it's so heart wrenching to see them suffer.

After hearing that a friend's veterinary bill for cat dental work was over $500 I decided to take Louie in for "preventive maintenance" since his teeth (what I could see of them) didn't look too bad, but his gums were kind of red.

A call from the vet after Louie was anesthetized informed me that his teeth, along with his gums and the surrounding bone structure, were in bad shape and several would have to be removed.

He came home with antibiotic and pain killer and did seem to be fine, if a bit quiet. (He had also had two innoculations. A lot for a little cat to take in one day.)

He had the work done on Tuesday and yesterday, Friday, when it came time for him to charge out of his quarters for breakfast he was nowhere to be seen. A short search found him on a guest bed, curled up and unenthusiastic about getting up.

I brought him to the kitchen table (which we never use - it's been dedicated to cat feeding) where I offered some Fancy Feast. He sniffed at it and didn't take any. I also noticed he was doing a lot of sneezing.

Made an appointment to take him back to the vet where they kept him for most of the day and hydrated him with an IV of water under his skin. We agreed that he was probably having a recurrence of an upper respiratory virus with which he had had a couple of bouts when he first joined the family 5 years ago. The congestion takes away his ability to smell food and thus, no appetite.

When I picked him up he was very quiet and just went to sleep - still didn't want any food. I noticed a wet spot on his back and wondered if he had taken up Beegie's sport of playing with the faucet I allow to drip for her. I wiped it off and a few seconds later it was wet again! Realized it was the water the vet had injected into him!

He spent the rest of the day and night sleeping and instead of closing him in quarters across the house I put him back in the laundry room, hoping I'd be once again awakened by his familiar "It's time to get up, Ma" door banging too early in the morning.

I was not disappointed! Louie is feeling much better today. Still sneezing, but much more active and verbal, even purring, and he has made a few lusty grabs at his food.

I'm relieved.