Hi there, it’s Mom. Most animals hate veterinarians. I often find the Internet articles of a dog who was taken to the vet though he/she was thinking about going out for a walk. I feel the many articles about cats focus on the actual tips like under what symptoms we should take our pet to the vet, rather than the struggles of the cats. Zoe and Hugo, indeed, do not like the vet, but they do their best to take the medical treatment without being offensive.
Zoe is just healthy, and only she went to see the vet besides vaccination was bloody urine when she was two to three year-old. Now she takes dietary cure for it, and she does not have to see the vet any more (but she still has to go to see him to take vaccination). Hugo goes to the vet monthly to clean his ears, but he does not like it.
When Zoe was young, she recks little and let the vet do what he needs on her body. All the time she tried to please him. But one time Zoe bit him when she was playing with the vet’s hand. Zoe licked the hand immediately like saying “I’m sorry, Mr. Vet.” The vet gave a little chicle to her saying “Thank you, dear.” When me and Dad saw it, we were relieved to know she will not have a problem to take the medical care at the vet even if she becomes ill in the future.
However, Zoe now totally forgets those days, I believe. Now she gets stressed to go there. It might also be because Zoe is a “Mike” the three colored cat which is said to be sensitive and cautious. One time when I was waiting for her finishing a drip, I heard a loud scary scream like “me-aaaaaaa-ow shhhhh…” I do not know how to express it in English. Anyway it was such a scary scream of a cat, I mean, Zoe.
I was so startled and thrilled staying in the waiting room. I was not able to believe that it was Zoe, but it was surely she because she was the only patient at that time. I have never heard such meowing of hers. I guessed that Zoe was so scared by being left alone in the consulting room and got prepared for action against the vet to protect herself. When I went back to the consulting room, the vet looked really frightened.
Sorry, Mr. Vet. Nothing you and I can do; she just hates vets or animal hospitals. And sorry, Zoe, I know you are usually such a lady… Now me and Dad take any means to prevent ill and accident so that Zoe does not have to go to the vet other than the vaccination. BTW Zoe has once got frightened at the trimming salon, and tried to escape, too. Since then I do all kinds of care by myself.
Hugo, on the contrary, never fights at the vet because he is mild. The vet quickly finishes the ear cleaning so that Hugo does not get fear. The vet always hums and says “Boy, I understand, I do understand…” He does his best to calm Hugo’s nerves.
Sometimes Hugo cannot put up with it. He then takes off the towel on him and twists his body like saying “I cannot stand anymore!” The vet finishes up the ear cleaning when he sees a chance, but otherwise he stops it then. Hugo seems to hate the ear cleaning; when we come back home Hugo asks Zoe to cure his mind by licking his ears. Zoe is grace enough to answer to his request. Since then, Hugo acknowledges her anytime.
Both Zoe and Hugo overcome the difficulty in their own way. Once the medical treatment finishes, they come back to the normal state. They rush into the carry case and get ready to leave, without revenging on the vet. I admire them because they never pay tit for tat even though they got such a hard time.
They have to take medication when they got bloody urine and food allergy. When taking medical treatment, I prepare the medicine twice a day by pouring water in a bag of powder and put it into their mouth by a syringe. I have them sit on my knees and put the syringe at the side of their mouth. The medicine might smell quite yummy to them and neither of them refuses it. Hugo drinks it deeply. Zoe sometimes takes me to her cardboard house and drinks the medicine from the inside of it.
They do not like to be cuddled, but when they take medication they allow me to put them on my knees. It may be because they feel it is a special occasion. Sometimes Hugo sticks around me and asks me to give the medicine to him even though I prepare it for Zoe. He thinks all medicines are for him. When he understands it is Zoe’s, he becomes envious and stars at her. They are such queer cats to positively take medication.
From Spring to late Fall we apply a spot medication which protects the cats from Filaria, ticks and fleas. We apply it to each of them once a month, and it is really a tough work. Zoe and Hugo must smell a lot of it, which smells like instant glue, for their keen sense of smell. Me and Dad have to catch them escaping around and spot the medicine on their back. It does not take long to catch them; maybe because they cannot put up with the fear that comes to them during escaping. We are really sorry but it is necessary to keep the ill away. Only we can do is to quickly catch them before their fear increases too much.
The vet is dependable when Zoe and Hugo are sick, but the best thing is to live without him. The vet is such a complicated occupation. We will keep making our kids healthy so that they do not have to go there often.