An Unexpected Vet Visit

WAFFLES:  So Boss, is it your fault that we're going to the vet again?

KATIE:  I didn't do anything. Don't try and pin this on ME, Waffles.

WAFFLES:  But Glogirly says I'm a ride-along. That means YOU'RE going to the vet.

KATIE:  Yeah well If I'M going to the vet, how come YOU'RE sitting in the seat next to me?

 *2 hours later, back at the Townhouse...*

WAFFLES:  Wow, Boss. Your Sleepypod really smells. 

KATIE:  Yeah Waffles... I wouldn't talk. 

Hello Again, My Vet ♫♩

Our friends that have been with us for awhile know that Katie is being treated for IBD, Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She's been doing SO great on her whole food diet. It's made all the difference for her. She's feeling so much better - enjoying eating, enjoying affection, playing... enjoying life. 

But not everyday is all sunshine and rainbows. Every once in awhile her symptoms will flare up, which for her means vomiting. It doesn't happen often... in fact the last flare up she had was about 4 months ago which was the longest time she'd gone without any problems at all. But when her breakfast didn't stay down and neither did a few treats, Glogirly knew she needed a little help.

Some cats with IBD take a daily steroid to help with inflammation in their GI tract. Fortunately Katie takes one only occasionally, whenever she has a flare up. Just to be on the safe side, Katie saw her regular vet to make sure everything was ok and there wasn't anything else we were missing. 

Despite her disdain for the clinic and staff (she's got a reputation to uphold) Katie did so well. She allowed the doctor to fully examine her and she's in great health. Perfect weight (9.5 pounds), healthy vital signs and the silkiest coat of any cat her vet has ever touched. Katie and Dr. Karlin have a special agreement about taking temperatures too. They've agreed it's just not going to happen. 

Katie will be taking just a little bit of Prednisolone (a steroid) for a few days. She had one dose at the clinic and no trouble with her dinner when we got home. 

Waffles– Along for the Ride

As for Waffles, he did great as a ride-along. He comes with every time, even when he doesn't need to see the vet, because he's not too fond of how Katie smells when she comes home from the vet. (It's an actual thing and is called Displacement Aggression) Bringing them both means that any strange vet-smell is on both of them. 

In case you missed it, we did an article on Displacement Aggression last November: 

When Being a Brat is Normal: 
7 Tips to Dealing with Displacement Aggression in Cats

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Double Date

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss! Are you ready for our double date? 

KATIE:  Double Date??? In THIS??? There's so many things wrong with that statement, I don't know where to start.

WAFFLES:  You can ride in your own carrier if you want. 

WAFFLES:  I'll even let you pick which one!

WAFFLES:  I KNOW you really like the round one!

KATIE:  Don't get too ahead of yourself, Waffles. Let's go back. Double DATE???

WAFFLES:  Yeah! Glogirly said we're BOTH going to the vet on Monday. 

KATIE:  Whoa, whoa, whoa...  the VET???

WAFFLES:  Didn't you get the email? 

KATIE:  Email? Since when do you get email?

WAFFLES:  We got an email from Dr. Karlin inviting us in for a wellness visit. Doesn't that sound like fun? I bet there's treats and games and stuff.

KATIE:  Yeah like, Where's the Thermometer.

WAFFLES:  Is that like Hide and Seek?

KATIE:  No but come Monday morning I'm going to hide. And Glogirly's going to have to seek.

WAFFLES:  Don't worry, Boss. I bet that Where's the Thermometer game is going to be fun!

A Double Date to Remember
That's right, Waffles and I are going to the vet TOGETHER on Monday. You may have read about Waffles and his recent Displacement Aggression. It's very common when just one cat from a household visits the vet and comes home smelling like... well, the VET.  One thing you can do to help prevent that sort of thing is to visit the vet together. Not sure I'd go as far as to call it a double date though.

Read our recent article: When Being a Brat is Normal: 7 Tips to Dealing with Displacement Aggression in Cats

Back to Normal: As Normal as Normal Can Be

KATIE:  I want to thank all of you for your kind words and concern for me after yesterday's not-so-funny blog post. Life is complicated enough living with Waffles. Couple that with an unexpected trip to the vet and it's a recipe for disaster. 

Earlier today, Glogirly lifted Waffles' quarantine... much to my chagrin. I kind of like having the orange terrorist contained behind a locked door. But I suppose all good things must come to an end.

So I've been making up for lost time by focusing on my beauty regime. 

You would not BELIEVE how hard it is to get the smell of a fresh BATH off your fur. 

That's right, I had a BATH. In the TUB. With WATER. And cat SHAMPOO. Did you hear that, Waffles??? I had a BATH and it's all your fault.

WAFFLES:  *gulp*

When Being a Brat is Normal:

Displacement Aggression in Cats

If you're just tuning in, we published a very important blog post yesterday about Displacement Aggression in Cats and our own experience dealing with it. It's important because we think it may help many of our friends and readers overcome this very common problem. 

Click HERE to read about what we've learned and what works for us.

When Being a Brat is Normal - 7 Tips for Dealing with Displacement Aggression in Cats

WAFFLES:  Whoa! Something smells FUNNY. 

 WAFFLES:  Not haha-funny, but funny-funny. Stinky-funny.

WAFFLES:  Ok, there's some seriously WRONG smells going on in here.

WAFFLES:  Huh? I'm being quarantined? You mean like quarters and dimes and stuff? 

WAFFLES:  Uh, how many quarters and dimes to get me out of here???

Taking a Time-Out

Yes, it's true. Waffles has been quarantined. I know... this isn't exactly the stuff of which funny cat blogs are made. But everyday we write about what's going on in our lives and usually that means writing about what's made us laugh. We don't schedule our blog posts weeks or even days in advance. We're much more in-the-moment kinds of cats. 

Today, we're taking a brief time-out to talk about a different kind of time-out. 

Displacement Aggression

Our vet calls it Displacement Aggression. It's a very normal, albeit unnerving, behavioral challenge that can often present itself when one or more of the cats in a household visit the vet and return home smelling not at all like themselves. It doesn't even have to be the vet... it may involve extended travel or time away from home. 

Our Story

Those of you that read our blog regularly know that Waffles and Glogirly spent a little over a week away from the Townhouse. First in NYC, then Atlanta. It's not uncommon for reentry to become problematic when you've been away for so long.

What you don't know is that while Waffles was away, I had an unexpected date with the emergency vet. Don't worry... I'm fine now. But I had a bacterial infection that landed me at the regular vet, then the ER vet. There was anesthesia involved, antibiotics... I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice it to say, I wasn't feeling OR smelling like myself.

When Waffles returned home, he noticed right away. Usually he'd just start up where he left off, chasing red dots and bouncing off the walls. But his time, he looked at me like he'd never seen me before. When the hissing and growling started, Glogirly stepped in and separated us. 

Though this is the first time, anything like this has happened to us, it's actually very common. Some cats will react in this way after a standard wellness check at the vet. We even know some cats who all go to the vet together, just so they'll smell the same when they come home. 

7 Tips to Bringing Back Peace & Harmony

We figured if this is happening here, that it just might be happening in your house too. So we wanted to share some of the things we're doing to bring back our own peace and harmony.

1. SEPARATE QUARTERS

We've got Waffles staying in what used to be the kitten-room when he was brought home for the first time. It's got all the comforts, including a litter box, toys, food, treats, water, blankets, his carrier, a scratching post and windows.

2. THE DOOR CRACK

After the first 24-48 hours, we've securely cracked the door so that we're able to see and smell each other. See our door-crack technique HERE.

3. DINNER SERVED DOOR-SIDE

It's important to associate good things with the door like food, treats, even toys.

4. CALMING AIDS

We use Feliway diffusers in nearby outlets and Feliway spray to neutralize the air and instill a sense of familiarity and calm. In addition, use Spirit Essenses Stress Stopper and Peacemaker.  Just a few drops petted onto our furs help to ease the stress. Waffles is also wearing a calming collar. (these are not affiliate links... just links to show you what WE use.)

5. ROOM SWAPPING

A couple times a day, Glogirly puts me in Waffles' room while Waffles is allowed to explore the rest of the house. This helps him become acquainted with my smell again. And I can make sure he's not got more food than I do. ; )

6. SOCKS???

Glogirly rubs Waffles' head and mouth area with a sock, then rubs that scent onto me... and vice versa. It's all about getting him comfortable with my scent.

7. PATIENCE

The hardest part. Every cat and every situation is different. It may take just a day or two... or a whole week. Take it slow. 

Cat Disclaimer! 

Please remember we're just a couple of funny cats. We're not vets, we're not really professional anything, except maybe professional chicken-eaters. Our first point of contact whenever anything doesn't seem right is our vet. We have a great relationship with her and everyone at the clinic. We can't stress enough how important that is. It should never be your last call.