Off with the claws

"Off with the claws" - that's a little insensitive, I know. But as I sat down and tried to explain to Jersey on Sunday night that by that time on Monday, her front paws would hurt and those little hooks she uses to hang from her cat tree will no longer be there.

Believe me - it really hurt me to bring her into the vet's office to have this done. While I swore that I would never have a cat with claws (though I also swore that Mr. Patches would be the one and only feline to share living space with me - ever...) I thought from time to time that I might spare Jersey from undergoing what amounts to an amputation process to remove her front claws.

Why? Because I was afraid of the pain. Not for me, of course, but as I look at a picture of her when she was four months old (she's almost seven months old now!) I can't help but feel remorseful for having put her through everything that has happened to her since around noon this past Monday. I tried rationalizing that "it's not so bad" when I get scratched, only to swear at myself every time I do.

So... due to the allergy I suffer from I did pack her up and bring her to the hospital on Monday morning. It is now Wednesday and in about five hours I get to see her again for the first time. According to her surgeon and nurses, she hasn't interspersed my name in and amongst a bunch of swear words, but she's arguably too young to be swearing yet. We'll see how she reacts when she sees me again.

I know - I'm personifying her - something pet owners are often criticized by non-owners. But I know that she's been on pain killers for the last couple of days now and for us humans, even the most powerful drugs never totally kill the pain. Soon enough she'll be OK and we'll live a long and happy (scratch-free) life.

Allergies suck. But what can you do!? There are many people out there with far greater concerns, for my day-to-day life is more or less unencumbered by the affliction - as long as I stay away from pine nuts of course!! Nonetheless, we must do what we can to minimize the conditions that can cause us problems, and I'm hoping that Jersey will forgive me.

I'll give her a few extra treats for the next little while!!