Today I was pretty bummed out. I got the call from Dr. Autte this morning, and he told me Clarence was suffering from something called "fecal impaction". I must have sounded stunned (more so than usual) because after a couple of moments Dr. Autte explained that Clarence's anal glands were blocked up, and that he wasn't able to express himself. I tried to explain that Clarence was a very affectionate cat, and never had any problems expressing himself. Dr. Autte waited a moment before repeating himself excepted he used the word "poo" and that he needed my permission to put him under to clean him out.
Around lunchtime I got a call from Lucy, Dr. Harry Autte's assistant, that I'd be able to come later in the afternoon to bring Clarence home. Not trusting myself to drive over, I called Margaret and asked her if she'd be able to take me. When I got in the car I had an odd moment as Ted Nugent was blaring "Cat Scratch Fever" through the speakers. I gave Margaret a look, and she sheepishly changed the station, this time it was Harry Chapin sanging about "Cats in the Cradle". This was getting to be too much. I reached over and turned off the radio.
When we arrived at the vet's, Dr. Autte and Lucy had Clarence waiting for me in a basket. Clarence was wearing one of those cone things, and looked both angry and embarrassed. Dr. Autte called me over to the counter and passed me a small bag and a piece of paper. The paper was the bill. The bag contained a half dozen pairs of plastic gloves, a tube of topical ointment, and a small bottle of horse sized pills there were supposed to soften his stool.
After repeating the instructions to me several times, and showing me the correct and incorrect ways to apply the ointment, I was allowed to settle the bill and take Clarence home. When Margaret and I arrived home Clarence 1 & 3 set off a symphony of miaows and Clarence 2 offered a weak reply. I set Clarence on his pillow, and wrapped a blanket around him.
Margaret gave me a warm hug, and told me it was all going to be okay. She then pulled a DVD out of her purse and reminded me that tonight it was her turn to choose for movie night.
Atonement.
Just great.
I'm not sure what I looked forward to more: the movie or having to apply the cream to Clarence's backside in the morning.
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