My favourite and much-beloved cat, Mephisto, has returned home last
Wednesday after undergoing urethroplasty (practicing another hole in the
urethra) and staying at the vet's during Christmas.

He suffered three complete and life-threatening urinary blockages last
year, including two within two weeks in December. He's been on the best
vet-prescribed food for a while (Waltham SO) but even canned food
couldn't avoid blockage. Faced with a lifetime of uncertainty, the
surgery was recommended.

Mephisto is now recovering slowly but surely, with twice daily doses of
antibiotics and cleaning of the wound (and if you think giving a pill to
a reluctant cat wearing a collar is tough, try holding the beast still
while you dab his wound). He played the finicky patient and refused to
eat for two days, until the vet recommended bribing him with some canned
tuna or salmon until he's strong once again. I fear that Mephisto
planned this all along and has me exactly where he wants me.

Mephisto scares the bejeesus out of the other cats with the lampshade he
has to wear for two weeks. They spit and bat at him, puzzled by the
invisible force field around his head that deflects their best shots.
The other alpha male, however, has welcomed him with open paws and likes
to sleep with him and groom him.

Mephisto has run up a total of $5,000 in vet bills for his blockages and
subsequent surgery in 2005. Naturally he will not offer to reimburse
even part of that amount, as he's convinced that he's worth every penny.
He's right, of course, although I've stopped telling friends and family
the exact amount, as they'll inevitably try to convince me to just put
the "damn cat" to sleep rather than "waste" my money.

Friends and relatives have to stop assuming that pet lovers blindly
throw money around instead of having weighed all options and
consequences, often during many seepless nights.

Here's a picture of Mephisto:

http://tinyurl.com/89yzv

jaybee