Last week I took Stanley to the vet. I suspected he had an infection and so we needed to get this checked out. I decided to put him on a leash instead of in the carrier.
The vet's office requires that animals be contained somehow. Some kitties will walk on leash, but we haven't attained that skill yet. I used the leash for convenience. It is easier to carry the cat by himself than it is the balance the carrier with Preston who weighs about 28 pounds.
The carrier offers some comfort to the cat as he is shielded a little bit from the environment. So I am trying to keep the boys occupied and keep Stanley calm. they call us in and I hand Stanley to the technician and go back to get the boys. Well Stanley immediately starts freaking out. He hisses and gets all fluffy. The technician envisioning a mean kitty and too scared boys whisked poor Stanley off to the back (where they can keep animals after surgery or to observe).
I explain Stanley's symptoms (this is embarrassing for him, involving his boy parts). I explain what to look for and that usually they just send us home with an antibiotic. Well poor Stanley was not coorporating. Everytime someone would come near him he would hiss and carry on. They wanted me to leave him to see if they could get a urine sample and to give him an exam.
I left him and they gave him a sedative so that they were able to examine him. THey called me a little later and said that I could bring him home if I wanted to try to collect a sample. Being the economical person that I am and my DH always complains how much the cat costs, I brought him home. THey had to bring him out with leather gloves and towel he was so upset and growling. Once he heard my voice he calmed down. He was quarentined to the bathroom with a litter box with styrofoam peanuts so that I could collect a sample. The concern was that he may be blocked or it might hurt to pee.
Fast forward 24 hours. Stanley still has not peed in the styrofoam litter box. I call the vet. they offer to look at him so to see if they can detect anything. I take the carrier this time. Stanley sees the technician and immediately starts growling. They aren't any more successful this time. Everytime they tried to examine him he got mad. so they sent him home with a bladder relaxer and an antibiotic. If he doen'st pee by Sat, he will need to be hospitalized. They have decided to forgo the sample.
We come home and with in the hour he pees in the normal litter box. so he was just being picky about what he peed in. Glad there is no blockage. I decide not to give the bladder relaxer.
Which brings us to the subject of giving pills. Stanley doesn't like to take pills. They make these pill pockets that have pocket you can put a pill in. The idea is the animal will eat the treat with the medicine inside. Well he gets Dramine when we travel and he figured out those pill pockets, so I wrap him in a towel and wear a leather glove to admister his medicine. The meer sight of the pill pusher is enough to make him start gagging. Poor cat.
I think Stanley is on the mend. We only have a week left of pill giving. He doesn't seem to be licking the area so much so hopefully he is getting feeling better. He has to stay indoors so that I can make sure the output is normal. He doesn't like this and will sometimes make this loud meowing/growling noise stating his dislike for being stuck indoors.
