A Vet’s Guide To Life

Sometimes you just have a hard day, and nothing seems to help you feel better. This afternoon I had two appointments and two walk-in clients in the last hour, all with sick or injured pets. That’s always a bit of a stress, as I hate leaving work late. I’m very much a home-body, and really want to get home on time to have at least some time with my kids before they go to bed. Having last-minute clients often delays me, and that makes me frustrated. Then when I came home, I had to take pictures of our pets for a school project of my daughter’s. If anyone has ever tried to get pets to pose exactly as you want them, you know how hard this can be. So that made me more frustrated. As I was getting over this, I lost some things I was trying to work on, and couldn’t find them anywhere. So by the time I finally sat down to relax, I had gotten myself pretty worked up and was trying to keep my temper in check.

Then I put Tristan on my chest, and he started to purr. Wow, that was a great feeling, and very relaxing. As I stroked him and looked down at the little guy, my stress seemed to melt away, and for the first time in several hours I smiled. As I type this he is trying to play with my hands, and is watching my typing very intently.

This is why we have pets. They can be frustrating and a headache at times. But they give us so much love, amusement, and pleasure. They love unconditionally. And it’s so great to have one of them cuddle next to you, lick you, or otherwise show their affection. It melts your heart, and suddenly all of the frustration seems worth it. The picture below shows Tristan in one of his favorite places, on my shoulders or behind my neck. He fell asleep in this position and my wife grabbed the camera.

So here’s to therapeutic kitty purrs! Better than any prescription medication!