The annual visit to Vet was last Saturday.
Well, I knew it was coming, and was prepared for my usual "show" of resistance:
Hide under the bed, and make Daddy crawl around on the floor, and drag me out , and stuff me feet first into the Cat Carrier.
This time, however, Daddy found ways to distract me to such an extent that I completely forgot to "put up a fuss" until it was much too late, and I was half-way into the carrier.
First, he, um, shows me the money, and I was dazzled by all that green stuff spread out at my feet before me (4 Bills equaling $109!)
Daddy, being a member of Where's George, got a new rubber stamp just for the occasion to stamp the bills:
EXCERPT FROM THE DIARY OF A CAT - in which a Kitty talks about plans to kill, or at least disgust, and repulse, the humans in its life.
Anyway, the 2nd distraction was to get me to spend time reading a book that I just love!
For the writing, you understand, um, not for the pictures. ;-D
Besides, The Secret Sex Life of Dogs and Cats, by Bernadine Cruz, has no racy pictures, anyway. ;-D
(My copy of the book was personally autographed by the author in 2007 - "To Nikita: The Best Damn CatBlogger in the Entire World!")
I actually enjoy the walk, and bus ride that we take to, and from, the Vet, but feel it neccessary to put on a show for my adoring public that gathers around us at bus stops, and on the bus, and oohs, and aahs, at me as if they've never seen a caged Cat, by asking loudly, clearly, and repeatedly..."Now"?
Of course, many humans don't speak, much less understand, Felinese, and don't believe him when Daddy explains that I'm asking the human child equivalent of "Are we there, yet?"
On this trip, at one point, Daddy, and I got off the bus, and he suddenly became confused!
This made for an entertaining, though rocky, next 15 minutes, as we ran around looking for the right bus stop, and bus, all because Daddy took a wrong 2nd bus, and we needed to take a 3rd to get us to the vet.
After a bit of huffing, and puffing, all on HIS part, Daddy got us on track again, just in time, and we got to the Vet with 10 min. to spare.
Upon entering the clinic (The Cat Care Clinic)
Daddy sat my carrier near one with a beautiful yellow kitty inside, and though I tried hard to get the Kitty to turn around, and chat a bit, it wasn't interested, preferring to stare at the back of its carrier, displaying its ample behind to the world. ;-D
After a few minutes an assistant ushered Daddy, and I, into an examining room with a couple of chairs, and a counter, and table, high off the floor.
The nice lady opened the carrier door and invited me out and, seeing Daddy nod his head, I obliged...slowly, and warily, of course...gotta keep up appearances, and all, you know!
Within seconds she was petting me, and complimentting me, as she weighed me on a scale, and took my temperature through my ear (That tickled!).
It seems I am a pound short of my customary 16 lbs!
Daddy, and I were left alone a few minutes so I took the opportunity to explore a bit!
The phone was frustratingly out of reach, though, and the strange looking little computer, while interesting, sadly was only something I could play with if we had more time than what was available, not to mention an instruction manual. ;-D
Exploration complete I was sitting on the table when Dr. Panza finally arrived to administer my examination.
I like this lady!
She has such a nice Cat-side manner, and those hands!
Oh, sooo soft!
I could have sat there all day as she rubbed me, and felt me all over (And I DO mean all over!)!
As I opened my mouth, and said "Ahhh", and she poked, and prodded, I listened as she, and Daddy talked about my litterbox habits, and what I should eat.
The more they talked, the more embarrassed I became!
I swear, just because a Cat decides to take a dump on the carpet, once a month, is no reason to turn it into a Federal Offense!
And what the hell is this about watching my spine, and how I appear to have developed a "small gut"?
Is she saying I'm becoming pot-bellied?
How embarrassing!
I finally had enough, and hopped off the table, and hid in my carrier.
When Daddy mentioned canned food, though, I perked up.
Seems he was considering making a quarter can of canned food a part of my diet each day as long as I don't get chubbier.
The Doc was cool with that, and though they couldn't see me in the carrier, I was vigorously nodding my head in aggreement.
It's been years since I had canned food on a regular basis so we shall see how it goes.
Finally Daddy left, and the Doc took me away for my shots, and prep for my haircut.
About that haircut:
Getting a full body cut was down right embarrassing as hell the first time Daddy surprised me with one, and it took this macho kitty days before I'd go anywhere near a window!
Over the years, however, I grew to like the look, feel, and comfort, of the cut, and the initial embarrassment now lasts only a day, two, tops. ;-D
This time I got a Lion Cut!
Listen up guys! You want to stand out in an alley, Cat?
Or, if you are of the strictly indoor persuasion, among your Home Sweet Homies?
AND impress upon the Ladies that you are a devil may care, risk it all Stud, and not some wuss of a Puss?
Try a Lion Cut! I dare ya! ;-D
(Of course, my being a bachelor, and fixed, and all, take any advice I give on matters of love, and romance, with a grain of salt...or better yet, catnip)
The exam is something that each Cat reacts to in their own way: Some make a scene, with enough theatrics to win an any number of acting awards, others calmly go with the flow, and are reasonably well behaved.
I'm in the 2nd group. ;-D
I had my FRCP 3-way vaccine so am good on shots thru 2012.
The shots protect me from viruses called Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calici, and Panieukopenia!
With names like those they must be pretty scary!
I got a pedicure done on my hind legs, and my eyes, and ears cleaned.
Oh, and um, I got an Anal Gland Expression...
I'm damn glad I'm not a Dog... and that's all I have to say about what I feel about my annual experience with this, to me, uncomfortable, though tolerable, procedure. ;-D
One of Daddy's friends says HER Cat actually enjoys the experience when she does it to her!
"It's no biggie for her or me...it's just requires a little external pressure on either side of her butt bones and a pad of kleenex clapped over the exit point. Sorry if that's too graphic...she "presents" her butt and meows when she needs to have "the big squeeze" done."
Women! Human, and Feline...sometimes they are damn hard to figure, wouldn't you agree? ;-D
When Daddy and I got home I had 2 surprises waiting for me.
The minute Daddy opened my carrier I had to endure his filming, and photographing, my arrival home.
Why he couldn't wait a few days before displaying my new "Do" to the world is beyond me! ;-D
At least I can finally put to rest all those persistent misperceptions that every Cat named Nikita must be a girl.
Look closely at this video Daddy made, and you can, um, see my Privates in all their glory! ;-D
When they call this cut a "body shave" they really, really, mean it. ;-D
THE VIDEO = NIKITA CAT 2: Reaping Reward for Vet Visit
I played along, and strutted my stuff around for a few minutes, and Daddy was happy.
I was really happy, though, to discover a treat of a portion of canned 100% Quail meat next to my water bowl!
He bought it at a really cool new Pet Shop he found in Belmont Shores, called Pussy and Pooch!
It was delicious!
Anyway, it being cold, running around like this, it takes a while to adjust, and this makes me grumpy.
I spent the rest of the evening hiding in one of Daddys closets, and over the next few nights have persistently been insinuating myself, repeatedly, under the covers with Daddy, to keep warm.
I've also been enjoying the rest of the canned food, each day, and have been extra friendly with Daddy so he'd know that, if he wanted to get more, I'd not complain. ;-D
Well, that's my story, hope you enjoyed it, and if you like the video leave some comments, and a rating! ;-D
***UPDATE - 12/1/09***
As Daddy updated the advertising on this blog, yesterday, he asked me if I wanted to do something, and I thought about it overnight, and agreed.
Daddy and I have a large collection of books for, and about, Cats.
Some are serious, some are funny, some are both, and I've decided to encourage my readers, fellow Felines, and their humans, who may be looking for good books, and useful information, not to mention a few laughs, to check them out.
Helping our humans understand what it takes to live with us, and us with them, is extremely important, and that has always been a part of the collection of links in my sidebar.
As of today there is an Amazaon Associates Box, with 8 books, in my section of the sidebars.
Daddy talks about his efforts at advertising, here.
***END UPDATE***
Nikita, you truly are the greatest cat blogger ever!
Just consider yourself lucky that you don't live with my family.
We live only a block away from the vet (the Feline Veterinary Clinic), so my kitties - R.B., BooBoo, and Pipsqueak - make frequent visits to the vet.
BTW, you look very handsome with that Lion Cut!
Posted by: Greta Koehl | November 27, 2009 at 02:38 PM