Veterinary Blues

So, the kitten has finally -- I hope! -- gotten to the point where she seems to be better and no longer has to get to the vet something like once a week. (Although she'll still need to be spayed soonish. And she still needs a feline leukemia shot, because they didn't want to give her one while she was still possibly fighting off infection.)

But, of course, there is no rest for the weary at Betty's Home for Wayward Felines! Because today it was time for the adult cats' annual checkups. Vir, it turns out, is not only not losing weight, he seems to be gaining it again. I think he must be siphoning mass from a parallel universe, because it defies all the normal laws of physics. His breathing problems have been getting worse, too, which the vet still thinks is mostly due to his weight, or more specifically, to a buildup of fat around his heart. Meanwhile, poor skinny, elderly Happines has gotten even skinnier, and also has developed a heart murmur. Which is apparently unusual in cats, but is worrying because cats' blood tends to clot very easily, and heart irregularities can put them at risk for strokes. Joy. Well, at least Nova doesn't have any issues worse than a tendency to fur mats. He may be a little neurotic, but he's my easy cat, otherwise.

Anyway, they're doing more blood work on Happiness and Vir, to double-check for thyroid problems and, in Vir's case, diabetes. The vet is also going to call up a company that makes a weight loss drug that works very well on dogs and check whether they have data on its effectiveness in cats. Me, I'm starting to wonder whether there's such a thing as feline liposuction... And also why I took in all these cats in the first place, considering the size of my vet bills and how very, very ungrateful they are for their medical care. But I guess I love them anyway.