Traumatizing My Pets For Your Freedom

Today was the second of three appointments for my cats to get all of their paperwork squared away before we take them to Japan. Last time was their first rabies shot and their microchips. Today was the second rabies shot and the feline distemper shot. In two weeks, they have to have blood drawn to prove they had their rabies shots.

They HOWLED the entire way to the vet, but once we got out of the car, Annie stopped squawking. I think she just doesn't like being in the car. She was quiet and patient in the waiting room. Midget whiiiiiiiined the entire time. You'd swear she was being tortured. When we got home, she sat next to the fireplace and glared at me. Even now, two hours later, she's sitting by the front door staring at me. If looks could kill...

Now, if I were running a vet clinic, I would think it might be wise to designate 2 days a week to routine DOG visits, and 2 days a week to routine CAT visits. Obviously there's no predicting emergencies...but honestly, my cats might have been *slightly* less annoyed had they not had to sit in a waiting room full of yapping, barking, peeing, bouncing DOGS. Not a single other cat in the waiting room...just dogs.

The actual torture and torment part of the visit only lasted a couple of minutes, but then we found out that they had screwed up on the paperwork and listed the wrong microchips for each cat. Annie is now Midget, Midget is now Annie. What a pain. So they told me it was going to take a half hour or so to get the paperwork straightened out. I decided to take the cats home and come back, lest I scar them any further.

It turns out that that was a wise decision. When I returned, the waiting room was CRAWLING with dogs. It's definitely a good thing we left; Annie might have used her telekinetic powers to toss the dogs against the windows or something.

But eventually, all was done, and now we're all home. Midget is still pissed, but Annie has resumed her usual spot on the armrest of the couch with all four paws hanging down. As far as they know, the trauma is over.

I haven't told them about the visit in two weeks.

I also haven't told them about the 5 day, cross-country road trip a week after that.

And I most certainly haven't mentioned the 10+ hour flight after that.

So...shhhh...