"Pet Tails": T-a-double b-y to the v-e-t

This past Monday, November 5th, my cat Tabitha - more commonly known as Tabby - had her yearly routine exam and check-up. And shots. Originally it was scheduled with two of my other cats, Porkey and Athena, at their visit back in August or September, but due to financial constrictions I opted to postpone the exam until I was better able to financial handle the situation.

Of course leading up to the vet visits I am always dropping hints any little way that I can to my cats. Making sure they know that "the vet visit is this Monday," or "Tabby you and I are going to the vet tomorrow," or "Tabby....guess where you and I are going this morning!" However no matter how much I try to prepare the cats.... it's as though they don't listen to me and act surprised when I get the cat carriers out of storage from the closet.

"Ohhhhh, what's that Jay? Is that one of our cat carriers that you have for us? Is someone going somewhere? Huh, Jay, huh?"

As was the case with Tabby. She didn't know what was going on until I put her in the carrier, closed the door, and set it next to the door as I put my shoes on. As we walked down the stairs in my apartment building to go out the front door and then outside on the way to the car.... came the pitiful, pathetic, sad cries of a car that thinks its being treated badly by its very nice owner. :)

All the way on the drive to the vet I heard the cries of "Meow! Meow!" Come on now. Nothing like breaking a guy's heart here! You're making me feel like a bad owner, Tabby! :(

Luckily when we arrived at the vet there were no other vehicles in the parking lot, and no one else waiting in the waiting area. It felt unusual not because of the time of day (9am) or for any other reason except....the ladies working the reception desk were probably ones I had seen before but they didn't really have the familiar faces of the ladies that I am used to. Or the very adorable Liz who works there as a vet tech. I wouldn't mind have seen her there. Anyway, so it wasn't a long wait before we got in.

Overall her health was good. Though my cats seem to have a slight, very small problem with tartar developing on some of their teeth. Tabby didn't have any fleas, mites, or problems with her ears. Her heart sounded good, and everything else that the vet checked was on the a-ok for the "Tabber".

The notable issue out of the visit that we learned? Tabby gained weight since her last visit. I don't have the papers in front of me to reference it for an official number, but to my recollection I believe it was about .25-.50 pounds since her last visit last year. Which is surprising as she's been mostly the thinnest of the five cats I have. Not saying that she's the smallest by any means, although she is the oldest (approximately 8-1/2 years old). But... it was just unexpected. I'd expect it from Porkey and Whiskers as both my 'big boys' are about 15-16 pounds each (yes you read that right), or even the other half of "the Black & White Boys" Sylvester, but...Tabby?!

Still can't figure out how she gained any weight. I know my cats don't probably get too much exercise as they are strictly indoor cats now. At this point last year we were still living at our previous residence where they were allowed outside. Now, since we live right in downtown PI along Main Street (I see it out my living room window like 20 feet away from me), they do not go outside. Far too many dangers, including the risk of them running way for me to ever let them loose at all. So they only really have the apartment to run around in. My apartment is by no means a palace, but its not the small place I was living at before. Its a small, affordable, reasonable place for just a single guy - which I am. I don't need too much room as more room means more rent per month. But I do have places that the cats can jump up into, and of course between the five of them there are often episodes of someone being chased around. From living room to bed room, to bathroom, to bedroom, to living room, and so on and so on. However, wouldn't a cat need to eat extraordinary amounts of food and really do absolutely nothing?

My cats are far from being inactive. As if my blogs and stories about their antics and hijinks's are any evidence. :)

While it was amazing and shocking when a few months ago at his vet visit that Porkey registered a slight weight gain, all I can say is....

I think I know where that pound or less went to.