I took an elderly friend of mine with her cat to the vet the other day,
because the cat had a problem with his foot. The vet looked at the cat's
foot briefly, could not really come to a firm conclusion, but then in
opening the cat's mouth noticed he needed some teeth removed. So he stayed
there overnight and the next morning the vet removed two teeth. When we
came by in the afternoon to pick up the cat, I asked if there were any
instructions, and after a staff person went back to ask the vet, she came
back and told us that no, the cat could do whatever it wants. No
instructions.

But I told my elderly friend that it would be best to keep the cat inside
for at least a few days, and to feed it soft food. She got upset at me
because what I said conflicted with the vet's instructions. She said the
cat would not eat the soft food, and then let the cat out that night. This
is in a hilly area of the east bay, where there is a big closed off water
reserve park directly behind her house. The cat already has a tendency to
roam around at night and not come in until late.

My concern is that this cat, already being a bit wild and traumatized by
the surgery and maybe a little bit groggy still from the operation, might
wander off. I also worry that eating dry food so soon after dental surgery
would hurt his teeth. Am I wrong to have given her different instructions
from the vet? I will be going over there tonight, so maybe then will find
out what is going on with the cat.

 - Steve Denney