Yukky medicine

It's been awhile since my last update on Socks. Life's continued pretty much in a regular pattern of sleep, play and general cuteness. I've got a video I shot that I hope to get up on YouTube eventually of Socks fascinated with a hockey game on tv, trying to catch the puck and the tiny hockey players on the screen.

We've had some excitement the past couple of weeks. Socks seemed to be really tired and "down in the dumps" for a few days, sleeping alot. It came to a climax when he hid behind the end table in my living room one evening and slept there the whole night and into the next morning. He was due for booster shots in a few weeks and I had set up something with the vet, but this seemed serious; I called and set up an appointment that day.

My friend Sean went with me and helped me get him into the carrier. Socks felt so bad that he didn't put up much of a struggle, but I was nervous about what might be going on.

Socks didn't like the vet. In the waiting room filled with kitties in carriers and dogs on leashes, he watched, wide eyed and attentive. He was also shedding, which I found out isn't unusual for cats that are frightened. They took him in eventually and examined him and he did well with all the temperature taking and probing. (Though he _really_ didn't like the fecal sample test.)

Turns out he was running a fever of about 103 and had some kind of infection, possibly from gingivitis. They gave him some fluids and antibiotics and he was noticeably improved just a few hours later and back to his old self in a day or two.

I had to give him antibiotics twice a day. He didn't care for it much and sulked a bit, but it had to be done. Of course, he got a little treat afterwards.

When I took him back, he had gained a bit of weight and seemed to be in good health. I have an appointment set to take him in tomorrow morning to get his teeth cleaned and take care of the gingivitis.

The teeth cleaning means another round of oral antibiotics, but this was a bit different. The vet described them as "yukky" and suggested chilling them in the fridge. Indeed, it must have been "yukky" - the first time I gave him a dose, he jumped out of my lap and went around the apartment wharfing like he was going to throw up and kept it up for a couple of hours. And he didn't want anything to do with me.

The past couple of days haven't been as bad. I've been able to give him the medicine and he'll sulk around for a few minutes and give me dirty looks before a treat and playing with the water in the sink makes everything better.

However, this morning, Socks intentionally or accidentally learned a little trick. When I squirted the "yukky" antibiotics in his mouth, he immediately spit them in my face and quickly jumped out of my lap.

I just sat there a moment with a face full of goo, amazed at what he'd done. The vet was right - this stuff is "yukky". I washed my face, got another dose and tried again. And, yes, he spit it in my face again.

Now, Socks is pissed and hiding in a corner. No more "yukky" meds for him today, I suppose.