One: I saw ticks on Zip this morning, picked them off, called the Cambridge Valley Vet, and ordered a tick color. Come right on over, they said. (Above, Maria is laughing – at me. Zip is hiding in the crate)

Two: I went to get Zip a tick collar. They asked me to bring Zip’s vaccination records. I also needed $300 worth of tick collars for the three dogs and Zip.

Three:  I fell asleep, and Casey called to say Zip needed a Distemper booster and one other shot. Maria took the call and woke up to say she was taking him to the vet – they had an opening. She said she would come. You can read Maria’s account of the vet visit here.

Four: I was groggy, still exhausted by my concussion, and slow to wake. A friend called, and I sat up and checked my e-mail. It seemed to me a long time had gone on since Maria left. I imagined Zip had freaked getting tossed into a cat carrier and taken to the vet. I called Maria; she said everything was OK but that Zip had freaked. She told Casey and Dr. Roosevelent had calmed him down, but he didn’t want to come out of the crate.

Five:  I realized Maria had been gone for an hour. Something must be wrong. She probably didn’t want to upset me.  I freaked, got up, messaged Maria – “I’m on the way” – and rushed to the car. The vet is just down the road. I thought I heard laughing in the background. I did. There was a lot more to come. They weren’t laughing at Zip, as I first thought. They were laughing at me. And he looked at me with great disappointment. I thought we were friends.

Six. When I arrived, everyone was laughing-  yes, at me. There was laughter all through the clinic.  Maria was amazed but laughing also – “I’ve never seen you do anything like that for a cat,” she said. Dr. Roosevelt came in to join the fun: “Is this the cat that is never getting into your house? ” Everyone in the place was laughing –  at me, even the very businesslike Casey.

Seven: As the laughter increased, I blushed, muttered,  fled, and headed home.

Zip was OK – he got wormed, vaccinated, and examined within an inch of his life. They miss nothing at the Cambridge Valley Vet; there are no shortcuts. The day they started with a request for a tick collar. We were now headed for  $500 in collars and shots. And it was all necessary. Zip needed these shots to live outdoors where worms, ticks, and a  host of other things can bring down a barn cat.

It was essential. Zip had charmed everyone; Dr. Roosevelt said he was a remarkable cat. Then she laughed some more.

Eight: We got home, and Maria let Zip out of the crate; he took off and, to our surprise, ran right up the firewood pile and into the woodshed’s top. He had obviously been there before. Our vet and staff do excellent work. We owe them a lot. (Above, we had to dump Zip out of the crate so he could get dewormed.) He flew right past me.

Nine: I took the food bowl to the woodshed and held it out, calling to the rattled cat and telling him it would be OK. I can’t rub or scratch him because he has worms and other medicines on his forehead. He was shaken, but he came out quietly, looked at me closely, and decided to believe me when I said it was all right. I held the food bowl while he came down and ate all of it. I’ve never seen Maria laugh so hard. Maria Wulf took the photo above.

Maria is still laughing. She said she couldn’t believe I came rushing to the vet and didn’t feed Zip by hand until he ate all the food in the bowl. I think Zip is OK now and ready for his life here. We just made it a lot safer.

I was a bit embarrassed, but I got the joke. I was way out of my zone this afternoon, and I just went flying when I thought something was wrong with him. He and I both freaked out. I guess there is something to learn from that.

I’ve been going to that vet’s office for over a decade, and they know me well. I never saw them all laugh so hard. I’m glad I brought many people joy; Maria is still chuckling.

I’m glad Zip is hopeful, vaccinated, and OK. When this happened, I wrote about my relationship with Zip and his role as a companion cat in a different post. I wasn’t finished when I ran to the vet, so I stopped writing the piece.

I posted what I had written and decided to wait another day or two to think about it. What, I wonder, is happening to me and my Companion Cat?

All is well on Bedlam Farm.