PAtoSF Chapter 2: A Vet for Stella

Taken May 2014

In preparation for the move, I decided it was important to get my cat, Stella, microchipped. Stella was a stray kitten an ex-boyfriend and I rescued on a hot summer day. She was just a little thing, alone, hungry and hot. We took her in, fed her, got rid of her fleas, and eventually got her spayed. I've had her for nearly 3 years now, and she'll make the move with us to San Francisco in a few weeks. 

Will she hate the move? Probably. She hates the car. Hates the car. But other than that, she'll adjust well as long as there's windows. She is very nosy.

The idea of bringing her on a plane is really not one I'd like to consider. If I could magically teleport her to San Francisco, that would be ideal, except that doesn't exist. So the best option is most likely going to be to use pet transport service, where she'll take a car ride over the course of a few days.

I figured this was a good opportunity for her to get in for her first vet visit, get updated on immunizations and get her microchip. I asked Twitter friends for recommendations and ended up going with one I recognized as being fairly nearby.

Let me tell you, I am a very nervous cat mom.

If there's one thing I'm particularly good at, it's being anxious. More specifically, I'm very good at being anxious about things that really do not call for it. For example, I'm not nervous about flying or the actual move to San Francisco. But I imagined Stella's first vet visit to be a nightmare. What if she bites the vet? What if she pees in my car? What if she has a reaction to the shots? What if she escapes from her carrier in my car then escapes from my car? I don't know. We all worry about something.

The car ride to the vet could have gone better. She cried, but I'm pretty sure she has no clue how the car works. She also, isn't a huge fan of being in her carrier. But once we arrived, she was as calm as can be and became instantly interested in the chirping birds and the duck trying to waddle around the waiting room.

Stella hanging out in the waiting room

Once it was time for her appointment, the nurse called us into a room and carefully shut the door. I opened the carrier and Stella popped out, really to check out everything in the room. The nurse was very pleasant and let Stella wander around the room as we discussed the reason for the visit and any past medical issues, etc.

Being very curious, smelling everything

Once the veterinarian arrived, she brought the same nurse and an observing student. They offered Stella a few cat treats at which point Stella thought it appropriate to hiss at the treats. She was not about to be bribed. Since Stella didn't want the treats, they sat her on a towel on the table and did regular check-uppy things like listen to her heart, check her teeth, etc. Stella didn't fight or hiss or bite. She was very well behaved.

The vet gave Stella her 4 in 1 shot. The rabies shot was not available due to a recent run on rabies shots locally. Then they took her and her carrier into the back to give her the microchip, which is the size of a grain of rice and implanted between her shoulder blades. Stella's is registered with HomeAgain.

If you're a pet lover or like a good story, you can check out some of HomeAgain's Found Pet Stories.

She was brought back in her carrier promptly by the nurse who asked if I had any remaining questions. I inquired about the move and transporting her, expressed my concern about her utter dislike of road travel. The vet prescribed a mild sedative that could be given to Stella up to twice a day during her transport. The sedative wouldn't knock her out but just ease her stress so that the trip would be a little more enjoyable and less frightening.

Our final bill was $113 - including the $40 vet visit, the 4 in 1 shot, the microchip, and the sedatives.

I left relieved but happy it all went so well. No one got bit. The staff was very friendly. Stella didn't seem bothered. The building didn't implode (anxious people worry about crazy things), and my bank account didn't take a hard hit to get a good experience.

If you haven't taken your cat to see a vet or are worried about the experience, all I can say is do a little research first. Find out what you need and don't be afraid to ask questions. In all honesty, you're probably a lot more nervous than your pet!