The Pet That Was Under the Weather

The Pet That Was Under the Weather.

Sue was ready to go for her daily walk to the lake when she heard the rain and the thunder. The flashes of lightening lit up the lounge room. She was concerned about Pepper her pet cat who always got scared when he heard the thunder. Sue went to her bedroom and saw Pepper fast asleep in his box. She was surprised that Pepper was not running around and climbing up his Cat Climber which she had bought for him knowing that cats had a natural instinct for climbing. Pepper had been asleep for most of the morning and Sue was concerned. She called out to Pepper. “Get up and Smell the Roses.” Pepper didn’t want to smell the roses and while cats sleep for many hours during the day, Pepper was getting sleepier and he hadn’t been eating much. Sue went back to the lounge room and decided to do some research on possible health issues which were making Pepper sleepy.

After learning that Pepper could have an infection Sue decide to take him to the local vet. She booked an appointment and took Pepper to the Vet three days later. There were four people in the waiting room with their pets, ready to see the Vet and hopefully get some positive news. Sue realized what pets meant to their owners and the fact that they were much loved members of the family. They all had a chat while waiting for their turn to go into the Vet’s room. One man in the room with a small puppy on his lap told everyone that his children loved their pet dog and took him for walks to the local park every day. The children playing in the park loved to interact with their dog. A lady said she took her dog to a nursing home once a week for therapy sessions with the elderly residents. The staff told her that it was the highlight of their day, and they could see that the residents became calmer and were able to communicate better with each other after seeing the dogs. Sue realized that pets provided very positive affects for their owners and the community.

Sue was the next pet owner in line to go into the Vet’s room when a lady walked out without a pet. She was looking very distressed and the receptionist started talking to her. She had had to make the decision to have her dog put down. It had been suffering with intense pain which couldn’t be treated. Sue told the lady she was very sorry for her loss of a family member. Over time pets became a valued part of the family and losing them was very distressing. When she entered the Vet’s room Sue was hoping that she didn’t have to go through this trauma. John, the Vet greeted her and examined Pepper. He diagnosed a Bacterial Infection which was affecting his sleep patterns and appetite. Sue was assured that antibiotics would help Pepper to recover and if Pepper experienced any allergic reactions including skin reactions and, vomiting and diarrhea she was advised to contact the practice and make an appointment. John completed a blood test to diagnose Pepper’s overall health. Sue would be contacted with the results within the week and she left, carrying the cage with Pepper curled up inside.

In the following week, Sue gave Pepper the oral antibiotics in a small amount of wet food and he was running around the apartment when he had consumed all the medication. In between his normal cats' sleep - time he was happy and active and there were no other health concerns. Pepper was Sue’s only family member as she lived alone after separating from her partner due to his controlling and abusive behaviour. Her family had ended all contact with her as they became angry after she moved in with her partner. She had moved to the other side of the country to feel safe and found Pepper in an Animal Shelter. He reminded her of Tubby, the pet cat she had looked after when she was a child. Suddenly she remembered the conversations she had with the clients at the Vet practice. They had all shared positive experiences as a pet owner and the story about the therapy dog came back to her. She knew Pepper would provide very positive therapy for people living in Care.

Sue contacted a local nursing home, and the worker told her that dogs and cats were ideal therapy companions for the residents. She said that cats bring a sense of calm to stressful environments, promote mental stimulation, encourage light exercise and play, and provide quiet companionship. She added that a cat curling up to residents calmly soothes them. Sue immediately thought about cats as purr – fect therapy pets. When Sue told the worker she had a Burmese cat she found out that this was one of the popular therapy breeds noted for their affectionate nature and sociable personalities. The worker asked Sue to bring Pepper to the Nursing Home to be assessed and then she could bring him in every week for therapy sessions.

When Sue and Pepper were snuggling up on the lounge that evening, she thought about the review the worker had given, about therapy cats and the positive traits of Burmese cats. Five years ago, Sue had moved to her present location. She was suffering with depression and anxiety due to the abuse she had suffered with, for a number of years. She started seeing a psychiatrist who prescribed medication which helped slightly. Most of her days were spent locked in her unit alone with no support. She was scared to go out and mix with people she thought my be abusive. Her experience had resulted in her belief that there were no good people. The stories on the daily news broadcasts increased this perception of a dangerous threatening world. Over time Sue became more positive, started working in a local café and met friendly supportive people in a local reading group. Bringing Pepper into her home was the therapy she needed to move ahead with his calming motivational traits. Pepper passed the Nursing Home Assessment with Flying Colours and the weekly visits were very positive for the residents who loved interacting with Pepper. When he was ‘Under the Weather’ it wasn’t easy for both of them, but it led to a positive outcome when the pet owner at the Vet shared her story.