Like human, like feline

Being a guardian of three cats can be challenging, but generally my pride of felines is in good health and stays out of trouble. The other day I brought one of them, Kuro-Raimei, in to see Dr. S for her annual checkup and vaccinations. Like everything else, the exam and shots were more expensive than I'd become used to, but that's just how it is here in President I-Can-Bankrupt-Anything-I-Touch's America. A bigger exam bill isn't a big deal, though. (The rabies booster, that was surprisingly pricey, but it's the last one she'll need.) My vet isn't the cheapest one around, I could pinch pennies, but this isn't a negotiable area. Dr. S is the best there is and we will see no others before her.

Raimei passed her exam with flying colors, with one area of exception: her teeth. Two of her chompers are going to have to come out sooner rather than later. It's not a surprise, this is the second time this has been an issue for her and it's comical in a way, because Raimei has the same problem I've had with resorption eating away teeth from the inside out.

Me, I had implants put in to replace the molars I had to have pulled. Raimei won't have to suffer through that kind of procedure, she'll just have to make do with a couple of gaps. I wondered about being more aggressive in trying to keep her teeth clean—she does not like it, it's generally a losing battle to try—but Dr. S assures me that, like with my own molars, this isn't something one can address with regular brushing and flossing. Genetics + stubborn bacteria that get below the gumline. Shōganai.

It's going to cost me about $2k to have Dr. S extract the two teeth properly, and since Raimei doesn't appear to be in pain I'm going to wait until the summer to do it. First I need to see how much of a bite the taxman is going to take out of me.