Getting Kitty to the hospital…

Oy.

So we have 4 barn cats who aren’t really barn cats since we don’t have a barn. But when we lived in the Grass Valley house, we had a barn and the cats lived in there. Now they live all over the property but usually hang out in the garage.

These cats started out feral, but that was 13 years ago. Now they are all exceedingly loving. They are all exceedingly rubbypurry. Especially Sally. She will always go where I am, following me silently, and then do her little squeak. She squeaks when she wants love.

Well, two days ago, I noticed that she didn’t want to eat breakfast, which never happens. That night, she didn’t eat either. Uh oh. But, I didn’t want to be panicky so I waited.

The next day, she sniffed at her food and ate a little bit. Phew. That was yesterday.

When I came home from work last night, one side of her face was blown up like she’d taken a punch to the cheek.

Crap.

OK, I had to prepare so that I could catch her in the morning and bring her to the vet. …. I immediately closed the garage so no cats could leave (they were all inside eating). I put out water and a few litter boxes. Then, I got the kitty carrier and put one of my sweatshirts in there. I hoped I could catch her in the morning and swiftly put her in the carrier.

I didn’t even think about taking a photo of her puffy cheek before I took her in… but this is Sally. She is very timid but very sweet. She follows me around all the time – and squeaks at me to love on her. Yes, she is mostly white with orange on her face and an orange-ringed tail.

THIS MORNING

I didn’t immediately feed the cats this morning because that is the only way they all gather around at once. I wanted to make sure I could catch her when I needed to catch her. First, I had to call the vet and find out when I could bring her in.

The vet said that I could drop her off right away and they would take care of her when they had time.

OK.

So I went into the garage and… SHE WAS SITTING IN THE CARRIER. All I had to do was close the door to the carrier!

I couldn’t believe it.

I shut the door to the carrier and brought her to the vet. (California is still in Covid lockdown so no one is allowed inside the vet’s office. The masked workers meet you at your car and take your pet inside and you wait in the parking lot.)

OUTCOME

Small animal vet visit costs amaze me. $452 for her to be sedated, have the abscess drained, get her shots and send her home. Ouch! Anyway, I was very glad that she only had an abscess – but the confusing part was that it came from inside her mouth, not outside. He thinks something sharp that she was eating or chewing on, punctured her interior cheek. They didn’t find any residue of a foxtail… a mystery.

But the most important part is that Sally will be fine, and her squeak will continue, thank catgods!

After: This is the best pic I could get of her after I picked her up from the hospital – as she ran and hid in my office. The blood on her cheek is from the drain and sutures. She’s fine, thank Catgods!