Monday, September 24, 2007
Toby Wears a T-shirt
Toby, a giant, tan and black tabby, lived with us for many years. When he as about ten, he developed some lumps on his side, so off to the veterinarian he went. Dan (not his real name), my vet, did an exam and decided the lumps should be removed and biopsied. Toby took the exam well; he seemed to enjoy the attention. He was not happy when I left him. His surgery would be the following day.
Dan called me the next day. Toby had done well during surgery and all the masses had been removed and samples sent for exam. I could pick him up tomorrow.
I arrived the next afternoon to retrieve my cat. Dan came out to speak to me, and I feared the worst.
"Toby's fine, but there is a problem," said Dan. "He pulls out his stitches. He took them out last night. I stitched him up again this morning with metal sutures. He took them out as I carried him back to his cage. I've restitched him and bandaged him, but he is removing the bandage. You'll have to rewrap him to keep him from the stitches."
I tried not to smile as Dan described Toby's actions. The exasperation was clear in Dan's voice. I could see Dan struggling to hold the twenty pound cat and keep him from removing his stitiches. Toby could be very quick.
Dan's assistant brought out Toby who sported a large, white gauze cumberbund. Dan indicated where he had made his incision. It was long, but not deep. Still, Toby needed to keep the stitches in for at least ten days.
I took Toby home and left him with my mother. Access to the doggy door was blocked. I then headed to the nearest dime store (This was a long time ago.) There I purchased several toddler's and baby's T-shirts. You see, I knew a friend of mine had experienced a similar problem with her golden retriever and solved it by having her golden wear a T-shirt that covered its injury. I thought I would try the same thing with Toby.
When I returned home, I found my mother holding Toby. She told me that was the only way to keep him from tearing his bandage. I tried the T-shirts on Toby. The one that proved the best fit was bright yellow (the only color that size came in). Toby's front legs went through the sleeves and the shirt ended a couple of inches from his rear legs. I thought that this could not work. Of course, it did.
As long as Toby had the shirt on he did not touch his bandage. He wore it even at night. We kept him inside, but he soon began to complain. So, when Saturday came, I went outside with him. I chose the front yard because I could sit on the porch and watch him. Soon, Toby stretched out on the walk in the sunshine wearing his new yellow shirt. I had picked up another so the other could be washed.
I watched Toby enjoying the morning. When he got up for a stroll, I went with him. As I followed him around, I realized that cars that passed slowed down as they reached our house. After a moment's reflection, I understood. None of Toby's bandage showed, these people thought I was a crazy cat lady that dressed her cat in baby clothes. I suspect I was the talk of our neighborhood for a long time.
The biopsy showed a benign growth.
Dan called me the next day. Toby had done well during surgery and all the masses had been removed and samples sent for exam. I could pick him up tomorrow.
I arrived the next afternoon to retrieve my cat. Dan came out to speak to me, and I feared the worst.
"Toby's fine, but there is a problem," said Dan. "He pulls out his stitches. He took them out last night. I stitched him up again this morning with metal sutures. He took them out as I carried him back to his cage. I've restitched him and bandaged him, but he is removing the bandage. You'll have to rewrap him to keep him from the stitches."
I tried not to smile as Dan described Toby's actions. The exasperation was clear in Dan's voice. I could see Dan struggling to hold the twenty pound cat and keep him from removing his stitiches. Toby could be very quick.
Dan's assistant brought out Toby who sported a large, white gauze cumberbund. Dan indicated where he had made his incision. It was long, but not deep. Still, Toby needed to keep the stitches in for at least ten days.
I took Toby home and left him with my mother. Access to the doggy door was blocked. I then headed to the nearest dime store (This was a long time ago.) There I purchased several toddler's and baby's T-shirts. You see, I knew a friend of mine had experienced a similar problem with her golden retriever and solved it by having her golden wear a T-shirt that covered its injury. I thought I would try the same thing with Toby.
When I returned home, I found my mother holding Toby. She told me that was the only way to keep him from tearing his bandage. I tried the T-shirts on Toby. The one that proved the best fit was bright yellow (the only color that size came in). Toby's front legs went through the sleeves and the shirt ended a couple of inches from his rear legs. I thought that this could not work. Of course, it did.
As long as Toby had the shirt on he did not touch his bandage. He wore it even at night. We kept him inside, but he soon began to complain. So, when Saturday came, I went outside with him. I chose the front yard because I could sit on the porch and watch him. Soon, Toby stretched out on the walk in the sunshine wearing his new yellow shirt. I had picked up another so the other could be washed.
I watched Toby enjoying the morning. When he got up for a stroll, I went with him. As I followed him around, I realized that cars that passed slowed down as they reached our house. After a moment's reflection, I understood. None of Toby's bandage showed, these people thought I was a crazy cat lady that dressed her cat in baby clothes. I suspect I was the talk of our neighborhood for a long time.
The biopsy showed a benign growth.
# posted by January Cat @ 11:23 AM 
