The Most Wonderful Job

by BugBug Milliken

7:30 AM – Black rubs the sleep from her eyes, and Princess looks expectantly at the door where she has heard a tiny scratching noise. In another minute the door opens, and in walks Margaret, one of the vet assistants. "Wake up, Sleepyheads", she greets the two, as she unlocks their cages and lets them out. Black and Princess jump down and frisk about the office greeting Margaret before settling down to a nice breakfast. And so begins another day for my two friends.

By 8 AM the other assistants and the vet has arrived, with her two dogs. Margaret has cleaned out all the cages, and it is time to get down to business. Black and Princess supervise as the Assistants check on the sick animals that have spent the night. They help with the changing of dressings and make sure the right medications are given to the right animals. Black checks the surgery schedule. Just a couple of routine neuterings. Good. She won’t be needed much today. Still she loves to help in the surgery, and follows as Dr. Angele goes in to get things set up.

Princess goes up front and helps to check animals in as they arrive. Soon the two cats that are to be neutered come in. Their meowmie drops them off, and says, " yes they are fine. No food since 6 PM and no water since midnight." Margaret takes them into the back to get them ready, and both Black and Princess mew to them to reassure them that all will be well. They consider it one of their most important jobs. Mewing and purring with the patients before surgery.

By 10 AM the two surgeries are done. The two cats are in cages recovering from the anesthetic, and the vet and her assistants are just ready for a little break, when suddenly a lady comes in with a very sick kitty.

The kitty is old, and very dehydrated. She has a bad cold, and her blood count is low. Dr. Angele decides she will need a transfusion. Black bravely volunteers. This is one of her jobs, and she is always happy to donate blood when she can. She is glad she has had a good breakfast. She gives her friend Princess a little headbonk and follows the doctor. The vet sedates her and soon her live-giving blood is flowing into the very sick kitty.

The rest of the morning goes quickly, and before anyone realizes it, it is 12 o’clock. Lunch time. The vet and the assistants leave for their two-hour break, leaving Princess to run the office and keep an eye on things.

Princess sits by the cage of her furriend Black and purrs softly, mewing lowly to herself. Soon Black opens an eye, but she is still groggy. Princess checks on the other animals. The two neutered kitties are starting to wake up too, and she mews to them to just lie still and take it easy.

2 PM – The vet and her assistants come back from lunch. Black is now fully awake and ready for some lunch. She gets an extra helping and some vitamins to help her recover more quickly.

4 PM - The owner of the two neutered cats comes in to pick them up. They are still a bit groggy but will be fine. Several dogs come in for rabies shots, and then a couple more cats come in for routine shots.

5:30 PM – The lady who brought the very sick kitty comes in. The kitty has rallied a bit, but it doesn’t look good. The vet says there is nothing else they can do but purr now. So the lady takes her kitty home.

6 PM – Closing time. The vet has gone and the assistants are just ready to lock up. Margaret gives Black and Princess an extra little hug and puts them in their cages where they will be safe for the night.

And so ends another day in the lives of two working cats.

This story is based on two real cats, Black and Princess, who have worked at my vet’s office for many years. Princess loved to go outside in front of the vet’s office, and sadly, last December she was stolen. Black still lives and works at the vet’s office. The very sick kitty who Black helped was my wonderfur sisfur Wallie Miranda. Sadly, she did not make it, despite the help and transfusion. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge the next day. But as Black told my sisfur BabyCat, "It’s all in a days work, BabyCat. All in a day’s work."

I know many cats and dogs work for vets all around the country, and I would love to say "Thank You" to all of them.