There is only one reason to ever have to get into the cat carrier, and that’s to go to the vet.  She got woken up from a perfectly good nap to be stuffed into a pillow case and the slightly struggling bundle was lowered down into the open cat carrier which was standing on end.  It’s the only way to get her to go in: you need to be quick about it and the poor cat is so disoriented and confused about what just happened and what’s happening next that she doesn’t struggle much, and you need to get the whole thing in there and shut the door, quick.  It’s pretty easy and nobody gets hurt. Shortly she finds her way out of the pillowcase. I hate to have to do this to her, but it’s all necessary.  I always keep telling her it’s all ok, while she’s thinking it’s ok for me, cos I’m not the one in a cage, having now lost total control of everything and being scared for your life.

She speaks a few meek little meows on the way up the road in the car. Enough to say she’s scared. (I used to have one years ago who spoke continuously and very loud during the 2 mile trip.  I swear it sounded like Chinese.)

In the waiting room she was quiet in her carrier while dogs walked around.  She was trying not to be noticed, maybe she could hide.  In the treatment room, she spoke quite a bit and got under me for a while when I got down on my hunkers.  Still trying not to be noticed. Then she was walking around frantically in there while we waited for the doc to come in.

She knew this was the door we came in, so maybe if she pawed at it or stared at it hard enough, it would open and she’d be free?  No such luck girl, sorry.

This is a high-spirited cat, more than any I’ve ever had, and she likes to make the rules and be in charge.  No part of her plans for today included any of this stuff!

The last time we were at the vets and the time before, she hissed and growled and tried to bite the doc. She tried her best to scare him away, but that didn’t work.  She doesn’t know it, but that accomplish something: there’s a note in her record to be cautious cos this one is likely to be hostile. Hostile, yea, that’s a good word to describe how she was a couple of times.

Today she didn’t have much of a chance to be hostile.  He came in and we started to talk as she hissed at him once and he took charge.  He took her by the scruff of the neck and supported her body as he turned her belly up, and she just relaxed.  He said scruffing sends out endorphins, reminiscent of when the mother cat picks up the kittens to carry them, but they don’t last long, so he needs to be quick. He didn’t do that the last two times we were there, and it sure worked so I hope he does it the next time.  Before already I have seriously worried about her biting him.

He felt her all over for lumps and problems he could feel, and asked me some questions about her general health and behaviors, looking for any changes or possible problems. Then turned her back over on the table, held her by the scruff again and gave her her shot. Then I put her carrier back up on the table and opened the door as he released her.  She hesitated and I swear she gave him A LOOK, but she quickly went back into her carrier, I guess thinking that was the safest thing to do now rather than trying to retaliate against him. Good choice, girl.

So I shut the carrier and shortly we left for home.  She got right out of the carrier when I opened it in the kitchen, and now she’s having a nice nap, cos she’s had a rough day.