Owning pets can age you

Never mind the dry food, wet food, kitty litter, lint brushes, cat brushes, and toys. It's expensive owning pets. Rob and I have two cats: Smokey is 16 years old and Emma is 11. They are young adults and they act like it: they need your attention, but...too much! Leave them alone! Now they're hungry...don't look at them while they eat.

Last night as I was getting ready for bed, Rob announced that there were drops of blood on the floor. "Are you bleeding?" he asked. Slightly alarmed, I checked my arms, legs, and abused cuticles, and said no.

We checked the cats. Smokey was fine, though somewhat irritable. Emma was distracted and gloomy. I'm pretty sure if she could, she would be asking to get something pierced and then complaining that we just don't understand her.

It was Emma. She had a cut on her neck, so I put a headband around it and we called the vet this morning. Rob took her in. $250 for the appointment, plus another $750 for a biopsy of the cut (which turned out to be a cyst and needs to be removed) and to take out a loose tooth she has (don't those just fall out?) Now we have to give her medication for a week.

You'd think at the very least the cats could be appreciative of our efforts to take care of them. But no. They're ignoring us and fighting with each other. Later they're going to sneak out to go to a party and try pot for the first time.