Hee Seop Scare

i ended up not meeting my Neofriend for lunch (see here) because Hee Seop gave me a real scare.  when i was putting the cats’ food in their bowls this morning, i didn’t notice that he wasn’t trying to trip me by weaving in and out of my legs along with the other three.  he gets fed in the bedroom so he doesn’t eat everyone else’s food, and normally, he beats me there.

today, he was nowhere to be seen.  i went back to the living room because sometimes he’ll linger out there.  he wasn’t there, either.  he wasn’t underneath the futon or my desk, which are two of his hidey holes.

i found him in the bedroom hiding under the bed.  that just wasn’t like him, not to be interested in food and hiding like that at mealtime.  forget about trying to get him out from underneath, so i pushed his bowl towards him, but he didn’t stir.  i started getting scared.

normally, this wouldn’t be such a big deal.  i mean, Angelo goes on a one- to two-meal hunger strike every once in a while.  but Hee Seop just had seven teeth pulled not two weeks ago.  i mean, that’s quite a lot, isn’t it?  i tried giving him a bowl of dry food, but he wasn’t interested in that, either.

so i called the vet, and i’m trying not to have a full-out anxiety attack, and explain what’s happening.  "is he vomiting?" they asked.  "not that i’ve seen," i answered, but i’m about to, which i sometimes do when i’m anxious, i thought, does that count?  "is he lethargic?" they asked.  "well, he’s just sitting under the bed.  he won’t come out, so i don’t really know."  they said they’d check with a doctor and call back later in the morning or early afternoon, and just to keep an eye on him.

i left him in the bedroom and checked back an hour later.  he had eaten most of the dry food.  i even pulled the bed all the way away from the wall to see if he threw up under there, but he hadn’t.  in fact, he was sitting on top of the bed when i came in, like nothing ever happened.

he’s been fine since, and as for whether or not he’s lethargic well, it’s kind of hard to say because all these cats do is sleep all day.  he did bat at some string that i swung over his head, so i figured that was a good sign.

when the vet’s office called back later, i told him that he ate, and seemed ok.  they suggested giving him something really appetizing for dinner, like Fancy Feast.  i remember from working at Tree House that even the most unwilling cat could never resist the Sliced Chicken Hearts & Liver Feast In Gravy.  of course i forgot to pick some up while i was out today, so their regular food just might have to do.