Our first problem child

[ciroccoj]

So, we took Jehovah to the vet today. She's been spraying (ew!) and rather grumpier than usual lately, and we'd taken her in and been told she had a bladder infection a while ago, treated it, problem went away... and then it came back. So back we went, and she was such a sweetie for so long you would hardly believe that we once called her our first problem child. Or that in Kingston our vet had WATCH printed in big letters on her file. She was a little growly and distressed when I carried her out to the car, but she calmed down once she was in and even ventured out from under the seat and sat near the boys - who were being so soothing and sweet to her I seriously had to stifle giggles.

Anyway, we get there, she's weighed, poked and prodded, etc etc, with only a little bit of low growling, even does really well during the X-rays, and finally all that's left is talking to the vet about treatment and litterbox hygiene and all that fun stuff. She holes up in a small space on the vet's bookshelf, seeming pretty calm except for a twitching tail.

Talk happens. Talk ends. Great. Let's go!

End of cat's patience.

The vet and I spent I swear somewhere between 10-15 min trying to soothe and bribe and gently guide her towards the carrier box. This was after we'd tried to just get her out of the shelf and into my arms. It... did not go well. First she growled softly, then she growled loudly, then she hissed, spat, started batting at us, and finally started lunging towards us with teeth bared whenever we got too near, yowling with rage.

WATCH, indeed.

She doesn't have front claws, I reassure the vet. We didn't want her declawed, but had to do it when she started clawing me while I was first pregnant. So she can't actually gouge you.

Does she bite? asks the vet.

Well, yeah. Didn't used to. Started to, during the last round of antibiotics. I've got a pretty set of puncture wounds on my right hand from that. See?

So I'm thinking we're gonna have to sedate her just to get her out of the office, when the vet says, "OK, we're going to have to call in Trina. She'll handle her." Sees my curious look. "We call Trina the Cat Wrangler."

Trina arrives. Gets out a thick towel. Less than a minute later, hissing and spitting and yowling all the way, Jehovah is in her carrier box.

I swear I don't know what she did, but that woman somehow managed what the cat's owner and the vet couldn't do in 15 minutes. Whatever she's being paid, it's not enough.




Oh, and the vet thinks Jehovah may benefit from some anti-anxiety meds. Gee, I wonder why.

Comments

[daf9.livejournal.com]

's your own fault for naming the cat Jehovah. Seriously. It's not like cats don't have delusions of omnipotence anyway. You're just asking for trouble!

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

Hee... we tell people her name was an unholy combination of irreverence and feminism. When we went cat-searching, Chris said he wanted to name our cat Jehovah. I was less than receptive. Said something like, "Come on, don't be stupid. You can't name a pet after God, it's disrespectful."

Got to the pet store, picked out the cutest kitty, then asked if it was a boy or a girl. Clerk looked and said, "Girl."

"Oh well," said Chris. "I guess we can't name her Jehovah, then."

"Excuse me?" I said.

[snarkhunter.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

Oh, wow. That's...that's far worse than Callie, actually. None of the cat wranglers (and there are a few) at my vet's can get her to do anything. I have to do *all* of it, b/c I'm the only one Callie is relatively calm around. I'm also the only one who's not afraid of her.

Jehovah doesn't have bladder stones, does she? I mean, it would show up on the x-rays if she did, but recurrent infection sounds all too familiar. :/

(Of course, Callie had to be sedated for her x-rays...so maybe she is worse in some ways.)

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

Oh, wow. That's...that's far worse than Callie, actually.
Heh - you see now why your stories of Callie remind me of my own darling little terror :) :) :)

None of the cat wranglers (and there are a few) at my vet's can get her to do anything. I have to do *all* of it, b/c I'm the only one Callie is relatively calm around. I'm also the only one who's not afraid of her.
Yeah I would've gotten her out pretty quickly, left to myself; I don't much care about claws and bites; we have plenty of detergent and hot water ;) I never could've done it without bloodshed, though. The Cat Wrangler did.

Jehovah doesn't have bladder stones, does she? I mean, it would show up on the x-rays if she did, but recurrent infection sounds all too familiar. :/
Yeah, that was one of the things they were looking for. The vet said she'd call me if they found anything, but in the meantime she suggested dealing with her emotional... issues.

Oh god I have a cat with emotional issues. She may even go on anti-anxiety meds. Sorry, but I was brought up by a South American; animals are fine and good outside the home, and if you must, you might bring one really cute one into the house, but you don't do special stuff for it. If it gets sick, you just hope it gets better. If it pees on your stuff, you put it outside. None of this spending hundreds of dollars on medicine and worrying about its psychological wellbeing.

Oh well, when in Rome, I guess. And she's my first baby; makes me glad I don't live in Chile.

(Of course, Callie had to be sedated for her x-rays...so maybe she is worse in some ways.)
Jehovah had to be sedated for them to get a urine sample.