I dunno. I guess it’s happy; it’s early yet, and I’m just having my first cup of coffee.
It came to me this morning that our “favourite” pet is the one who needs us the most at any one time. At least, this is how it seems.
For the most part, the static population of three cats at our acreage take care of themselves. They have an outdoor feeding station with a bowl heaped daily with dry kibble. Gilbert drinks from the horse waterer and who knows where else, Smokey drinks at the bathtub in the grooming shop: she is usually present when I run water for dogs as I fill buckets, or wash dishes, and I often fill a bowl with fresh spring water and set it where I stack the clean dishes. Stay with me … this has a point.
Jack is rarely more than 20 feet from the kennel building and is most often indoors, watching me work from a countertop near my grooming table. On Sunday night, I became aware that Jack had laboured breathing, and because I had done part of a grooming job on him and some of his coat was shaved, I could see his heart beating through his ribs. I comforted the cat and checked on him until about midnight, and then dreamed and fretted about what I would do with Jack’s body in the morning.
By yesterday morning, the cat was alive but still in serious trouble, and I rushed him out to stay with the vet until Dr. Vogel had time to look him. I don’t think Jack was really examined until late evening, when he had deteriorated further. The vet asked me all the appropriate history questions and we are both baffled; Jack seems severely dehydrated, but there is no evidence of infection or trauma. I don’t believe he ingested poison, fell from a tree or was struck by a car.
Is it even possible for an animal to be too lazy to look for water that would be no more than five feet away at times? I remember that Myrtle sometimes had medical emergencies due to not drinking enough water, while consuming alcohol and not eating. Now, Jack has never been much of a drinker of booze, and he does eat well, but how in the world did he get so dehydrated and debilitated?
Today I am waiting to hear if my dear Jack survived the night. The Dr. was going to administer IV fluids … and the cat was purring while I was on the phone discussing the mystery! I think Dr. Vogel even chuckled at that. I swear, if this cat pulls through, there is going to be a bowl of water beside each dish of dry food.
Yesterday was pretty busy for this shop: I groomed four small dogs. I didn’t get “after” pictures of most.
So, these were the main events of yesterday. There are plenty of dogs to care for and more to come for Easter weekend. I need to make time to clean the vacation rental house, as it was occupied last weekend and is booked again for next.
I can’t solve the problems of the world from here, such as helping the bereaved and distressed in Belgium, or hoping Trump will go away. I seem unable to help my sister in her moments/hours/weeks of need. So I’ll just carry on in the Pet Hostel and with the thoughts in my head. For the most part, things here are busy and cheerful.
Hope you are much the same.
Love, Ann
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