I turned my head upwards after waking up today to see this little cat face peering at me from two inches away and it scared the heck out of me. Clearly, she was ready to get her day started.
Morning, Luna Bell.
On Personal Responsibility
File this under “conversations with co-workers before 8am”.
Personal responsibility is great and muy essential but sometimes, you need to accept that it’s someone else’s job to teach you to operate the corkscrew.
Or something like that.
Thank God it’s Friday. And National Donut Day. Go get on that. I know I am.
Cats, wine and thumbs up,
Nina
The Day I Got My Cat Depression Medication
In July, our vet told us that Luna Bell had an anxiety disorder and gave us “treatment options”. It was kinda funny, kinda true but ultimately, we laughed it off because she IS A CAT (don’t think that fact is lost on us).
Lots of changes in our work schedules this fall threw Luna Bell for a loop and she acted off but we didn’t think much of it. Then, we got a new dining room table.
Yep, I said it- dining room table.
This hunk of oak has deeply disturbed Luna Bell and she has taken up residence exclusively under the bed and is genuinely terrified all of the time. The only time we see her is when we bribe her out with wet cat food. After spending nights on cat depression websites, it became apparent that she is depressed and feeling threatened. In a fit of “WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR CAT?!”, Ryan ordered a diffuser from amazon.com that is supposed to restore her energy levels and clear this whole thing up.
We plugged it in 4 hours ago near the bed, in attempts to smoke her out, and it is working. She is now on top of the bed and even hung out in the kitchen with me for awhile.
Baby kitty steps, right?
For as hilarious as it is that we broke down and are medicating our cat, it has been so sad seeing her so sad. Fingers crossed this thing the vet recommended does the trick and our little friend comes back to us.
The things we do for our pets…
LB Update
Luna Bell is coping with her anxiety disorder very well, thank you for asking.
True Story: My Cat Has an Anxiety Disorder
I am not even kidding.
If you recall, we’ve been having some behavioral issues with Luna Bell. When she was at the vet for a checkup this week, I asked the vet about it. She asked a lot of questions (Is it only when outside people come into your home? Has anything changed in her life in the last few months?) and after I explained that yes, dinner parties are problematic, yes, Ryan has been gone for work a lot and we saw her little paws sweating, the vet had a diagnosis:
Luna Bell has an anxiety disorder.
What the wha?!
Thought 1: My poor LB! Thought 2: Am I seriously having a conversation about pet anxiety?!?
Apparently, changes in LB’s environment throw her for a loop, she can’t deal and so she “lashes out irrationally”, i.e. latching herself onto people via her teeth.
Don’t worry- there is a spray or a diffuser that we can plug in the wall that will emit pheromones that will calm her down. Kitty Xanax, if you will.
In all fairness, she gets it honestly. Ryan and I aren’t exactly “easy going” people- there’s a fair amount of anxiety going on at all times. Oh my god, I gave my cat anxiety, I create an anxious environment. How am I ever going to have children???
Shit- we live on Lake Shore Drive. What if traffic gives Luna Bell anxiety??? Should I be closing the blinds around 5 o’clock?
Maybe I’ll just get a few of those diffusers, position them around the apartment, calm us all down a bit. Because I swear, for as much as I cannot believe I’m having a conversation about pet anxiety, I really cannot have one about pet therapy.