THE VISIT TO DR. VET

"A meow massages the heart."
Stuart McMillan

Maybe for a couple of weeks now I've noticed that our cat, Panga, has been a Hair Off Fine.

How can you describe the gut feeling you have about an animal who can't speak in words to tell you if they have an ache here or a pain there?

She spends most of her time with me at my store or with us at home, so we know her ways pretty well. She has always been an excellent cat. She doesn't climb on counters, or tables, she was easy to discipline as a kitten, the spray bottle was all it took to correct some unwanted behavior.

Panga is a mellow, sweet natured cat who has never been hurt by animal or human. Anyway no more than the slap on the face by a neighbor cat, or the step on the tail because she likes to sit next to our feet.

So, I notice when she seems just a little extra clingy.

Just a feeling at first.

Then I find a wet spot in front of the washing machine. That was Monday. On Tuesday she squats right in front of me and lifted her tail and tries to pee. Just a dribble. I snatch her up and put her out, even though she has just come in.

This is alarming. As she has never in eight years done anything like this.

I'm thinking she is trying to tell me, "There is something wrong with me!" So I call the vet and make an appointment for Thursday.

I think that was as traumatic for me as it was for her, even though she is so good while we're there. I just carried her in on my shoulder. She's never been in a cat carrier, that would really freak her out.

The vet confirms it is bladder, kidney related, as I thought, and listed several things it could be. They do an ex-ray of her and it was clear of any tumors, that was good. One of the odd things though, is that her kidneys are round, like ping-pong balls, and slightly smaller than they should be for a cat her size.

Dr. Vet tried to get a sample of urine from her bladder with a syringe and I could hear her in the next room howling in fear and pain. Just about undid me. Unfortunately he couldn't get the sample and I had to take her back this morning to stay all day. They are going to sedate her in order to take the sample. I'll pick her up after work.

They said she wouldn't remember any of this, but when I pull into the parking lot she howled. I carried her in on my shoulder and the poor thing just clung to me.

When I put her over the shoulder of the nurse, she sure tried not to go. When the transferee was complete she looked at me as I was leaving, eyes big and round, as if to say, "You're not leaving me here are you?"

I felt awful, even though I told her she'd feel better once she was all fixed up.

Her plaintive little meow wasn't so much a massage to the heart as a squeeze.