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No one had posted about a missing cat. Another long, sorrowful howl echoed from the bathroom. Sully shuddered. How could so much sound come from such a small, fluffy body? His watch pinged with a reminder for his daily meditation. Truthfully, the best thing for his mental health right now would be getting the cat out of his house. He didn’t need to check his sleep stats to know he’d only patched together a few hours of shuteye between the howling of his miniature poltergeist and memories of Alanna’s furious face floating through his imagination.
What was his next move? Did Yucca Hills have a Humane Society? Surely an owner would check there, right? But what if they didn’t? The cat could be stuck in a tiny cage for days or weeks waiting to be adopted. And if that adoption never came?
The distinct sound of breaking ceramic emanated from the bathroom.
…In thevery likelyevent the cat wasn’t adopted?
A new thought came to Sully. What about that cute vet clinic he always passed on his way to the gym? He scrounged for a name. All Paws and Claws. Yes, that was it. Surely, they’d know what to do.
Sully smiled to himself. “Alright, kitty,” he said. “Time to get you home, and out of my life!”
*
“Well, this is different…” noted the woman behind the reception desk of the All Paws and Claws Vet Clinic. She glanced at the hissing, rattling, homemade cat trap Sully had just placed on the counter.
She wore her gray hair in a strict bun, not a single wisp daring to escape its confines. The tight set of her lips seemed to announce she would brook no nonsense. Not one little bit.Kate, her name tag announced.
“You see, I rescued this cat,” Sully began. The trap emitted an ear-shattering yowl. “Well, at least I think it’s a cat. Could be a wolverine.” He offered Kate a wry smile.
If possible, her lips tightened even further. “Doesn’t seem too pleased to be rescued,” she noted.
“Nope,” Sully admitted.
He glanced down.We’re So Hoppy to See You!said a wooden sign attached to the front of the reception desk that included a picture of a grinning, cartoon bunny. Two clear jars filled with treats stood on either side of the counter. The jar labeledMeowwas painted with little cat ears and whiskers. The other saidWoofwith dog ears and a snout. On the wall behind Kate’s head hung a massive cork board filled with pictures of animals: dogs and cats of every color and size, bunnies, guinea pigs, lizards, and even a camel. In the middle of the board, a handwritten sign announcedOur Familyencased in a huge heart.
Sully’s eyes shifted from the aggressively cheerful cork board to the aggressively stern Kate.
As if reading his mind, Kate said, “Our receptionist had to leave for a family emergency, so we’re a little short-staffed at the moment. I’ll set you up in Exam Room 2. As soon as Dr. Goldman is available, he can check the cat and see if it has a chip.”
Sully nodded, afraid that offering a thank you might offend the woman. He followed her into an exam room. Teal paw prints paraded around the bright white walls.
“Alright, let’s meet the wolverine,” Kate said, pulling on latex gloves.
“Um, the cat is a little high-strung,” Sully warned.
She gave him a look that would’ve taken the bark out of a Doberman. “I noticed.”
She unrolled a soft towel onto the surface of the exam table and spritzed it with liquid from a small bottle. “Pheromones,” she said as if that explained everything. She peered into the cage, then nodded to herself before pulling a vial from a drawer. “Did the cat seem healthy to you?”
“I guess.”
“Active? Alert? Energetic?”
“All of the above and then some,” Sully answered.
“I’m going to apply a moderate sedative. Works wonders.” As she spoke, Kate produced a small package from the drawer. Unwrapping the needle, she plunged it into the vial and drew up a small amount of liquid. “A little Dexdomitor goes a long way, though it does cause nausea. You may have to deal with some vomit.”
“Worth the price of not having anybody’s face ripped off,” Sully replied.
With swift, efficient movements that betrayed decades of experience, Kate pulled the thrashing cat from Sully’s trap by the nape of its neck and pressed the animal down onto the table. She flipped the towel over the growling cat and somehow managed to inject the sedative.
The cat howled and hissed, but Kate kept the cat pinned to the table.Jesus, the woman should seriously consider coaching the local high school wrestling team. After a minute or two, the movement beneath the towel began to slow. The howling became thinner and finally stopped. After another minute, Kate flipped back the towel and released her grip. The cat lay quietly on its side, its eyes open but glazed.
Sully resisted the urge to give Kate a standing ovation.
The door to the exam room swung open and a small, white-haired man entered. “Hello, hello, I heard quite thecat-cophonyin here.” Kate rolled her eyes.
The man gave Sully a wide smile that immediately put him at ease. “I’m Dr. Goldman. Pleased to meet you, pleased indeed.” He looked down at the cat and stroked a hand across its long body. “Well, well, well, this is a new one, isn’t it Kate?”
