Buddy the Gourd!

What's happening?

July 27, 2004

Everything was going great at home. I had managed to curb my natural self a little bit and wasn't biting Frances quite so often, which made her happy. We got along pretty well I thought. I pretty much gave up insisting on sleeping on her head and trying to escape out the back door. What else could you want from me? Okay, whenever she got out her keyboard, laptop thing I had to sit on the keys creating havoc I gather from Frances' reaction. I always need to get into the center of things. But that is something that I absolutely cannot control. And when I've been left alone for hours, I need some attention. I need someone to play with me and help me let off some steam. I'm an active cat. I really need that. You can't expect me to sit there like some big old piece of meat loaf napping on one of the chairs. Well, I can do that for a few hours, but not all of the time. I have to run around the house and tear up the rugs and play with my toys and I need some attention. I have no apologies to make for my behavior.

So anyway, one evening, everything was going great. I had spent a nice half hour sitting on Frances' stomach. I'd spent some time sitting on the porch following the birds flying around outside. It was a nice semi-warm summer evening. The sky was beginning to darken as the sun started to go down. I was looking forward to Frances pulling down the shades and us settling in for the evening, perhaps taking a short nap before bed time or playing with some of my toys.

Then all of a sudden out of nowhere, Frances puts on her shoes, whips out my cage and tosses me inside -- no explanations. The next thing I know, we're off driving in her car. I make no noises at all, I am so completely surprised. What's happening? Are we going to the doctor again? Yes, I think I recognize the route. Okay, this isn't so bad. The last time we only stayed for a few minutes and were able to return home. I can take a short interruption of my usual routine. We're at the vet. In the office. There are a couple of very big dogs around, making a lot of noise. But they don't scare me. We wait around while the person at the desk looks for some papers I guess. I don't know. We're waiting. And then finally, Frances is taking me out of my cage. Hooray!! But wait, she's handing me off to someone. She's leaving. I'm carried away into the vet's office. Frances! Frances! Don't leave me! What's happening? What did I do?

What procedures will they put me through this time? The last time they knocked me out and did something awfully invasive. The cat in the cage next to mine explained that I would no longer be able to have kittens and I thought, "h'mm, that doesn't sound too bad. I've had so many kittens." What could they do to me now?

I've been here for six days now. Nothing much has happened to me. They poked me with a needle once. They feed me. Someone will stop by every once in a while and give me a pat and call me a good kitty. Often, they will mispronounce my name. It's Smuf! It rhymes with puff or tough. It's not smoof or smurf. Oh, poor me. I can't take this. How long will it go on for? Day after day in a little cage. Stuffed in a room full of other kitties. Some sick and recovering. Some healthy and just hanging out like me. What's going to happen to me? Will someone new adopt me? Will I have to get used to a new person and a new home? Will I ever have a home again or will I just hang out in this cage forever? I miss having a home that I could rule. So many windows to sit in. So many chairs and soft places to choose from when I wanted to lay down. I could move about when I wanted to. I even miss Frances. Will I ever see her again?

What should I do if I do see her again? Should I be happy? Or should I be very mad at her? H'mm, I can't decide. We'll see. We'll see. Ah, in the meantime I guess I'll just try to make myself as comfortable as possible and see if I can take a nap and have some pleasant dreams. Dream about something nice. About chasing a mouse. About running free.

- Posted by Smuf at 09:29 PM