Emo Cat Continues to Cut Himself

The last like fourteen hours of my life has been hell. I've had to watch my neurotic cat continually reopen his wounds, despite the collar, and bleed absolutely fucking everywhere. I feel like a horrible human being because I didn't take him to the emergency clinic on Grove but I have no money, I hate the service there, and I had a feeling that they were going to do what my vet had already tried to tell me they should do, which is amputate. Needless to say, I didn't want the people at the emergency place to take my cat's tail, I wanted my compassionate, competent, kind vet's office to do it. I love the staff there and I feel horrible for making Artemis wait about ten hours to get treatment, but, but....Well, needless to say, when the vet's office opened this morning at eight, Ryan and I were there. We didn't even call. I was prepared to wait all day in the waiting room if need be, because at least if he reopened his tail he was someplace that could DO something. But they took him as soon as they saw us. The vet tech was laughing, gently, of course, because I think she had a feeling we would be back. It seems extreme to okay them to take his tail (they called because they weren't sure if I was aware that they were pretty much just going to leave him a nub) but after watching him hurt himself for ten hours continuously, I can tell you that the tail would never, ever have healed....now I know why that's standard procedure. I never want to see that again. Ever. It hurt so freaking bad and I felt so helpless...I've haven't felt so helpless since my surgery, which was traumatic, but I don't feel like talking about it, I still have some issues to work through. So...Artemis won't be my tiger kitty anymore, he's gonna be a bobcat. I will have my own version of Dresden's Mister...and that makes me smile. And I still feel horrible about taking his tail, but damn...it was so bloody and raw, down to just bone (or cartilage, I' not really sure if cats have bone at the very tips of their tails) and I think the tip was completely gone. I want to puke just thinking about. The worst thing, though, was the fact that he would not stop. Even though he was clearly in excruciating pain, he just would not stop. I had to sit up with him the whole night and watch him and physically either hold his tail down to keep him from smacking it or holding his head to keep him from attacking it. My poor buddy kitty.


And I keep finding blood spatter all over the house. I gotta tell you, there is something so unnerving about finding all that blood, but with no source evident. Even though I know where it came from and I know that Artie is going to be all right, my stomach still clenches and the hairs raise on my arms and neck. It's very, very visceral. I wasn't freaked out by seeing Artemis bleeding, so I don't think it's the blood....I think it's the blood without a body, without an evident source. It's just damn eerie.


But in good news, I know for a fact that he will be okay. He absolutely positively demanded to be fed this morning. And he complained about being in the dog cage for three straight hours. He yelled and he ranted and in general was the Artemis I know and love. So, he's still got enough strength to eat and he's still one giant complaint, so yeah, he's gonna be okay. In fact, I had to go back to the vet to bring his e-collar because they didn't want to charge me for a new one. Well, I brought it back and I could hear him whining from the back. I looked at the vet tech at the desk and handed her the collar. I told her, "This is for the cat that's complaining back there, I know for a fact that the one making the racket is my Artemis and that makes me feel a whole that better. The little drama king." And because the staff at my vet office are awesome, she replied, "You know you love it."



ETA We just got a call from the vet. Artemis is out of surgery. He's alert and purring and eating up all the attention from the staff. Also, apparently, he like the after surgery drugs as much as his master. The vet said she's never seen a cat so high and happy. Lol, that's my buddy kitty.

Yay! Books!

Okay, so today isn't as horrible as it could have been.

Lisa Mantchev's Eyes Like Stars came in the mail. I got this book because, well, Theater!Shakespeare!Not!Shakespeare!LittleMermaid!in general, the novel has a wonderful sounding premise. Also, cover is pure awesome. A heroine named Bertie! I love the name. And the cover makes her look positively cool. I was so sold when I saw the cover. And the title. Epic Win. Verrah Excited, will report back with my findings.

And China Mieville's City & the City came with it! yuki_onna had a very nice review of it on her LJ awhile ago and it was enough to sell me. Ms. Valente is a fantastic writer! I trust her opinion. If you haven't read her Orphan's Tale duology, do so. You won't regret it.