"He's my doctor now?!" My cat can't hide his frustration with the vet he dislikes at the animal hospital.

My beloved cat, Jiji, has a rare condition for cats called "hemangiosarcoma." Since the New Year's holidays of 2024, when a sudden hemorrhage from a tumor led to hypothermia and a life-threatening situation, our visits to the animal hospital have increased.

Hospital visits inevitably make me feel stressed... Amidst all this, what makes me chuckle is the interaction between a male veterinarian who adores Jiji and Jiji, who can't understand why this vet, whom he dislikes, has become his primary doctor.

The first person my friendly cat ever disliked was "the vet at his regular clinic."

The three cats living in my house are social butterflies who enthusiastically entertain sudden visitors. In fact, they show visitors an affection they've never shown me. They're very good at charming people.

That's why when I hear stories about cats who dart away when visitors come for interviews or other reasons and only cuddle with their owners, I get incredibly envious... Even if the world turned upside down, or if a shower of Churu treats rained from the sky, I feel like my cats would still be more fond of visitors than me.

姉家族が来たから、精一杯キリッとしようと励む猫が愛くるしい。 pic.twitter.com/PDxueZMT1i

— ゆあ ｜ ライター🖊 (@yunc24291) March 31, 2024

My human-loving cats are also very friendly with the veterinarians and nurses at the animal hospital. They rub against their arms and bury their faces in their clothes, as if to say, "Nice to meet you!" Even though I'm right there.

Having witnessed such behavior for many years, I thought, "They probably don't have anyone they dislike." However, one day, there was a change in Jiji, my tortoiseshell cat... For some reason, he started acting aloof only towards Dr. C (a male veterinarian), his regular doctor.

The details of this were written in a previous article, but it seems Jiji couldn't quite understand the unique compliment Dr. C gave him: "You can't get lost among other cats!" Since their first meeting, he developed an aversion and started acting cold and standoffish towards him, a behavior he doesn't show to other vets.

For example, when Dr. C appeared during nail trimming, Jiji would let out unique growls like "Hoo!" or "Ngyaaaah," and after returning home, he'd wear a grumpy expression. By the way, when other female veterinarians trimmed his nails, he would only flatten his ears a little.

I wondered if he was afraid of male veterinarians, but when the director (a male) trimmed his nails, there was no growling, and he just let it happen.

Dr. C is now Jiji's attending veterinarian. He saved Jiji's life with appropriate examinations and treatment during the sudden change at the New Year, and has been observing the tumor's progress since.

Experiencing Dr. C's "cat love," despite my cat disliking him...

When Dr. C told me that Jiji might not make it through the night during his sudden turn for the worse over the New Year, I broke down in tears in the examination room, completely disregarding those around me. For a grown adult of 30, crying uncontrollably even after leaving the room might seem pathetic to onlookers.

But Dr. C is kind. He diligently updated me on Jiji's condition during his hospitalization and was very empathetic to my anxious feelings. He's genuinely a good person... During Jiji's hospitalization, my phone received several unexpected calls from our regular vet.

Me: (Oh, a call from the animal hospital... Did something happen to Jiji...?)

Dr. C: "Hello? Do you have any preferred dates for Jiji-chan's university hospital examination?"

Me: (It's about the university hospital... What a relief!) "I don't have a preferred date, so the earliest available, please."

And then...

Me: (Two calls from the animal hospital... Could Jiji have taken a turn for the worse?!)

Dr. C: "Jiji-chan ate Churu! Let's decide what to do next when you visit today!"

Me: "Churu... I-I'm so glad!! (In many ways)"

With such reassuring interactions, the bond between Dr. C and me grew stronger.

When Dr. C called, he made an effort to sound cheerful, perhaps trying to convey that it wasn't a serious matter.

Also, during my visit, he was considerate enough to say, "I apologize for contacting you at a confusing time," which significantly boosted my trust in Dr. C. I genuinely felt grateful for having chosen this hospital.

My cat still hasn't warmed up to Dr. C, who saved his life.

Meanwhile, Jiji's aversion to Dr. C intensifies every time he sees him. When taken out of his carrier in the examination room and seeing Dr. C, he buries his face in the nurse's clothes, who is holding him, refusing to let Dr. C come into his sight.

When Dr. C touches him, Jiji reacts with a defiant attitude, pretending to bite, as if to say, "If you're going to act like that, I'll show you!"

Yet, Dr. C remains unperturbed. He smiles and touches Jiji's whiskers, saying, "Your whiskers are curling." On those days, Jiji keeps a stern face and stays in an "extremely angry" mood after returning home.

However, sometimes I see Jiji showing a sense of gratitude in his own way. The most touching moment was when I saw him lick Dr. C's finger to eat the cat treat, "Churu."

At that time, Jiji was hospitalized because he wouldn't eat after the hemangiosarcoma removal. During my visit, Dr. C showed me, "He's started eating if I put Churu on my hand."

Watching Jiji lick the finger of Dr. C, whom he dislikes, and trying to live, was deeply moving. Perhaps, during the ongoing fight against his illness, a significant change might occur in Jiji's feelings towards Dr. C.

Not only the progress of the illness, but also the bond between the two, is something to look forward to in this ongoing battle. I hope a bright future awaits both of them.