11 Oct 2021, 03:52
Adventures in Petsitting
"Cmon Shady, here you go, you've gotta take your medicine, ah!" Jake drew his hand back, as the cat hissed at the incoming medicine dropper once again, giving Jake what could only be described as a death glare.Saturday, May 1, 2021
Afternoon
"I don't understand..." Jake said, staring down. "Animals always like me..."
This was the first time he'd ever seen such hostility in an animal before. He'd seen dogs growl, he'd seen cats hiss, but never at him. He was gentle. There had been an incident once with Xailah's cat, but those had been different circumstances. And the other animals they'd taken care of so far had gone wonderfully...
It was still the beginning stages of the Scamander Petsitting Clinic, and things were off to a good start. The two young Hufflepuffs had been determined to do the best job they could. They had started with friends, and now expanded to Hufflepuffs. And it sounded like from George there would be a lot more animals coming soon. It had been a dream come true, really. They'd expanded to using an empty classroom as their base of operations, and coming there alone hadn't been as scary as Jake had thought it might be, and nothing bad had happened. They'd had toys for creatures of various species and sizes, they'd rented out every pet-care book they could find at the library...the behavior of Shady was an unexpected wrench. But Newt Scamander had had to deal with creatures much more fearsome than a cranky cat. They would get this, one way or the other.
"Well um...do you wanna try?" Jake asked his friend Julian, trying not to show his hurt as he handed over the medicine dropper. He had tried three times already, so maybe he was the problem.
11 Oct 2021, 04:19
Adventures in Petsitting
@Jake Morris
Julian had been watching critically from a few steps away as Jake tried his best at giving Shady her medicine, with very little success. He felt a little bad for his friend, who seemed to be trying very hard to seem nonthreatening to a cat who was trying, well, not at all to seem nonthreatening. He couldn't point out anything that Jake was doing wrong, per se, so he didn't think that he'd have much more luck than him, but he still nodded when the other badger asked if he wanted to have a go. There was no harm in trying, at least.
"I suppose," he said. "I don't think it's you, though. I think it's probably just that the medicine tastes terrible." He grimaced as he thought back to the last time he'd had to take cough syrup. Taste never seemed a priority when it came to medicine, which he supposed made sense since it was far more important that it be effective. Still, he thought people in charge of making medicine for cats should be a little more worried about making it taste okay. After all, it wasn't like you could talk to a cat and explain that medicine would make it feel better, and therefore would make it feel better even if it was foul.
Biting his lip, he took the dropper and sank to his knees, half-crawling closer to the cat. He didn't lead with the dropper. Instead, he extended his hand and let the cat sniff it, taking it as an encouraging sign when Shady did just that, and followed up the gesture with nothing much worse than a skeptical look.
"I read once that closing your eyes in front of a cat means you trust them, and they're more likely to be cooperative if you do that," he said as he scooted a little closer. He fixed Shady with a stare and then the hand with the dropper extended towards her, he slowly and deliberately shut his eyes... only to open them again when a sharp string across the front of his nose made them tear up.
"She scratched me!" he said, a little indignant. He sighed, turning back to Jake. "I don't know. Maybe one of us should hold her..." The other one could try to jam the dropper between her jaws. That was more forceful than Julian wanted to be, but surely it was okay if it meant she got her medicine.
Julian had been watching critically from a few steps away as Jake tried his best at giving Shady her medicine, with very little success. He felt a little bad for his friend, who seemed to be trying very hard to seem nonthreatening to a cat who was trying, well, not at all to seem nonthreatening. He couldn't point out anything that Jake was doing wrong, per se, so he didn't think that he'd have much more luck than him, but he still nodded when the other badger asked if he wanted to have a go. There was no harm in trying, at least.
"I suppose," he said. "I don't think it's you, though. I think it's probably just that the medicine tastes terrible." He grimaced as he thought back to the last time he'd had to take cough syrup. Taste never seemed a priority when it came to medicine, which he supposed made sense since it was far more important that it be effective. Still, he thought people in charge of making medicine for cats should be a little more worried about making it taste okay. After all, it wasn't like you could talk to a cat and explain that medicine would make it feel better, and therefore would make it feel better even if it was foul.
Biting his lip, he took the dropper and sank to his knees, half-crawling closer to the cat. He didn't lead with the dropper. Instead, he extended his hand and let the cat sniff it, taking it as an encouraging sign when Shady did just that, and followed up the gesture with nothing much worse than a skeptical look.
"I read once that closing your eyes in front of a cat means you trust them, and they're more likely to be cooperative if you do that," he said as he scooted a little closer. He fixed Shady with a stare and then the hand with the dropper extended towards her, he slowly and deliberately shut his eyes... only to open them again when a sharp string across the front of his nose made them tear up.
"She scratched me!" he said, a little indignant. He sighed, turning back to Jake. "I don't know. Maybe one of us should hold her..." The other one could try to jam the dropper between her jaws. That was more forceful than Julian wanted to be, but surely it was okay if it meant she got her medicine.
11 Oct 2021, 05:12
Adventures in Petsitting
@Julian Pritchard
Jake nodded with some understanding. Medicine was always awful, and he supposed cat medicine was probably just as bad. It sort of made sense that medicine tasted the way it did, since what were the odds that something that could heal you like that also tasted good? If it did, everybody probably would have already been eating it like ice cream or something, and then the disease wouldn't have ever been found in the first place.
Jake watched carefully as the younger Hufflepuff inched closer to the skeptical looking cat. He waited with bated breath, but heard no hiss. Julian suggested closing his eyes, so the cat would know that he trusted her. That sounded like a good idea. Jake hadn't read that before, but he had read more about dogs than he had about cats. With some animals, looking them in the eyes was seen to be a challenge, so maybe closing them would prove that they weren't trying to do anything but help.
Jake watched as Julian closed his eyes, he inched even closer...this was going to work! And then---'she scratched me!" the younger boy said in shock and indignation. The cat's claw had been quick and had jutted out and hit its target.
"Lemme see," Jake said with concern, looking at his friend's nose. He pressed the sleeve of his robe to Julian's nose in case it was going to bleed, but when he moved it away, he saw that though there was a new red line across the boy's noise, there was no blood. "I think it's okay...you aren't bleeding," Jake told him. "Does it hurt?"
His eyes drifted back to look at the cat that was regarding them lazily. He knew that Julian was right...Nothing was more important than Shady getting her medicine. It was time for Plan B. One of them was going to have to hold her. The question was who and HOW?
"Okay, um, um...but..." He looked at Shady again, and thought about how she would feel about being held. It didn't really look like she was gonna like it. "Didn't uh....Isn't there a thing you can do with a blanket? Like if a cat is being fussy?" he asked, trying to think back to the cat he had used to know, back when his grandparents had had one. Jake tried to think back to his experience of ever seeing anybody in a situation like this one, but Jake hadn't been to very many houses in his life, so he hadn't met very many cats. "Maybe if we....maybe if we did something like that."
He eyed Shady again, wondering how they could convince her to cooperate. He had already tried reasoning with her...THAT hadn't worked at all. He hoped Julian had a better idea of what he was talking about than he himself did.
Jake nodded with some understanding. Medicine was always awful, and he supposed cat medicine was probably just as bad. It sort of made sense that medicine tasted the way it did, since what were the odds that something that could heal you like that also tasted good? If it did, everybody probably would have already been eating it like ice cream or something, and then the disease wouldn't have ever been found in the first place.
Jake watched carefully as the younger Hufflepuff inched closer to the skeptical looking cat. He waited with bated breath, but heard no hiss. Julian suggested closing his eyes, so the cat would know that he trusted her. That sounded like a good idea. Jake hadn't read that before, but he had read more about dogs than he had about cats. With some animals, looking them in the eyes was seen to be a challenge, so maybe closing them would prove that they weren't trying to do anything but help.
Jake watched as Julian closed his eyes, he inched even closer...this was going to work! And then---'she scratched me!" the younger boy said in shock and indignation. The cat's claw had been quick and had jutted out and hit its target.
"Lemme see," Jake said with concern, looking at his friend's nose. He pressed the sleeve of his robe to Julian's nose in case it was going to bleed, but when he moved it away, he saw that though there was a new red line across the boy's noise, there was no blood. "I think it's okay...you aren't bleeding," Jake told him. "Does it hurt?"
His eyes drifted back to look at the cat that was regarding them lazily. He knew that Julian was right...Nothing was more important than Shady getting her medicine. It was time for Plan B. One of them was going to have to hold her. The question was who and HOW?
"Okay, um, um...but..." He looked at Shady again, and thought about how she would feel about being held. It didn't really look like she was gonna like it. "Didn't uh....Isn't there a thing you can do with a blanket? Like if a cat is being fussy?" he asked, trying to think back to the cat he had used to know, back when his grandparents had had one. Jake tried to think back to his experience of ever seeing anybody in a situation like this one, but Jake hadn't been to very many houses in his life, so he hadn't met very many cats. "Maybe if we....maybe if we did something like that."
He eyed Shady again, wondering how they could convince her to cooperate. He had already tried reasoning with her...THAT hadn't worked at all. He hoped Julian had a better idea of what he was talking about than he himself did.
11 Oct 2021, 06:00
Adventures in Petsitting
@Jake Morris
"Just stings a bit." Julian muttered, trying not to twitch or wrinkle his nose as Jake looked at it. He was glad to hear that it wasn't bleeding, though, since it saved him a trip to the loo to go wash it. He had more important things to do--like giving Shady her medicine.
He shot the cat in question a frustrated look. Admittedly, Julian had never tried to give medicine to a cat before, but he usually found cats much more agreeable than this. They were sometimes skittish, but they were rarely aggressive. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd done something wrong--moved too quick, or stared too long before closing his eyes--and spooked her.
"Sorry," he muttered at her, just in case, before turning his attention back to Jake, who'd agreed with his idea of having one of them hold her, and had even brought up a method that might be effective. "I think I know what you mean--you wrap 'em up tight, yeah? So their legs are tucked into the blanket and they can't scratch you. I think I've seen it done with a towel. Maybe one of us can go get a blanket from Scamander's and then we can use that?"
For a moment, Julian couldn't help but wish that he knew how to transfigure more things than the handful of objects that he'd already mastered. That would easily save them a trip to the dorm. "Maybe we could go by the kitchens and see if they have something tasty she might like to eat, too. Keep her distracted while we wrap her up?"
"Just stings a bit." Julian muttered, trying not to twitch or wrinkle his nose as Jake looked at it. He was glad to hear that it wasn't bleeding, though, since it saved him a trip to the loo to go wash it. He had more important things to do--like giving Shady her medicine.
He shot the cat in question a frustrated look. Admittedly, Julian had never tried to give medicine to a cat before, but he usually found cats much more agreeable than this. They were sometimes skittish, but they were rarely aggressive. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd done something wrong--moved too quick, or stared too long before closing his eyes--and spooked her.
"Sorry," he muttered at her, just in case, before turning his attention back to Jake, who'd agreed with his idea of having one of them hold her, and had even brought up a method that might be effective. "I think I know what you mean--you wrap 'em up tight, yeah? So their legs are tucked into the blanket and they can't scratch you. I think I've seen it done with a towel. Maybe one of us can go get a blanket from Scamander's and then we can use that?"
For a moment, Julian couldn't help but wish that he knew how to transfigure more things than the handful of objects that he'd already mastered. That would easily save them a trip to the dorm. "Maybe we could go by the kitchens and see if they have something tasty she might like to eat, too. Keep her distracted while we wrap her up?"
8 Nov 2021, 07:04
Adventures in Petsitting
@Julian Pritchard
Julian seemed ok - his scratch wasn't bleeding, and he hadn't cried. More than anything he seemed kind of frustrated at the cat. Jake could understand that. Usually he thought that when an animal scratched you it meant that you were doing something wrong. Maybe you had scared it, or moved too quickly. Animals didn't just scratch you to be mean. But somehow this cat was baffling him.
Luckily Julian had heard of the blanket wrap, which meant Jake hadn't just made it up.
"Yeah, like that! I don't wanna scare her but..." the boy looked down at the medicine dropper. It wasn't probably going to be fun to be forced to drink something like that but NOT being forced to could end up much worse. And well, that's what had to happen when you were sick right? HE had never wanted to take medicine either but his parents had never really given him a choice. Okay, so maybe they hadn't held him in a blanket or anything, but they couldn't exactly give a cat a time-out or take away her TV privileges if she didn't listen. What else could they do?
Julian thought of a great idea next though. A treat for Shady would maybe help her calm down, (and also would lessen Jake's guilt about wrapping her in a blanket. He heard that cats didn't mind so much but well....what if he was wrong?)
"Oh yeah, that's a really good idea! I knew a cat that really liked tuna once. Do ya think there's any of that in the kitchen? We could give her some at the beginning and even more if she drinks the medicine.
Yes, they could do this. Everything was going to be ok.
Julian seemed ok - his scratch wasn't bleeding, and he hadn't cried. More than anything he seemed kind of frustrated at the cat. Jake could understand that. Usually he thought that when an animal scratched you it meant that you were doing something wrong. Maybe you had scared it, or moved too quickly. Animals didn't just scratch you to be mean. But somehow this cat was baffling him.
Luckily Julian had heard of the blanket wrap, which meant Jake hadn't just made it up.
"Yeah, like that! I don't wanna scare her but..." the boy looked down at the medicine dropper. It wasn't probably going to be fun to be forced to drink something like that but NOT being forced to could end up much worse. And well, that's what had to happen when you were sick right? HE had never wanted to take medicine either but his parents had never really given him a choice. Okay, so maybe they hadn't held him in a blanket or anything, but they couldn't exactly give a cat a time-out or take away her TV privileges if she didn't listen. What else could they do?
Julian thought of a great idea next though. A treat for Shady would maybe help her calm down, (and also would lessen Jake's guilt about wrapping her in a blanket. He heard that cats didn't mind so much but well....what if he was wrong?)
"Oh yeah, that's a really good idea! I knew a cat that really liked tuna once. Do ya think there's any of that in the kitchen? We could give her some at the beginning and even more if she drinks the medicine.
Yes, they could do this. Everything was going to be ok.
23 Nov 2021, 07:00
Adventures in Petsitting
@Jake Morris
Jake seemed to approve of Julian's idea of getting a treat, and even suggested tuna, prompting a nod from Julian. "Alright, we can try to get tuna." He'd also heard that cats loved the salty fish, and had successfully used it in the past to get his neighbors' cats and the odd stray to approach him. "I bet they must have it. The kitchens seem to keep much weirder food around. But if they don't, maybe we can find some scraps of meat or some ham."
Julian took a deep breath and hopped back to a standing position, relief tugging at the corners of his lips. They had a plan. They could do this. Shady would not be going without her medicine, Paige would not be mad at them, and people would still trust them with their pets.
"Alright," he said. You watch her. I'll go get the blanket and the food, and hopefully that'll be enough. If that doesn't work, I know that sometimes you can mix the medicine with food. Although I dunno if we'd want to check with Paige before trying that..." Pausing only to push his glasses up his nose, Julian strode purposefully towards the door and pushed it open. He was about to step out when a flurry of movement caught the corner of his eye. His stomach sank.
He bit his lip, twisting around to look back at Jake. "Did she just..." He didn't need to hear his friend's answer, really. The empty space where an angry cat had previously sat was all the confirmation he needed: he'd just lost their charge. "Oh no."
Jake seemed to approve of Julian's idea of getting a treat, and even suggested tuna, prompting a nod from Julian. "Alright, we can try to get tuna." He'd also heard that cats loved the salty fish, and had successfully used it in the past to get his neighbors' cats and the odd stray to approach him. "I bet they must have it. The kitchens seem to keep much weirder food around. But if they don't, maybe we can find some scraps of meat or some ham."
Julian took a deep breath and hopped back to a standing position, relief tugging at the corners of his lips. They had a plan. They could do this. Shady would not be going without her medicine, Paige would not be mad at them, and people would still trust them with their pets.
"Alright," he said. You watch her. I'll go get the blanket and the food, and hopefully that'll be enough. If that doesn't work, I know that sometimes you can mix the medicine with food. Although I dunno if we'd want to check with Paige before trying that..." Pausing only to push his glasses up his nose, Julian strode purposefully towards the door and pushed it open. He was about to step out when a flurry of movement caught the corner of his eye. His stomach sank.
He bit his lip, twisting around to look back at Jake. "Did she just..." He didn't need to hear his friend's answer, really. The empty space where an angry cat had previously sat was all the confirmation he needed: he'd just lost their charge. "Oh no."