Last summer Howie discovered crocks, those rubbery plastic shoes. Mike and I both have two pairs each, one for going out in the back yard the other for going into the garage and front yard.
I was lying in bed one evening watching TV when Howie came upstairs with Mike's red crock in his mouth. This was the first I knew of what has become Howie's fetish for footwear.
A few weeks later my flip flops became the target and wow! The puncture marks. It wasn't long before I knew that all crocks had to be put out of sight and the flip flops up on a shelf in the closet. Then Howie moved to leather sandals and shoes but they didn't interest him quite as much.
Last week I not only forgot to put my flip flops up on a shelf but I left the closet door open. We came home to find a chunk missing from one flip flop.
A little less than 48 hours later Howie regifted two big chunks of flip flop in the dining room!
My hope was that he didn't have anymore in his belly but he did. He stopped eating and he was in some discomfort so off to the vet.
Howie is still at the vet and will be there until Monday, at least that is when I expect to be able to bring him home.
The vet Howie is at is out in the countryside because my sister works there and has for a very long time. Because my sister works there I get some of the behind the scenes stories of Howie's stay. When I arrived last Wednesday morning with Howie, Mama Cat and Lane, the two resident clinic cats came to greet us. Both are super friendly and stuck their noses in the carrier to say hello to Howie. Howie was ok with this greeting. Good.
Howie's first night he trashed his kennel. The water bowl was spilled and clumping litter was everywhere. It was so awful the towel used for his bed had to be tossed In the garbage! Yikes! The second night Howie escaped from his kennel. Mama Cat and Lane and Howie must have had a blast trashing the kennel room. Stuff was everywhere.
Last night was night number three. An extra security lock was placed on Howie's kennel. I got a brief text from my sister. Seems Howie escaped again. I haven't any details and it is unknown how he managed his escape this time.
On the positive side, x-rays show the little piece of flip flop is moving through Howie's intestines. And I've been told that Howie is a very easy patient and cooperative boy when being handled. He certainly is a spirited little cat.
