Circumventing a Hissy Fit
Today I took both my cats to the vet, in the same carrier. It was part of my plan to nip Lola's veterinary antics in the bud.
You see, whenever I come home from taking Tilly to the vet, Lola starts hissing at her sister. Because Tilly smells like the place that Lola hates the most, she decides her sister is evil. Actually, I think she decides Tilly is not her sister. I had to go through this last January and it was frustrating. Tilly felt pretty sick and Lola just kept hissing at her meanly, for over a week! It doesn't matter what I try to do to thwart her nose, Lola insists on this behavior.
So, this time I took them together. Lola needed a check-up, anyway.
They were both napping in the bedroom when I smuggled the large cat carrier into the studio. I hid it behind the big island. (Not Hawaii. The one made of cabinetry.) Then I went to scoop up the girls, one over each shoulder, and I tiptoed over to the cat carrier. I swooped them inside, quickly as I could. Lola could smell the evil of the carrier a foot away and hissed at it twice.
But she didn't hiss at her sister.
They both looked at me worriedly as we drove to the vet. Lola preferred to hide against the back of the carrier. Tilly pressed herself against the door, where my hand rested, rubbing her face desperately against my fingers. Their eyes pleaded with me to change my mind. I kept telling them what good girls they were, which I'm sure only made them more nervous. "Uh-oh...why do we have to be good girls?"
For the exam, I took Tilly out first so the doctor could examine her. Tilly grabbed hold of me and begged, "No, let's get out of here!" She tried to climb over me. Tilly already has the biggest eyes ever, so at the vet they look even more enormous. Poor baby!
When her exam was done, I put her back into the carrier and pulled Lola out. Lola was terrified. Suddenly the carrier was her best friend and she just wanted to get back inside it. The doctor could hear her heart racing in fear. I stroked her head and kissed her during the exam, promising her she'd be okay. Soon enough, she was back in the carrier and we were on our way home.
The good news is that when we came home, Lola did not hiss at Tilly once. I think that being in the same carrier didn't just reinforce the smells they were both exposed to, but also the "we're in this together" mentality. I hope it's not a fluke!
Well, I better go. I think some tabby girls need treats!
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