Thursday, February 26, 2009

Pyewackit Goes to the Vet

I wanted to tell you a bit about our senior cat, the Infamous Pyewackit. He is an apple head Siamese...that is, the old time seal point before the brains were bred out of them . He is very intelligent and quite wily. He will be 13 years old on May 1st. The kittens know who is boss, and it isn't any of them. He is beloved by BatGirl, the crazy calico who only comes in to eat and sleep and momick Pye. Okay, now for Doctor John, to momick is to handle and caress and just in general annoy the receiver of the momicking...it's a southern word that we heard all our lives. Use it in a sentence? Okay, "Sandi will you quit momicking that cat and let it be?" I think my Grandmother may have been the first one I ever heard use it, followed shortly by my Grandfather. My mother was just as apt to come take the cat away from me and tell me to go play and do as I was told and stop momicking that cat! Okay, so we're clear on the word.Now as for Pye...he's been paying special attention to his ears lately, the constant cleaning of lobes, ears turned down sometimes, just acting as though they bothered him. I spent a couple of days trying to look into them without success. He would run into any room that had an open door and hide under whatever furniture he figured I couldn't get down to. That's most of it. Saturday and Sunday we noticed he wasn't playing with the kittens, and worse, wasn't avoiding BatGirl's constant loving routine.

"I think you may have to take Pye to the Vet, " Mac said Sunday night. I noticed the use of the word "you" right away. I had already decided that we were going to have to head towards Sandy Memorial (the animal hospital) and was just trying to figure out how I was going to get Pye into the carrier. I set the carrier out where everyone could see it, so that it didn't come as a surprise to anyone (Pye) who might go hide under furniture. I placed the hated garden shoes next to it, Pye's favorite things to fight with, then I left it open and the kittens played within it's confines quite enjoying themselves. Pye watched suspiciously. But he didn't run. He attacked the shoes, ignoring the carrier. So the next morning, after coffee, I stood the carrier on it's end and picking up the persnickety Pye, eased him feet first into the cave of the carrier and quickly slammed the door shut. He began to howl immediately. I interpreted his words to be : You will pay for this...you're going to be very very sorry...

So, Mac put the carrier in the front seat of the truck, next to me, buckled him in and told us to have a good trip and be careful. I shot him a look as the howling reached a fever pitch. I cast a glance in Pye's direction, reached out to touch the cage...I mean carrier...and he hissed at me. Alrighty then...it's going to be like that. It was going to be a long trip.

So we arrived at the Clinic and Jean, she of the infamous sign above the business end of the clinic (Don't Place Animals on Counter, Receptionist Bites) signed us in. I told her that Pye had been "using his words" all the way here and that I hoped Dr. Lawhon would not have any trouble with him. "Oh, he has his assistant with him, they'll manage okay, " Jean assured me. "Do you want him to get his jabs today?" I agreed that we may as well kill two birds with one stone (at which point Pye shot daggers at me from his eyes...I swear that cat speaks English). We were first up and after a short wait Dr. Lawhon and his elderly assistant entered the exam room. The assistant held in his hand the dreaded nail clippers. I cringed for Pye. This was not going to go well. I told Dr. Lawhon that I was afraid he might have trouble with the big lug, but he told me not to worry, they had controlled far worse hooligans than the Dreaded Pye. I opened the carrier and he came strolling out as though he hadn't a care in the world, and tossed a "kiss my derriere" look in my direction. The Elderly Assistant looked at Pye, stroked that big apple head and said "Look here Old Man, you not going to give me any trouble and this will be over and painless in a minute." He took one of Pyewackit's paws into his big old paw and proceeded to clip his nails with no trouble! I didn't have to lie down on him to hold him still, nor even hold him by the scruff of the neck. I was humiliated. Then he held his head up for Dr. Lawhon to look into his ears and Dr. Lawhon agreed he had an infection, but no mites (after examining the gunk he had swabbed out of his ears under the microscope. Here I was, thinking that this huge (17 pounds, 14 inches high) cat was going to have to be sedated, and he was being a...well pardon the pun, a pussy cat. We exchanged glares as I told Dr. Lawhon rather apologetically, that the cat was making a liar out of me. He simply laughed.

We were leaving and Dr. Lawhon handed me a bottle of ear drops to put in Pye's ears twice a day for the next four days. He had already applied them, and showed me how easily this could be accomplished. Yes Doc, from your mouth to God's ear.

That night I prepared for combat. I approached the beasty with calm deliberation and told him in no uncertain terms that these drops were going into his wee ears or I'd know the reason why. On seeing the medicine bottle in my hand, he immediately ran to a room I had neglected to close off and ran under the bed. Drat! I called Mac into assistance when Pye had forgotten that there was business at hand and sauntered into the living room without so much as a by your leave. Mac pounced, picked him up and held him close all the time calling out "now now"...so I managed to get the meds in one ear before Mac was forced to release the sudden typhoon he held in his arms. "I don't know, I think you're doing something wrong, " he said. "At this rate we're never going to get those ears well." Yes, I was doing something wrong alright. There was one to many people in my medical practice.

This morning, Pye was sound asleep on the arm of the sofa. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of medicine and quickly threw myself over him and managed to get both ears medicated before he could escape. I'll have to come up with a new plan for tonight. I don't think he'll be quite so easy to catch next time.
Pye, sniffing at the garden shoes he has just beaten into submission...

67 comments:

Sally said...

Poor Pye! Poor YOU!!! :)

Great post, Sandi! Good luck.

Vee said...

Hahahahaha...Pyewackit really is one smart boy!

I was so glad that you put him into the carrier feet first. For years I wondered what I could possibly be doing wrong as I tried to shove the poor kitty in head first. I'm thinking that I may just have had the brains bred out of me!

Here's hoping that future administering of drops goes well! It doesn't sound like much fun.

Oh, and thanks for the word "momicking." It perfectly describes what my kitty is doing to me this morning. At one point she had her head on my wrist preventing me from using the mouse. Unbelievable!

Have a happy day, Sandi.

Anonymous said...

Little rascal! Cats are terrible creatures to cat aren't they. Mine darts under furniture too and stares at you as though you're going to skin her alive.

Hope she Pye recovers soon.

CJ xx

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Good to know I am not the only one catering to a crazy feline! I wrap Gremlin tightly in a baby blanket--think swaddling a new born. This not only immobilizes him, it seems to calm him for whatever humiliation is to come. He is still indignant afterwards and has been known to punish me for my actions....but it is worth a try. As I write a whole lot of momicking is going on with the three dogs!

Everything Stops for Tea said...

It takes three of us to give Dougal his flea treatment so you have my sympathy! Poor Mr Pye! (poor Sandi!)

ArneA said...

Thanks for visiting and giving comments
:)

skywind said...

Your cat is a mischievous cat. Hehe ... I wish you a speedy recovery of the cat.

http://eyesinkaleidoscope.blogspot.com/
http://fymtyh.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Pye keeps you on your toes (and provides a lot of material for funny stories). Good luck - you are going to need it.

Beth Kephart said...

I don't think I could have done it—found all those ways to make things right for Pye.

I wish you fortitude as the days go on. And I thank you. Yes, encouraging teachers: Unite.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Poor Pye! I love that you still call them jabs ;-)

Very clever to apply while sleeping-- works for kids too.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

You are the absolute BEST story teller! I love reading your writing Sandi. I hope you are able to catch Pye unaware this evening :-)
Hugs,
Penny

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, what a story! That is a good age for a cat. Well held Sir, for one ear at least.
We still have second daughter's cat and most of the pink has faded, shame really, it was such a pretty colour. I dread to think how we would catch her if she needed to see the vet.

Maggie May said...

Oh my.... what a spirited cat!
I used to roll mine up in a towel and just leave the head out & hold the body firmly under my arm, which gave me two hands free for the ears or the tablets! Course eventually the cats went beserk every time they saw a towel!

Rune Eide said...

Petsare like children - only more so!
PS Thank you for the very pleasant comment!

Nessa said...

I love that name.

Hilary said...

For a soft, ordinarily gentle animal, cats sure do put up a valiant fight when confronted with that carrier, and later their meds. You sure do have to summon up super-human strength and wit to win those battles. Great story.. and that's one cool kitty. :)

Gone Back South said...

What a crazy cat! Thanks for visiting my blog ... best wishes to you!

Pam said...

Oh Sandy, thank you for the belly laugh! I have so been there with my George. I use the same technique for getting him in his carrier (turning it on its end). Don't you love how Siamese can turn on a dime and while they are one way with you they have others eating out of their paw? Yeah, they so know what they are doing.

I hope his ears feel better soon!

Anonymous said...

Great story..glad he is going to be okay.

cheshire wife said...

Just think how dificult it would be to administer eye drops!

Jeni said...

Oh yes, how well I too can relate to the methods one resorts to when trying to medicate a cat! Our late (and very great) Gracie Baby was like that too -hiding, giving forth a ferocious battles when meds were needed. Chino, our current baby, so far has not needed anything like that but as soon as the necessary funds are available, she'll be visiting the vet so the necessary steps will be done to prevent her becoming a Mommy Cat. Something that should have been done already judging by the whining/crying and mindless wandering she's been doing the past couple of days as well as her fascination for camping near the front door, waiting to spy an avenue of quick escape so she can turn into a little slut, ya know.
I'll have to give Pyewacket an award that blogger friend, Toni, gave me yesterday for Chino. Look for it on my post sometime very soon. (Translated -as soon as I get my lazy behind in gear and write it up, ya know.)

Dr.John said...

Your cat must be related to our dog. At the vets you could not ask for a better behaved animal. It wouldn't let us cut its nails but the groomer had no trouble at all. It also needed ear drops but it was a battle to put them in.
How do they know?

Lee said...

LOL Well, I think I can tell the cat is reading your mind. Poor Pye having a nasty ear infection.

Guess I'll have to tell you a funny story.

Hugs!
Lee

Anonymous said...

Great post and story, Sandi!

There is no sign, like the one you mentioned, at our Vet. But there is a cat on the counter. Not always the same cat, but a cat. Molly loves all the cats.

Hope Pye's ears are getting better. And hope you have no further medicating problems.;-)

Jeanne said...

hehe love it. We used to have a tortie that had a notation in her records at the vet "gloves needed". Our grandkitty Wildebeast is a sweetheart to the vet and staff he just messes himself on the ride here(unfortunate as he's a white longhair). What adventures our furbabies give us. Good luck with those drops girl.

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

That's GREAT!! Congrats on the strategy so far!! You're just the cat's meow!!

SandyCarlson said...

A great lesson on how to capture a cat!

Nancy said...

LOL! Ohhhh, you make me miss our cat, Koolwhip, known as KiKi. He ran the house much the same way as Pye for 15 years. I still miss him. He was pure white but we could tell he had siamese by the shape of his head, etc. I love male cats. They have such attitudes. KiKi used to "double up" his paw and punch you right in the nose, if he felt like it.

Mary said...

Oh Sandi
Sounds just like Hamish who when last went to the vet had to have his injections through the bars of the cage!!!Hope you and Mac are well Mary

Shrinky said...

Oh, he is such a beauty, isn't he? I love the way you write, Sandi, it's always a treat coming in here. What a brilliant name, Pyewackit! Hope you and he manage to reach a place of mutual consent over these eardrops - smile.

i beati said...

They siamese have an extra ounce of more ferocity I am convinced. Evigny Mimue abides in my bathroom and don't you ever dare to enter there if you are another cat!!

Sweetie said...

I loved hearing about Pye. You really know how to tell a great story. It sounds like you have administering the medication down pact. I hope that Pye is soon back to normal.
Sweetie

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Great post Sandi - brought back lots of memories - made me laugh lots. A x

Anonymous said...

Poor Pyewacket! I hope you manage the drops - I know cats aren't easy! Good luck!

Justabeachkat said...

Oh yes, kids and pets can always made a liar out of us! LOL

You show him whose boss, okay?

Hugs!
Kat

RiverPoet said...

Oh my God - I feel your pain! Whenever my cats need meds, forget it - it takes two of us, definitely. But my dogs? They put up with it, thank goodness, because with bulldogs, you must clean ears, wrinkles, and tushies every day or risk infection.

Poor Pyewackit! He sure is a handsome guy, though....Peace - D

tlchang said...

Heh - love the cat stories. They are *so* distinctive, and ornery, and opinionated (and you describe them so well. I can picture so many lolcat captions written by you :-).

Best wishes with your beastie!

Mickle in NZ said...

Pye is a true Siamese - a fiesty example of the breed. The cat I chose as a nine year old was 1/4 siamese - all the attitude, intelligence and ferrocious territorial protecting with out the physical slender grace.

Thank goodness my Zebby lad is part Burmese - has the bloke Burmese laid-back-ness, and chattering company, though he is very possesive of Mickle.

Cat loving cat owners - we do so bring it on ourselves.

Hope Pye's ears are soon better, loving huggles to you all, Mickle in NZ

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Ohhh........I love your blog!!
We are animal rescuer's and in love with all things furry.
Fantastic blog you have going here and I will definately be back :)
Take good care and......

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Girl, where's your hunny from? Tell him I'm orginally from Mobile and lived on Dauphin Island for many, many years in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. He's gotta be a great guy and a fantastic catch if he's from Alabama :)
My Prince is from London and he's just the love of my life.
I love the ditty about "Satan sighs". That's the way I live too hon. My motto is 'GO BIG OR GO HOME!!".

Sandy said...

I have to put Miss Yoda in a carrier feet first to get her to the vet. She is all lovey-dovey in the carrier on the way there, but once we get there she is the hiss & growl queen! She is a total brat the whole time we are there and then becomes the spokescat for carrier companies everywhere when she walks into the carrier eagerly after the vet is done with her!

Sandy said...

p.s. Hope the ears are all better!

Thom - - Dr. John said...

Just had a trip to the vet with one of my kitties this week too. Fortunately no ear drops were involved. Hope Pye is doing alright and all the skin is still on both of your arms!

The Muse said...

LOL :)
Great post...I really had fun being here this evening!

Janice said...

Oh, I'm so glad we didn't have as much excitement going to the vet this week as you did! My cat, Annie, is blogging with me and hopes that Pyewackits ears are doing better.

Donna said...

GeeZ!!! He's beautiful! They Always make liars out of us when they are in Front of the Vet!!hahahaa....Hope he gets over all that ear itch!!hughugs

Anonymous said...

I think I'm glad I only have 5 pound dogs.

Unknown said...

Finally made it here to read about Pye. Oh my LOL, he sounds just like Sukie my 14lb 12" part siamese teddy bear!

Our three all had ear mites after we got the baby and so we had to do this daily times 3 - toal nightmare, so you have my sympathies. Wrapping them in a towel helps if all else fails.

Deb said...

Hi ~ I can so relate to this! My dog had an ear infection recently and I had to put drops in her ear. No easy task - at all. Best of luck as you try to convince Pye to be a good patient!

By the way - there is a small surprise for you over at my place :)

San said...

You make cat doctoring sound as easy as Pye, Sandi. Good luck with the continuing treatments.

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

Love this story. I wish you a great week...m.

Anonymous said...

going back to hospital
Hi darlings,just visiting and to let y'all know I will be going back to hospital Monday to have a kidney removed.hope to be back home in a few weeks and get to talk and visit with y'all.I miss being on here to chat and see what everyone is doing and creating.xxoo

This is Dusty,one of Mama's daughters.She has had a really bad night with the pain,If any of her friends here would like to see a donation in a small creation of art , cards or money it would be greatly appreciated. Her hospital bills and meds are running high.Thank you for any thoughts.
It can be sent to
Jessie LaVon
p.o.box 854
Demopolia ,Alabama 36732

Sandi McBride said...

I'm sorry to say I have no idea who Jessie Lavon is...and whoever she is, the name of the town in Alabama is misspelled. I know, I lived in Demopolis Alabama over 30 years ago. Please, do not send any money to this person as I can not verify the authenticity of their claim.
Sandi

Mockingbird Hill said...

HA! The two sweet kitties we have now will let us cut nails, give meds, whatever...but the ol' boy that was with us for 16 years before these cuties was a terror! Finally figured out that we could grab him when he least expected it and wrap him in a big towel, covering all those claws. Hub would hold and I would do what needed to be done. Even cut claws, sneaking out one paw at a time. Oh, there are a few battle scars (on us) but, it all got done. All in the name of kitty love.. :)

Cheffie-Mom said...

I laughed out loud, when I pictured you running in to get the drops, while Pye was sleeping. Good luck! (:

Aunt Julie said...

Glad Pye-and YOU-are all right after that ordeal! What a cute kitty, though...we've gotta do for them what we've gotta do, right? Hey...I've left a bit o' bloggy bling at my place for you today. Please come check it out!

Jules~ said...

Isn't that just the way it goes? Whether it be going to the vet or taking the children to the doctor, they are always much better that we have predicted.
And I haven't told you before but I LOVE all the fun names you give your animals.

Blessings to you today.

Akelamalu said...

LOL Pye's gonna be watching and waiting for you! :)

San said...

Sandi, I lived in Demopolis over 30 years ago, but just for a summer. What were you doing there?

Anonymous said...

Just popped back to say there's an award for you at my place. :)

Sally said...

Well, that was wierd, eh? Whoever it is, I hope they're going to be okay though.

Hope you're okay too, and Pye!! :)

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Come on over to my placeSandi, you have an award to pick up.

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

Gosh you're brave. I can't get near cats - they frighten me! Eek.

Sandi I have a huge apology to make. I feel berated and sorry that I haven't added to the short story you so very kindly showed an interest in and will be writing the next instalment sooooooooon (I also need to update my novel. There are reasons for my absence but no excuses.) Goodness I only just found your comments and am flattered indeed. Thank you x

Susie Q said...

Oh how I loved this story...as a cat owner I totally relate! And no one writes a story like our Sandi!

Bill took Henry on his last check up and poor Hen avoided Bill for a week!

Poor Pye...feeling better now?

Love,
Sue

Lib said...

Hi,
Trying to catch up on my visits.
Hope alls well with you:o)
Blessins',Lib

Marites said...

I had so much fun with your cat post:D Sometimes, I think cats can really know what you're about to do. Quite smart animals:) Hope Pye's doing well now.

Lew said...

Pye sounds like cats we ahve had, especially the under the bed trick at the first sign of the carrier. Siamese are the only cas we will have now. Marianne had a old, female seal point when we got married and we 've had several more. Now we have the two mixed siamese we aopted from the Siamese rescue folks.