Some Peace of Mind

Horace had recovered fully from his upset by the time I returned home from work yesterday. He ate his usual amount of food for dinner, complained at me while I ate mine because he wanted to sit on my lap and, after he had accomplished that mission, had an active play-session. His problem may have been a hairball, or a stomach-bug. Hopefully that otherwise healthy young fellow won’t be troubled by another.

I was able to buy a bottle of Cerenia yesterday. I am quite pleased about this. It was expensive, but I hesitated only a short time before purchasing it. I consider the advantages to having it far outweigh the cost. Firstly, it is cheaper ‘in bulk’: the amount each dose would cost, given the number available in the bottle, is about a third of what individual injections would cost at the veterinary hospital. Beyond that, there is the savings on the vet visit (depending on circumstances, anywhere from $50 to $100 just to see a doctor or veterinary technician) and the cost of a taxi there and back ($30 one-way).

But there is something much more important than the monetary savings that I’ve gained. I’ve acquired a little more peace of mind. Historically, my cats have become sick on weekends. This was troublesome enough when their veterinary hospital had an emergency service. It no longer offers that, which means that if one of the beasts becomes ill after hours, the options are to wait until the next working day, or to take him to the 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic to which I was forced to resort with Minuet. I will avoid that place in the future at almost any cost.

It’s true that Cerenia won’t solve all problems, but the most common ailment that strikes my household is when Renn has one of his off-days. They have been alleviated in the past with Cerenia. So if my oldest cat suffers his most prevalent complaint, I won’t have to watch him suffer for hours, then hope that the hospital can fit him in between others’ appointments, before taking time off from work to ride an expensive taxi for an expensive veterinary visit. And of course most importantly, Renn won’t feel the stress of another trip to the doctor.

This theorises an ideal situation. The Cerenia may not work, after all. But it’s the best solution to a possible problem, and it’s in my power to give it now. That gives me peace of mind. And, perhaps, if my big boy knew the situation, it would bring him some peace of mind, too.