Gracie update, um, whatever: Frankenkitty no more

Gracie went to the vet this morning to have her staples removed. I’ll find out in an hour or so whether this means bellyrubs are back.

She is down to a svelte ten pounds, which is probably where she should be, but the rapid weight loss has made her bony in the butt and on the back, so I am doing my best to fatten her up a bit. I bought the special low-fiber cat food at the vet’s while I was there, and to my delight, both she and Tig liked it immediately. No wet food available. I’ll try that later in the week. It isn’t necessary, but I’m going to use it until Gracie puts on a little more weight. She’s at least maintaining. She may actually have lost closer to three pounds. If I’m not mistaken, Gracie, a towel, and the cat carrier weighed 17.2 pounds on the first trip to the vet in October. The three objects were down to 14 pounds today, and the carrier and towel total four pounds. My poor girl. She felt so light when I carried her down the stairs to imprison her in the cat carrier. No wonder she’s been feeling so bad. Imagine how you’d feel if you lost a quarter of your body weight. Oh, wait. I’d feel great! I’d be as skinny now as when I was in my thirties and smoking!

Ahem.

In any case, Miss Gracie has been sleeping at my left most nights now, except when she’s sulking because she’s tired of the meds, or not feeling very well. A few nights ago, Mr. Snoopy the Goon, she slept on my feet for hours, thus proving that I do not, indeed, move much in my sleep. Lucky for her the quilt padded my feet. No toenails sticking into her. And tonight is the last night for ear goop, so she’s going to like evenings and mornings a whole lot more. All I have to give her is half a Predinisone after tonight. Then about a week more and we’re down to half a pill a day. I bought a piller, but it’s not working as well with the half pills as it was with the whole ones. The vet offered to give me liquid, and I said, “And how is it going to be easier to shove liquid down her throat?”

She spends a lot of time sitting in the chair next to me, no matter where I am. But she’s not back to normal yet. She isn’t sunning in the window in the morning, and we’re not having our morning and evening bellyrub sessions. She used to lean into being petted with great enthusiasm; now, unless she initiates it, she flinches away from my hand. The vet told me not to read anything into it, and reminded me that she’s been through a lot these last two months. She has, and I’m starting to wonder if you can sue a vet for malpractice. Because I really, really, really don’t want to pay them for the pain and suffering they put my Sweetness through by making her undergo two operations.

But that’s a story for another time.

Almost time for Gracie’s evening pill. I will cross my firngers for bellyrubs tonight.