“Turn your head and cough”

OK, my visit to the doctor on Wednesday for my annual physical didn’t go down quite that way, but it was full of high anxiety and drama nonetheless. It began with Those Two trying to round me up and put me into my pet carrier for the short drive to the Chariho Animal Hospital. Ha! They couldn’t find me! Then Mama G remembered that the FedEx Man had paid us a visit not 10 minutes before and, knowing that I hate the sound of the doorbell, she found me in my safe space in the basement ceiling. It took another five minutes for them to lure me out with treats, and by then they were running a bit late.

I was a pretty good boy during the drive, with minimal crying. I heard them talking about whether I remembered doing this last year, and the year before. Well, of course! I’m not stupid!

But my memory of such visits is actually a good thing, because I’ve never really minded going to see Dr. Joan Matyia. The office itself is really nice. There are separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats, so I don’t have to listen to some big, slobbery, barking dog. That design was sheer genius! There are also lots of cute kitty photos hanging on the wall to soothe cats and their parents. And the exam room itself has a nice view of the woods and the nearby road, so I have lots of animal and human activity to watch to help keep my mind off whatever lies ahead.

OK, you’re probably wondering, how did it go? First, the bad news. It seems I’ve gained a little weight, just as I had the year before, and the year before that. I tried to blame it on the holidays, but Dr. Matyia wasn’t having it. I now am officially on a diet.

The good news is, my teeth are fine, or at least what’s left of them. I’m down to about three now. But my dental problems are apparently not interfering with my eating habits. I also got another rabies shot, even though I’m strictly an indoor cat. But you never know, I just might decide to bolt if I’ve ever had enough of Those Two and their shenanigans.

So overall it was a very good visit, although of course I was happy to return home. But I can’t thank Dr. Matyia and her staff enough for being so kind, gentle and compassionate. See you next year!