Cat, Cost and Chaos

If you've read my Twitter feed on the right hand side of this blog over the past couple of days, you'll probably be aware we had a feline emergency on Monday night. The Wee Cat seen here in happier times came in through the cat flap minus half of his tail. Of course this was after midnight and the out of hours vet charges £155.00 before they even look at him. So after much discussion on the phone with the sleepy vet and some conscience searching, we decided to bed him down for the night, save the £155 and take him to the animal hospital in the morning.
All this while we're trying to get packed up for the Highland Show.
He went through an op. to amputate a bit more of his tail and then spent a little holiday of one night in the hospital which cost us £375!! Just about as much as we spent on our last holiday in France.
Anyway he arrived home this morning sporting this fetching lampshade collar and we have to keep him indoors until his injuries heal. Now the Wee Cat is a country cat who has the run of fields and woods as his territory so we are experiencing a bit of cat claustrophobia.
He's never had to use a litter tray either, but Bob set one up for him when we went off this afternoon to the Show. This was the scene when we got home - one comfy cat curled up asleep in said litter tray. Not quite the purpose intended.
And here is his poor little stump of a tail all bandaged up. I've got to take him back to the vet on Friday for a dressing change under anaesthetic so more costs to pay.
Meanwhile in the midst of all this we have set up the stand at the Highland Show and it opens tomorrow until Sunday.
Bob's on duty there tomorrow and Friday while I return the workshop to some semblance of order - it gets torn apart and left like a tip when we get ready for a big show.
I'll be at the show on Saturday and Sunday, hopefully making a lot of sales to pay the vet!
I don't think we'll ever find out what happened to his poor wee tail but it must have been a traumatic experience.
Happy Birthday Barbara, by the way!!!