The cat is fine

That's basically it.

The vet listened to her chest, said it might be asthma, and sent us off to be out of the way for an hour while he did other things and took chest X-rays. We walked a bit; I got a green silk shirt for $2.99 at the Salvation Army, and cattitude didn't find the rubber stamps he needs at Staples. Then we stopped for bagels, and his cell phone rang while they were being toasted.

Back to the vet, where he examined the X-rays and showed us what he was looking for. No signs of asthma. No signs of other possible worries. Some evidence of arthritis, in the way her vertebrae look, but that's hardly surprising at her age. So the intermittent cough may just be some weird allergic reaction, or it may be very early asthma. We have omega-3 fatty acid capsules to break onto her food, and that's it. No cortisone. No little kitty inhaler. No massive expenses (though the visit and X-rays ran me $145, plus a few dollars for the pills) or difficult decisions.

Nonetheless, it was a stressful morning. I didn't even eat my bagel (by the time I got to it, it was cold). I put a small piece on the windowsill, and Oliver (the cat on the fire escape) sniffed at it, then pulled it down and ate it. I guess he's not as particular about pumpernickel bagels as I am.

The cat is fine

That's basically it.

The vet listened to her chest, said it might be asthma, and sent us off to be out of the way for an hour while he did other things and took chest X-rays. We walked a bit; I got a green silk shirt for $2.99 at the Salvation Army, and cattitude didn't find the rubber stamps he needs at Staples. Then we stopped for bagels, and his cell phone rang while they were being toasted.

Back to the vet, where he examined the X-rays and showed us what he was looking for. No signs of asthma. No signs of other possible worries. Some evidence of arthritis, in the way her vertebrae look, but that's hardly surprising at her age. So the intermittent cough may just be some weird allergic reaction, or it may be very early asthma. We have omega-3 fatty acid capsules to break onto her food, and that's it. No cortisone. No little kitty inhaler. No massive expenses (though the visit and X-rays ran me $145, plus a few dollars for the pills) or difficult decisions.

Nonetheless, it was a stressful morning. I didn't even eat my bagel (by the time I got to it, it was cold). I put a small piece on the windowsill, and Oliver (the cat on the fire escape) sniffed at it, then pulled it down and ate it. I guess he's not as particular about pumpernickel bagels as I am.

this is the weird bit

It's been rather a long day, and we've had a fine dinner--cattitude made a chicken cacciatore which came out very nicely, and Artemis got a bit more than is usual of late. I've done Usenet stuff, dealt with other necessities, even noted that I've gotten a couple more support points.

My ankle is bothering me.

So I sat down on the bed and started doing bicep curls with a five-pound weight, alternating arms.

That's the weird part. Not the walking--I've always done that. Not even the gym membership. Being annoyed that my ankle hurts, and responding by picking up a weight to exercise a different part of my body.

this is the weird bit

It's been rather a long day, and we've had a fine dinner--cattitude made a chicken cacciatore which came out very nicely, and Artemis got a bit more than is usual of late. I've done Usenet stuff, dealt with other necessities, even noted that I've gotten a couple more support points.

My ankle is bothering me.

So I sat down on the bed and started doing bicep curls with a five-pound weight, alternating arms.

That's the weird part. Not the walking--I've always done that. Not even the gym membership. Being annoyed that my ankle hurts, and responding by picking up a weight to exercise a different part of my body.