Cat wrangling

Bailey & Sully
Bailey & Sully

I got my first cat, Sully, in 2003. Prior to that I’d been a devout “DOG PERSON.” Cats were evil, though I didn’t know why. I think it was because I brother didn’t like cats so I figured I shouldn’t like them either. However my now-husband convinced me otherwise.

So, in summer 2003, I became a dog AND cat person. Sully has proven to be… a grumpy old man even before he got “old.”

My vet’s office in Texas actually would warn new hires about Sully due to how he freaks out at the vets office. I would take him in to get his claws trimmed, and it would take four people to get the job done even AFTER a muzzle was put on him! Quickly it came to pass that I’d walk in and the words, “cat rodeo” would be uttered, and new hires would stare in awe and go, “So THAT’S Sully…”

Needless to say, I think they were relieved when I moved to Nashville.

In fall 2007, we adopted another cat. Little Bailey came into our life as a sweet, innocent, cuddly ball of fur. And in the past year grew up to be a spray-crazy, vocal little annoyance. We’d never gotten him neutered, and the last straw was the day he sprayed on our bed. The next morning I was making him an appointment threatening to “cut ’em off on my own with a pair of scissors” if the spraying didn’t stop already!

However, silly me did not make note of the fact that I’d scheduled the neutering (and shots for Sully) on a day my husband would be on the road. He has been safe and sound on a tour bus all day while I wrangled our sons.

Bailey wasn’t too difficult this morning. I honestly think it was just because he didn’t know what was happening. He’d never been in a pet carrier before, and it didn’t seem to phase him too much. I was amazed when they called me half an hour later to let me know the procedure had gone fine.

Sully, on the other hand, bolted as soon as he saw his pet carrier come out of the back shed. Wrangling him into the truck was not fun, but at least once he was inside the carrier he was nice and calm during the hour and a half wait in the waiting room to see the vet for shots and a checkup. I briefly, foolishly, thought maybe with age he’d mellowed.

NOPE!

Upon entrance into the examining room, my mellow, snugly Sully turned into something resembling a mountain lion. Hissing. Batting. Snapping. It took three of us to make the shots even happen! I swear it was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

I eventually gathered up my babies — Bailey with a list of dos and don’ts for the night, which will be interesting to do and not do considering I have to work tonight — and came home. Only to hit my head trying to wrangle car carriers in the garage. (Don’t ask how, just know it was like the last straw.)

Now, Sully is Mr. Loving again. And Bailey won’t let me come within four feet of him without bolting. At least hubby comes home tonight and can watch the while I am at work. They’ll only go a few hours unattended. So hopefully no one pulls out any sutures not vomits all over the house.

Cat wrangling.

It really should be a sport.