besides, you might regret getting me this bed some day," came the enigmatic reply before I was dismissed from Her Highness's attention.

I'm still waiting to see what she meant by that, but as you know, nobody can ever tell what a cat will do next!