The Mud Princess Meets Trouble

  The other day, I made mention that we had to take the Bayou Princess Cat to the emergency room for pets.  There is a fine hospital just a few miles up in the country that takes wonderful care of pets that have met some dire fate.  Ms. Nycto had done just that.  It all started when she decided to traipse out into the marsh for a while.  She has been doing this lately against my better judgement.  It may have been safe going during the winter months but now that the weather has warmed, the cottonmouths and alligators are active.  No, the Princess did not meet either, as far as I know, but she did come back looking a dreadful mess.  The Bayou mud had caked upon her long belly hair and matted it into one rock-hard snarl.  Anyone who has ever successfully buzz-cut a cat is my hero!  She was having no part of any attempts to rid her of the mats.  She almost appeared to have acquired a shell of some sort on her underside!  Then, the next day, I noticed that she was having extreme difficulty eating or drinking.  Also, anyone who has ever successfully peered down the gullet of a cat is also my hero!  It ain't easy!

  There was nothing to do but take the poor thing in for a bit of medical help.  At the first examination, the veterinarian thought Ms. Nycto had a broken jaw.  "Leave her and we will get her fixed up no matter what it is and we will finish that hair cut for you."  (That last part was enough to convince me that these were good people!)  The cat remained behind and I waited at home for a phone call.  That call came late at night.  It seems that there was an odd wound that was causing the poor cat's complaint.  Somehow, she had sliced the underside of her tongue from the base to the tip.  The tongue was useless as it was so the veterinarian stitched it while she was sedated.  The cat would have to stay in the hospital overnight.   

  The Bayou Princess is back home now.  She is attempting all normal functions but, of course, eating and drinking is labored.  Cats fully depend on that lapping technique!  Son and I are doing our best to accommodate her every need and she is the perfect patient as she never complains.  She is, however, a bit embarrassed as she now looks like a terribly skinny poodle with a bad haircut!  Tufts on her feet, skinny legs, bare belly, fluffy back and head and a tuft of a tail make up the entire coat of this once extremely fluffy cat!  Poor baby slinks from dark corner to dark under-bed hiding spot.  Having that cone of shame on her noggin is not helping, either!  Hopefully, she has learned a lesson about going gallivanting in the marshes.  YOU are a princess, Ms. Nycto!  ACT like it!