A Dog Man Learns That Cat Lives Matter

[question everything]

By Allan Ripp

It was almost midnight. A freezing rain had started outside but something wasn’t right with our miniature Schnauzer, Zeno. He had thrown up earlier and was in a downward-facing pose, though he doesn’t practice yoga. He seemed distressed and could barely take a few steps without plopping. Could he have internal blockage?

We grabbed a cab to a 24-hour animal hospital 40 blocks away. It was graveyard-shift quiet when we arrived ahead of a woman hauling in her cat, and I bristled when she was seen ahead of us in the examining room next door. “That cat didn’t look sick to me,” I told my wife, as if I could diagnose feline disorders on sight.

(snip)

More waiting followed. My wife read on her Kindle and I dozed, but I was suddenly awakened by banging at the front door. It was the cat owner. I hadn’t seen her leave. The receptionist was AWOL, so I went to let her in. “I forgot my carrier,” she said quietly, “though I don’t need it anymore.” She explained she’d been subletting from a subletter and the first subtenant returned and told her to vacate. She had to find a new apartment quickly, “and they don’t take pets, Belle was too old and sick to make the move. She was 18—I didn’t have another option.”

Whether it was the lateness or my anticat prejudice, I didn’t register what she was saying—was she using the vet as a drop-off kennel? Then she started to cry, and I understood why she had no further use for the carrier. We stood in silence, and I sensed a sadness apart from her grief. I asked her about Belle, whom she described as a short-haired mix with great temperament, intelligence and playfulness into old age. She closed her eyes and sighed. It was a brief memorial but seemed to restore her. “Thank you for asking about Belle,” she said before taking the empty carrier and heading into the night.

(snip)

We didn’t have to go to the vet after all—at least not for Zeno. But perhaps we were sent there to attend Belle’s funeral, where I learned something important I hadn’t grasped before: Cat lives matter.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-dog-man-learns-that-cat-lives-matter-11547596229 (paid subscription)

[lark]

1. Yes they do.

i just spent over $800 (and I'm retired) on my old cat, Basil. He had 4 abscesses and 1 fistula on the right side of his jaw and will be 17 in May, so required extra care due to his age and bad kidneys. I hated to spend this much money, had to pull it out of my retirement account, but he was really sick and felt so bad he wouldn't eat at all. I love the od guy. so I ponied up. Then over the last 2 days his mom (18 in March) quit eating. I was so worried but luckily the vet had given me some other kidney food for her to try and she actually liked it. Old cats with kidney problems are hard to deal with, difficult to keep them motivated to eat, can't take lots of meds because of their issues, etc. etc. Still, I love them very much.

[KT2000]

2. they are so loved

they have been there for us and we want to be there for them.

[japple]

3. What kind of food did your vet prescribe for your cat with kidney disease? I have

a female who is in stage 3 right now and is still eating commercial food quite well. I know she probably needs a special diet, but I have never had a cat that would eat those prescription foods.

[lark]

4. Basically any kind of kidney food she'd eat.

She is extremely picky, likes food one day and the next won't touch it. Right now I tried her on PUrina Pro Plan NF chicken stew and she really liked it so I'm going to get a few more today.

[japple]

5. Thanks. Will try that with my girl. She sounds like your cat--one day she loves a certain kind

and the next day she turns up her nose.