THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM

     Today we had a little bit of excitement here!
     When I got up to go to the bathroom today, instead of Sylvie, Chickie enthusiastically ran ahead of me there. I don't know, why cats find it so alluring to go with us to the john! Maybe, they react to us suddenly walking somewhere, like it was the most important thing in the world. Cats are predators and need to be engaged in rigorous activity. Unfortunately, the indoor cats lack that purpose in their lives, and that's why are prone to being bossy (like Sylvie) or naughty (like Chickie). Or, maybe, they like it that you can't get away from them in the bathroom, and they have you for themselves there!
     Anyway, today it was my twelve year old tubby cat, who took me to restroom. While I was occupied, he tried to snip a piece of plastic from a toilet paper package on the floor. That's when I first noticed it: he suddenly shook his head, like something was bothering him. He did it a few times, and I thought that, he might've had a piece of plastic stuck in his teeth. I watched him do it many more times during the morning. He didn't come to beg for milk, like he usually does. I also saw his lip twitch, as if it was irritated. 
     During the breakfast, although he begged for food, when

Roberta gave in and broke off a bit of sausage for him, he didn't eat it! Same thing happened at lunch time. That was it: I yelled for Sonny to get off the couch, where he spent the whole morning, and together we tried to pry Chickie's mouth open to look inside. 
     Those needle-like teeth really hurt, when they close on your fingers! We passed Chickie to each other, like he was a hot potato, each of us thinking that he or I will be better at getting at the root of problem. Chickie's eyes were about to pop: the pupils became so large from fright! Finally, Sonny declared that he saw a piece of bone in Chickie's gum between the teeth. We would have to go to the vet to get it out.
     All that time, I was waiting for my food to cook, and didn't like it at all, that now, when everything was ready, we had to leave. Sonny said something... I thought, I heard words "insensitive" and "cruel"... OK, OK, we'll go now!
     Everybody, including Roberta and Reina, wanted to go to the vet! We extricated frightened Chickie from under Roberta's bed and stuck him into a pet-carrier. He immediately started a mournful dirge: "M-m-m-ow! M-m-m-ow!" 
     That's how we spent the time driving. Chickie never stopped crying, although he made some variations in the tune. 
     Did you ever try to call the information to get a number while getting onto the freeway? Well, - don't try it! Automated voice refused to understand my Russian accent, which got thicker from stress. I slammed the phone shut, swerved  crazily into a lane and decided to just surprise the animal clinic's staff with the appearance of an injured cat followed by four people, - one of them - with a walker!
   

 It took two people to get Chickie's mouth opened. The doctor looked and looked and then said: "There is nothing here!"
     

I made an effort and closed my own mouth. Nothing there? Like with Sonny's cut a few weeks before, we didn't need to go to doctor? I will just shell out my money for: "there is nothing here"?!
     Sonny was rooting in the pet-carrier. "Could that be it?" - he asked, showing a tiny something to the doctor. My jaw dropped ajar

the bone was about a fifth of
an inch long

again: they found a little piece of bone that Chickie dislodged from his gum while meowing on the way to

the vet! "He-he-he!" - the nurse giggled - "Chicken Bone's

Yep, that's how they labeled the little vial with the bone.

(Chickie's real name) chicken bone!" I didn't know, whether I should laugh or cry or smack the nurse!
     In a meanwhile, the doctor was feeling Chickie over his whole body and listening to his lungs and heart. We were happy to hear that he has very good teeth for a 12 year old, as well as his weight and lungs. That 's why it took me a minute to understand the doc, when she said: "He has a heart murmur". 
     She let Chickie go. He scooted off the table and into a tight

"Safe place. No one will look for me  here, I think!"

                                        

                                                                       

 place behind me on a bench. I put my hand back and could feel his warm, moist muzzle. 

     "Elderly cats can get heart murmur because of different reasons. We should get some bloodwork done, to see, if it's because of the problems with his heart, kidneys or thyroid that Chicken Bone's got it". 

Roberta, is listening to the vet while Chickie hopes that no one
can see him on top of my purse.

     I noticed, of course, that Chickie became slower and mellower than before. Taking him to the vet usually costs a lot, so I hoped that, these changes were due to his age. Now we knew better!
     The nurse took Chickie to get blood. He just hissed at her, but didn't try to scratch or bite or run away. She brought him back a few minutes later, saying that, he was the best patient they've had that whole day. Somehow, it made me even sadder to hear it! 
     While I paid ($268.00 - and we just did half of the things that the vet suggested!), Sonny took Chickie and the rest of my retinue to the car. Chicken Bone, probably, knew that we were going home, because he didn't meow at all on the way! 

This seriously bossy cat oversees our vet's practice,
Arroyo Veterinary Clinic, for years now!