Friday, April 9, 2010

Twenty questions from each kid and one from me

Our cat, Boots got neutered yesterday. The kids' questions came immediately and rapidly. Here's a sampling: Why did they cut off his bum? What did they do with it (my personal favorite)? How will that make him fight less? Does that mean he's a girl now? Do they do that to human boys too? Did they do it on purpose?...You get the point.

My question came from the post-surgery literature, the section that tells you the things you are supposed to monitor: (1)loss of appetite, (2)refusal to drink water, (3)weakness, (4)depression, (5)vomiting, (6)diarrhea. They all seem fairly clear except number 4-I'm not sure how to tell if Boots is depressed. What exactly does a depressed cat look like? I decided to do some research, and here's what I found: "Has your normally friendly cat started to hide under beds, cower in corners, and generally avoid interaction?" OK, I guess that would be obvious. Now, here's what you're supposed to do if your cat is showing signs of depression: "A vet visit is a must! Your vet will help try and figure out what's causing, and how to help treat your kitty's depression. Sometimes medication for a period of time can be of help." I had no idea. I would love to sit in on one of those evaluations where the vet "tries to figure out what's causing...your kitty's depression". But, for now, I'm off to check the litter box for diarrhea.

1 comment:

  1. I had no idea there were such issues in cat land.

    And I'm wondering if you asked the vet "what do they do with it?" and if you plan on sharing the answer. I'll skip reading that day.

    Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.

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