I have a cute story I'd like to share.

I work at a typical veterinary clinic as a veterinary technician, which basically means I get to cuddle the cute animals and be maimed by the nasty ones. These past few days we've seen a score of very mean cats for some unknown reason (though my bet is the recent full moon). Now, there's only one thing worse than a big, snarling dog and that's a small, screaming cat. A dog you can at least get a muzzle on most of the time. A twisting, agile cat is quite another matter.

Thus it was with some small amount of fear and a great deal of annoyance that I learned a certain feline we'll call Bob (names being changed to protect the innocent) was going to be staying with us for various treatments. We've all dealt with Bob before and not one of us came through unharmed. This cat is big, strong, quick, and pissed at the world. The thought of yanking him out of a cage twice a day every day for fluids was enough to make me shudder. Still, one must be brave and I managed to get through Bob's entire week stay with us mostly unharmed (if you don't count the three perfect wounds across my neck where he caught me with those claws of his and which literally gushed blood for nearly ten minutes...which is mild compared to what I've seen this bad boy do). Despite my best wishes, I happened to be working the night Bob was to go home, which is a scary time because it means having to once again get him out of his cage. His owner had of course neglected to bring a carrier, which would have made things five million times easier. After two failed attempts to bring him forth into the light, our head vet decided it wasn't worth risking anyone's life and suggested we'd just have Bob's owner come down and get his own nasty, yowling cat (the other alternative being presenting his cat to him while still wearing leather gloves and muzzled). I thought this was the best idea I'd ever heard and ran upstairs to get him. This being the first time I'd actually seen the man, I was in for a small bit of a shock.

Bob's owner is a very tall, very bald, and very pierced gentleman who clearly had spent much time at the gym. He would have been perfect for a part in any biker movie. I'm a fairly regular sized male and he could have snapped me over his leg like a twig with no trouble at all. When he learned that Bob was giving us a spot of trouble he expressed a great deal of shock and surprise. He gladly came down into the pit to rescue his demon from our clutches.

I have never in my life seen an animal do such a complete reversal in personality as Bob did that night. As his owner stepped in front of his cage Bob took one sniff at the air, leapt to his feet, and tried to burst through the bars with a cry I can only express as one of utter joy. He rolled to show us his belly, went into spasms of purring, and even allowed me to touch his head for the first time ever. This little boy clearly knew his daddy. And his daddy had clearly missed his baby, since this impressive body builder was all but in tears as he cuddled his cat and baby talked to him and told him they were going home to see his sister.

I guess it just goes to show that even the most ill tempered feline can become a meek little pussy cat with love and attention... and that even the gruffest of men can become puddy in the razor sharp claws of their special kitty.

Copyright © Sethran Runner
September 25, 2002