VISITING TAPO

tapo

caterpillar

Went to Twin Oaks this afternoon to see Tapo in the dog and cat hospital, coed. She looked miserable. A hose going into her nose that went to the stomach, the hose taped to the top of her head, a clear plastic collar around her head to keep her paws off the hose, all of it very well cared for. She was comfortable as could be on a warm cloth. She was on the 2nd level of the cages, so I stood on my knees and kept both hands on her the whole time I was there, talked to her, sang her song to her, explained this hose in the nose is temporary, that it's for making her well so she can come home.

Julie said the gum around her broken tooth was so infected the tooth came out easily. There was a great deal of whatever is the problem with her not eating. It hurt too much. It explains why she drank only from the right side of her tongue. The bad tooth was on the left side and probably hurt like hell when water touched it. She was in misery. A toothache is the worst kind of pain there is to endure. She's had this pain at least a month. I don't know when she broke her tooth. Because her stomach was so empty, they're giving her a little bit at a time and a bit more and more each time until she's ready to eat enough to sustain herself. Taking the slow way to get her stomach ready for catfood will keep her from throwing up when she tries to eat. They're treating her for the liver issue as well as the tooth. All to the good. I always feel like my friends are in good hands at Twin Oaks. Everyone who works there loves the animals.

Tapo and Caterpillar both need holding and talking to once a day. They don't ask for more than that, but a good session of purring keeps them calm and comfortable the rest of the time. Today I kept both hands on Tapo the whole half hour with her, talking, singing, petting her, telling her she's safe there and soon we'll be going home. I mentioned that Caterpillar missed her, though wasn't sure that was the case. However, Caterpillar has been awfully quiet since Tapo left here. TarBaby gone and never came back, I've an idea if she's wondering if Tapo is gone forever. She smelled Tapo on my hand when I came home. I supposed that would give her assurance Tapo is at least still living.

I have a bit of a feeling that Caterpillar is feeling alone. Whether she liked them or not, the other 2 were her world since she was born. She's alone in the house now, the only cat. I wondered if she would like being the only one, but she doesn't seem to be elated in any way all by herself. She might have been hard for them to get along with, but she didn't know that. She was just her Maine Coon self. It's just that her strike zone reached way beyond theirs. Anywhere near Caterpillar was inside her strike zone when she was in certain moods. I've an idea when Tapo comes home that Caterpillar will be happy to see her and their relationship will smooth out. It smoothed a great deal after TarBaby died. I don't want to lose either one of them before necessary. I sure don't want to lose Tapo over a broken tooth. Everybody says they're old, but they have vitality like they've had all their lives. Tapo only started acting old when she was so weak she could hardly move.

I see Tapo every day to give her the purring time she needs per day. I understand that purring is healing for cats, like laughter is for us. I want her time in the hospital the least traumatic it can be. I know how good it feels to be visited in the hospital and the nursing home. My forebrain tells me it's temporary and I'll go home when cured. Tapo doesn't have the forebrain, so I show her my meaning, that I am not abandoning her. Words are cheap. Actions tell our truth. When I leave one of my friends at Twin Oaks, it's with full trust from 34 years experience with 3 dogs and 5 cats over that time. They know I like to visit my friends when they're in for a stay. I'm grateful to everyone who works there for the care my friends receive in their hands. If I had the money to do it with, for Christmas I'd like to put angels made of lights all over the roof at Twin Oaks vet, a host of them.