So, we just spent about $700 on the cats. Iccarus was no big deal, just needed his annual exam and rabies shots. Chubby on the other hand, got a hematoma in his ear which cause it to swell up. The vet thinks this is related to his allergies. So he had surgery today to drain the ear. They also stitched it up so that the layers of skin and cartlidge will bond, which will (hopefully) prevent a repeat. Now he's on 3 different medications (ear drops, antibiotics and pain killers), and our Independence Day travel plans have been shelved. Oh well. Such are the joys of having pets.

No, they're not jewel encrusted, but for the money we spend on them they ought to be. Today we took both cats to the vet for checkups. Chubby was in for shots, and Iccarus was in for a 6-month senior exam. Chubby, as usual, was friendly and docile. And Iccarus, as usual, was a nervous wreck. He hisses and scratches and growls and yelps and craps. Yes, he craps on things when he's freaked out. So, they both needed bloodwork, and Iccarus ended up needing light sedation. Altogether, we spent almost $500 at the vet. Part of this was because we had them do baseline blood testing, which doesn't need to be repeated for a few years. We have the money available, so we figured, lets get it all done in one swell foop.

Expensive, but they're still worth it. We love the little bastards.