Cats Really Do Have 9 Lives

And ours is on life number 6 or 7 at least. We rescued Reggie from our vet a few years ago; he was one of about twelve she adopted out, having saved them from an elderly lady who could no longer care for them. Reggie and his brothers and sisters were named after characters in To Kill a Mocking Bird. Scout, Boo and Atticus were also sent to good homes. When we got Reggie, he had just been in a cat fight; his head had stiches and he is now cross-eyed as a result. But you should see the other guy.

Since he's been with us, he was locked in a closet a whole week we were on vacation (lost a few pounds, but recovered nicely). He is normally a house cat, but around Thanksgiving he got out without us realizing it. We looked for him, sat food out for him, but no Reggie. Then, one Friday night at the end of January (yes, 2 1/2 months after he left the warmth of our humble abode) we got a call from a man DH is in the Lion's Club with. Reggie had taken up residence at his house, but was with a wild cat and wouldn't let Mr. Lion get close to him...until then. Once again, he was a few pounds lighter, but none the worse for the wear.

Last night, Youngest Child came running through the house carrying Reggie. She found a puncture wound in his side that looked like you had stuck a pencil in between his ribs. One of the nice things about living in a small town is my vet actually answers her phone when you call after-hours. Her "best-guess" phone diagnosis was that he had been in a fight while he was out being Hudini and there was a foreign object under his skin that had worked its way out. As long as he wasn't "acting" sick, it could wait until morning. I convinced her morning would be fine...he didn't let us know, YC just happened to be playing with him and found it.

So upon our visit at 8:00 this morning (don't you wish you could have been at your vet at 8:00 in the morning on a Saturday morning??), her phone diagnosis was confirmed. She even noted in his chart back in January that there was "something" exactly where the puncture is now. Lucky us...we get to give him antibiotics three times a day for 14 days. Unless the wound gets bigger or shows no sign of healing. Then we get to take him back for surgery. I'm guessing he's at the short end of his nine lives... better slow down a little, sweet Reggie.