Today I took my cats Jiku and Shuba to the vet.
There’s nothing wrong with them in particular. It was their usual annual check-up.
Some years of experience taught me that it helps to get the cats accustomed to their carriers. I normally keep the carriers on the floor of my apartment, under a chair or in an otherwise unused spot. They occasionally hang out in them and store their cat toys there (meaning I toss the toys inside and they fetch them out).
A few days ago, to get them used to the idea, I put the carriers on top of my gaming table to encourage extra acclimatization. I few minutes later I walk past the table and see this:
About two hours before the vet visit, I give my cats Gabapentin; half a pill for Shuba and one-and-a-half for Jiku. In the past, Jiku has reacted violently to having his claws clipped. The medication is supposed to help.
It didn’t. He had to be muzzled during the clipping, and again later during the vet’s examination.
The real adventure was in going home. I got the cats in car, buckled up Jiku’s carrier in the passenger car seat, and put Shuba’s carrier in the passenger seat well. I started to head out.
Before I exited the parking lot, Shuba escaped.
The practical result was that Shuba was now free to roam around in the car.
He had no idea what was going on, of course. He moved from place to place, including my lap, exploring this strange new world. He meowed in confusion. He wasn’t imprisoned any more, but he still wasn’t home.
I was aware of the risks. What if he ducked underneath the brake pedal and I needed to make a sudden stop?
However, I couldn’t think of anything else that wouldn’t potentially involve a different risk. In retrospect, I could have carried him back to the vet’s office and purchased a temporary cardboard carrier. I didn’t think of that.
So I drove home. Slowly.
Occasionally he looked out the window. I wonder if anyone outside the car saw him. I wasn’t paying attention to that. I was focused on the road, on the pedestrians, and on gently easing him off my lap when he hopped onto it.
There were moments, as he sat on the armrest between the driver and passenger seats, when it must have looked like I was teaching him to drive.
Finally, I got home. For the first time ever, I had to bring the cats back home in stages. First, I hand-carried Shuba back to my apartment. He tolerated it well enough until I got to my apartment door. As I fumbled for the keys, he leapt from my arms.
However, he didn’t go anywhere. I quickly opened the door. He rushed into his home.
Then I went back to my car and ferried Jiku back home.
I’ll get a new cat carrier soon. Hopefully the next one will be Shuba-proof.
