A Big Softee!

I dunno! What is it about animals? They get under your skin (literally in some cases!). Since getting Austin, I've become a big softee. I've had cats before, but don't remember being quite so gooey about them. Maybe it's because I'm at home much more now, or perhaps it's knowing that I'm well past child-bearing age and have discovered my inner mother rather too late? Whatever!

Anyway I took the little fella to the vets yesterday for his second and last feline leukemia vaccination. Because he has rampant ginger-vitis the vet had said last time I was there that he wanted to do some tests to see if there was an underlying, more serious, cause. I decided that if he did have any of these horrible diseases (AIDS included) I really didn't want to know and it would be too late anyway. But no, the vet was quite determined. So I had to leave him there for a few hours as they needed to sedate him before sticking the needle in. Having been "on the road" for goodness knows how long before he was rescued, no one had a clue what he'd been up to or what manky infection he might have caught.

Now unlike the NHS the results are instantaneous. So when I returned to pick him up, I also got the results. Negative. Yippee! Still don't know why he's got the problems with his gums, but hey, he's managed ok so far. Just a little aside here. I have decided that in future I will book myself into the vets when I need medical attention. The staff are friendly, the place is spotless and the results immediate. And you get your own cage with clean bedding. Ok so if you've got a problem with heights, it might cause some grief climbing up if you're allocated a penthouse cage, but nothing's perfect in this life is it! Of course having read James Herriot I'm well aware of what vets get up to with their soapy arms! Let's please not go there.

Anyway I digress. Austin was still out for the count when I picked him up, so there wasn't the usual pushmepullyou strife with the carrier. Getting him in it has become the stuff of cartoons, all legs like a giraffe and talons. You get one leg in and one leg out, you shake it all about, do the hokey cokey and turn around and start all over again! Once in the car he sings along quite nicely to the Lighthouse Family, if a bit loud. (His taste in music is quite eclectic). However, there was none of that now. Got him home and plonked him on his bed where he stayed for about four hours. He had a slight accident, which we won't mention as he was rather embarrassed about it.

Once he started coming to, all he wanted was to cuddle up on the nearest lap (usually mine) and if I left him for a moment he hurled himself drunkenly around until he found me, falling on my feet until I picked him up again (this is a first, actually wanting to be picked up. Maybe I should keep him permanently sedated!). He seems much more like his old self this morning, except I think he's remembered what happened yesterday morning, so is keeping a wary eye on my movements. If I go within ten feet of the carrier, he's out the door like a rocket.