Turns out I'm not the only one in this household in need of medical attention. I took my cat to the vet for an eye infection, wound up getting her a $500 physical since she's overdue, and the doctor wants to pull her teeth in a few weeks for another $400. He says her teeth and gums are impossibly infected and there's nothing else that can be done now. They don't make little kitty dentures (yet) so this is a pretty big step, and the doc almost seemed offended when I said I'd like to seek a second opinion before signing up.

This same thing happened five years ago in Tampa: A vet had trouble treating her gum infection with antibiotics, so he finally insisted the only step left was to pull her teeth out. I took the cat to second vet who gave her different antibiotics, and a week later she was fine, and she stayed fine until now. Maybe I should drive her back to Tampa to see that vet again? At least her eye is recovering.


Four Replies to Without Teeth

Anna Gregoline | December 12, 2007
Poor baby! Why does your poor cat have so many problems?!?! That doesn't seem fair.

I would hesitate to change a cat's quality of life that fast - all the teeth GONE? My goodness, they are quick on the surgical procedures in your neck of the woods, huh?

And a proper doctor, methinks, wouldn't be offended by someone getting a second opinion.

Amy Austin | December 13, 2007
My goodness, they are quick on the surgical procedures in your neck of the woods, huh?

My thoughts, too... poor kitty.

Jackie Mason | December 13, 2007
[hidden by author request]

Steve West | December 15, 2007
Perhaps you can cheer up kitty with a Christmas song. Might I suggest one of the following:
1. Claw the Halls
2. Away in a Litter Box
3. Joy, To the Catnip
4. Feline Navidad
5. I Saw Mommy Hiss at Santa Claus
6. Frosty, the Furball
7. Oh, Come All Ye Fishful
8. Oh! Scratching Post
Merry Christmas Kitty!


Logical Operator

The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »

R.I.P. Russ

Twelve years after losing her mother, Kelly has now lost her father too. This loss was a quieter and tidier affair, partially due to Russ not wanting a funeral or wake, and partially due to his very strained relationship with Kelly in recent years. We waited a few days to work out the trip schedule, flew up there, had a nice little graveside gathering with immediate family and then lunch out, spent time seeing the old hometown and Russ's new adopted small town (oh how I don't miss driving for hours through corn fields to get literally anywhere in Illinois), and returned with lots of tasks for Kelly to do to resolve the estate. Go »

Key Words

I wonder what would come up if you searched IMDb keywords for "train wreck"? Unbreakable? The Fugitive? Go »

Upsetting the Pace

Gen. Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on homosexuality (link): "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts... I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way." Go »

WLW: Here's What You Do

No kooky doctor stories this week, as I've been left to my own care, or should I say, the care of everyone around me. I don't want to sound ungrateful, because I'm sincerely glad that people care about me enough to offer advice. It's just, there's a LOT of advice, from all directions, at the drop of a hat, and much of it conflicts with other advice. Go »

Something Comes Along to Intervene

I've been enjoying "Meddle" and "Remedy" by Little Boots, two great electropop songs with catchy hooks, perfect for summer. But I didn't really take her seriously as an artist until I heard "Stuck on Repeat." It's pop music on acid, like Kylie Minogue produced by Captain Beefheart, and the unlikeliest hit song of the year. Go »

Jeffrey Katzenberg is a Crazy Person

I'm no fan of 3-D. I have lazy eye, which makes my right eye blurry and my left eye sharp. During a normal movie, I usually sit up front to be absorbed in the picture so that it doesn't matter, or if I sit in the back, I can concentrate to correct my vision. Go »