why do cats get on your chest while you sleep ?

On Tuesday, July 12, 2011 7:12:10 PM UTC-6, [no name] wrote:
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote:

OMG, I would think so! That horrifies me - I have tears in my eyes just
thinking about it. The most tragic death is one that was preventable, IMO.
Especially when you're talking about a baby, of any species. This is really
upsetting, and it didn't even happen to me. That woman should not be
allowed to practice medicine, veterinary or otherwise. This is beyond
cruelty toward you, although it's that, too. But what about the kitten? She
took his life for no reason. She sounds insane. I'm so sorry you had such
a horrible and unprofessional vet in that situation.

Firstly, to Lesley and Hopitus and CatNipped and Joy and Phoenix and you Joyce, thank you for your very kind thoughts and words.

About the vet:

She had purchased the practice from a vet I truly adored. Krista (the former vet) would work with me, she would help me to help the strays and ferals (only charging me her cost for items). She would give me antibiotics when the bitty ferals had URIs (she knew I knew what to look for), without ever seeing them. The new one (who did *not* last beyond that visit, for which I was charged $298) had no understanding of people.

When I'd been so upset, the techs (who had worked with Krista) both came in and gave me hugs. After the statement, I got very angry (not enough to swear at her though, I didn't want to offend the tech in the room), so I cried worse. Both techs told her she didn't need to do that to me, that I was a great customer, that I referred people, and I paid timely. Within the week, both techs were gone (and I've no idea to where, or I'd go there).

I will say she was great with my regular kids (the inside ones), but maybe that's because Krista had noted in my records that I was *very* aware when they were not right.

This still doesn't add up to me. Why would she say that he could have been
saved if it wasn't true? That would be cruel to you and frankly, a little
bizarre. And if it *was* true and he could have been saved, then how could
she euthanize him? What kind of vet kills an animal who can be saved, and be
"fine", as she herself put it? I don't think such a person deserves a license.
She might have been good with your ferals, but none of that excuses what she
did.

That I don't know. I never really wanted to talk to her again. I mean, when I finally did speak to her again, the following Monday, she commented that she'd never known someone like me, that could get so attached, when it was just a stray. Well, yeah, I brought in a little feral, that I had never even petted, because he was sick, and I cried when she put *him* down. I think I realized, after the "just a stray" comment, that she was good with "owned" pets, but not so much with "just strays".

I just have to say that this story really affected me. A while after I'd
posted my response above, I went outside for a walk, and I started thinking
about this and then started sobbing. Maybe it's because I only recently had
to have Smudge put down, so I remember all too well that terrible sadness
of seeing my dead cat lying on the table. But then to find out, after it is
too late, that it wasn't even necessary - it really breaks my heart for you.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

That's why I try, very hard, not to think about little Endy too often. While it doesn't hurt as much as it used to, it does still hurt (sorry to make you sob, in this case, I don't think the tears are healing for me, they are just showing the wound was reopened). I told my new vet about the whole thing, and he said that he had heard from others (who left her) that she did similar things to. He excused the behavior as "she knows her veterinary arts, she knows nothing of people." I'll tolerate a doctor for *me* like that, but not for my kids.