Okay, I complete adore her and wouldn’t change a thing. But, oh, I wish we’d found Patches at the Humane Society.
I got Sandy for $50 — actually, $35 because they give a discount to low-income people. For that price, Sandy was guaranteed spayed, clear of bugs, vaccinated and even microchipped.
When we took Patches to the vet, there was a $130 bill attached. It could’ve been worse, too. If she hadn’t already been spayed, I have no idea what that would have added.
Patches' impression of a bear-skin rug.
So when Tim noticed that one of her paws looked infected — while she was homeless, the hot, Arizona pavement had actually burned them — I had a bad feeling. A well justified bad feeling, as it turned out.
A $221 bill later, Tim brought a very traumatized, head-coned Patches back with carefully bandaged paw. Her first act upon returning was to run into the sliding glass door, thanks to the cone. (“I do not like the cone of shame!”)
Since then, she has run into just about every wall in the house and gotten caught on countless objects. In fact, as I write this, her bandage got caught on a plastic grocery bag, and she dragged it halfway around the room.
I feel kind of bad about laughing, but it’s really hilarious. Besides, we ought to get our money’s worth out of the situation.
That is NOT a happy kitty. Maybe she saw the vet bill?
Is it totally wrong that I totally want to throw a Skittle or M&M in there?
In the coming week, Tim will need to administer antibiotics two or three times a day. Plus, she’ll need a follow-up visit to see how the wound in healing. Unless she manages to get the bandage off herself, in which case an extra visit will be called for. And I would feel compelled to throw our checkbook at her out of furious symbolism.
It’s a good thing she’s cute, is all I’m sayin’.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, how cute! The cat, not the vet bill. Sorry to hear about your unexpected expense – but what, if not situations like these, were emergency funds made for? A good cat (much like a good man j/k) is hard to find, and I know if your heart you don't regret spending the money to fix her up. You're sweet like that.
Maybe substitute Skittles for cat treats?
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Emily,
No, I don't regret getting her. She's a sweetie. And adorable. I just really wish that the Humane Society would consider offering a discount for strays if you pick them up off the streets and adopt them.
They'd save on food and litter from people dropping off unwanted animals, and their services could be offered more cheaply than a vet, I'm sure.
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Emily,
No, I don't regret getting her. She's a sweetie. And adorable. I just really wish that the Humane Society would consider offering a discount for strays if you pick them up off the streets and adopt them.
They'd save on food and litter from people dropping off unwanted animals, and their services could be offered more cheaply than a vet, I'm sure.
[Reply]
She's a beautiful calico girl. I love calico cats. I have to say though, I would suspect something other than burns from hot blacktop because it has not gotten hot enough for the blacktop to heat up that hot. Now if this was August? I'd consider it, but still I've lived here all my life and had outdoor cats and never once have any of them come up with burned paw pads. I think what you may be seeing is "road rash" on her paws from running across blacktop desperately trying to avoid being run over by a car. Were her nails shredded? Cats typically wouldn't walk across burning hot blacktop on purpose, certainly not long enough to sustain burns, they generally choose a different path.
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Mrs. A,
Yeah I thought it was a little weird, as it's only gotten up to about 96 so far. But the vet said actual burns, and blamed the pavement when I looked horrified.
That said, I'm also unhappy that they didn't bandage a paw or two like Tim asked in the first place, thereby necessitating a trip back. So I plan on asking them to at least credit us back the second visit.
If they had bandaged the paws in the first place, they probably wouldn't have gotten infected, ergo no cost of antibiotics/pain pills/third office visit. (We'd still have had to come back for a checkup.)
Given that the skin was actually (sorry folks) sloughing off of one paw, and cats dig around in their litter, it seems kind of thoughtless that they didn't consider bandaging.
[Reply]
Mrs. Accountability Reply:
May 13th, 2010 at 2:34 am
Well, being one to not place a great deal of trust in those wearing the white coats, I would say he doesn't know what he's talking about. I mean really, how much sense does that make that a cat would purposefully choose to walk on hot sidewalk (if it were that hot) long enough to sustain that kind of burns? Unfortunately it sounds to me like someone abused Patches before you rescued her. Thankfully now she has you to care for her, and I'm glad they refunded some of the money for the visit. She really looks adorable. I had my calico when I was nine, her name was Tinkerbelle, I loved her so much.
[Reply]
Mrs. Accountability Reply:
May 13th, 2010 at 2:34 am
Well, being one to not place a great deal of trust in those wearing the white coats, I would say he doesn't know what he's talking about. I mean really, how much sense does that make that a cat would purposefully choose to walk on hot sidewalk (if it were that hot) long enough to sustain that kind of burns? Unfortunately it sounds to me like someone abused Patches before you rescued her. Thankfully now she has you to care for her, and I'm glad they refunded some of the money for the visit. She really looks adorable. I had my calico when I was nine, her name was Tinkerbelle, I loved her so much.
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Mrs. A,
Yeah I thought it was a little weird, as it's only gotten up to about 96 so far. But the vet said actual burns, and blamed the pavement when I looked horrified.
That said, I'm also unhappy that they didn't bandage a paw or two like Tim asked in the first place, thereby necessitating a trip back. So I plan on asking them to at least credit us back the second visit.
If they had bandaged the paws in the first place, they probably wouldn't have gotten infected, ergo no cost of antibiotics/pain pills/third office visit. (We'd still have had to come back for a checkup.)
Given that the skin was actually (sorry folks) sloughing off of one paw, and cats dig around in their litter, it seems kind of thoughtless that they didn't consider bandaging.
[Reply]
For a stray, you're still doing pretty good. We adopted a stray from HALO (Helping Animals Live On) last August and to date, vet bills have totalled over $6K.
You can't help who you love!
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Wow, I feel very very lucky now!
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Wow, I feel very very lucky now!
[Reply]
Awwwwww, what a cutie!
We have a few cats of our own. The ones we got from the pet rescue were definitely cheaper and better adjusted even. But, they're all our babies. They're definitely not cheap, but I'd say that they're a pretty frugal way to experience a lot of love and have the satisfaction of knowing that you're saving a life.
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
We got lucky. Patches has totally glommed on to Tim. I think she recognizes him as her savior. As we speak, he's passed out on the couch, and she's curled up on his feet — cone and all!
You definitely have a point about cost over a (cat's) lifetime of love.
[Reply]
Abigail Reply:
May 12th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
We got lucky. Patches has totally glommed on to Tim. I think she recognizes him as her savior. As we speak, he's passed out on the couch, and she's curled up on his feet — cone and all!
You definitely have a point about cost over a (cat's) lifetime of love.
[Reply]
Re the Skittle/M&M impulse: Definitely wrong. Funny. But wrong. And shame on me for laughing at the idea.
[Reply]
As I always say – cats are cheaper than kids (so I don’t mind spending the moola on them).
Good post! I take it Patches is a recent addition? Bless you for taking her in. Would love more kitty pics
-FW
[Reply]
She's beautiful, Abigail. Congrats on the new addition to your family. Here's hoping Patches doesn't need further medical care for a loooooong time.
[Reply]
Shes very cute. She looks like my cat Salem. My cat Ivory once got a grocery bag looped thru her neck and 1 arm and ran around like crazy until I was able to catch her.
[Reply]