Just have to share an incident where something worked out right for a change,
although everyone will find it yawningly boring.

I've written before about my beloved calico cat who can't be picked up or
handled, but is otherwise the most happy, loving cat imaginable.  The last two
years, in order to get her to the vet for her annual checkup and shots, I've
had to drug her - six months overdue last year, after numerous failing
attempts to grab her, and three months overdue this year.  

This year, she had had six teeth removed - one due to infection, and five of
her little front teeth simply coming out from the finger pressure of cleaning.
I was unable to give her the prescription painkiller and antibiotics, but
thanks to advice here at least got some of that stuff down her by putting it
in her food.  So life went on.

It is now six weeks later, and one of the other cats, Milo, had his annual
appointment.  As always, when one of the others has a vet appointment, my
thoughts turn to grabbing Calico.  At TED she is so terrified as to be
completely docile and handleable, so I can trivially clip nails, apply
Advantage, brush and comb, etc, etc - all the stuff I can't do at home.  But
usually she senses that something is going on, and keeps out of reach.  Other
times, when I try to grab her, she bolts.

So Milo was in his carrier, and there was Calico, sitting on a big pile of
large pillows, happy as could be.  Having nothing to lose, I walked over as
innocently as possible, expecting her to realize what was going on and
disappear as usual.  Nope.  So I grabbed her!

The noise was probably audible several houses away.  But I kept hold of her.  
By now, her claws were back to their usual long, sharp, blood-drawing selves,
and she got a good hold of the top pillow as I carried her toward the second
cat carrier.  She wasn't going to let go of that pillow for anything, and
there was no way she'd fit through the door of the carrier with a monster
pillow attached to her.  So I swung her back and forth as she bellowed
mightily and fought to escape!  And finally the pillow dropped off.  I threw
her into the carrier and slammed the door, utterly amazed that I'd succeeded
for the first time in several years without drugs!  Off we drove, with both
cats registering the usual hysterical complaints.

And while Milo had his vet checkup, I clipped nails -front and rear, the
latter for the first time ever. I thoroughly applied the Advantage - the fleas
have been horrible all winter in the incredibly wet Southern California winter
this year.  My wife, who can only touch Calico at the vet's, held her for a
good half hour while the poor cat had no choice but to receive the affection.  
I combed her for another fifteen minutes to get rid of most of the scabs from
the fleas.  And when I paid Milo's bill, I put Calico on the counter so
everyone could play with her, and of course she was too terrified to do
anything but get the attention.

The amazing thing was, once we got everyone back home, she forgave me within
three hours and was back to her usual self, sleeping most of the night on my
back, licking my face, and happily purring away.  And for another three weeks
she can knead me all she wants without drawing blood.  We Are Happy.

Art