To spay or not to spay?

I got Gabe a new kitty on Father's Day and we realized she was a girl after a few weeks went by. :) I am a big believer in preventing more little kitties from being born, so it's been on my list for ages to get Tilda to the vet. When I finally called the place we took our other cats, they told me it was going to cost $200.00 between the exam, shots, and spay. I wish I could capitalize $200.00 folks. This is a cat we're talking about. Anyway.

I called the Alternative Humaine Society after Gabe reminded me they give out vouchers and got one of those secured. Then the lady told me to look up "WeSnip" (a mobile neutering bus) and take our cat there since they are at a MUCH reduced cost. I did some checking and sure enough, they were going to be in the Hardware Sales parking lot this week.

Gabe is still on nights and he got home Tuesday morning at 7AM, as usual and I left Macy with him after we wrangled our near-wild kitty into the carrier and took her, screeching across town...just in time to hear that the stinking van was full for the day and realized I would have to be there by 6:30AM the next morning to get our cat a spot.

So, Wednesday morning went a little different. I got up at 5:30AM, went downstairs, got the cat, tried everything I could to shove her into the carrier and just when I got her 3 feet wide body (it seemed) IN, and had the door ALMOST shut, she bolted out, like lightning, or a bottle rocket and in one leap came out of the carrier, straight into the air and leapt behind the freezer in the garage. Right about then Macy woke up on the monitor downstairs and I'm shaking and have adrenaline running through my heart to my fingertips and realize it's now or never and I have to get this dang cat into the carrier and Macy fed before I can truck them both to the mobile van.

I pray, make one more try to get the cat, succeed, (it was a miracle for sure) and this time have the door half shut on her before she's even all the way in. She's biting the cage, hissing at me, generally freaking out and I'm talking her down, shaking worse than I was in labor saying, "This isn't my job!!!!!!!!!!" I did it, though, and after washing my hands, ran up, got Macy, fed her, and we were out the door on the road at 6:10AM.

Minor problem, it was 44 degrees out, and I was in flip flops and once we got there had to stand in line for an HOUR before they registered my stinking cat. An hour. Macy sort of snoozed in the car while Tilda calmed down finally and then we waited all together in the car until 7:45AM when they started boarding all the dogs first.

Thank goodness Macy loves animals so much. She was a trooper staying in the car all that time and loved watching the people and the dogs. I let her "drive" and she got to stand in the driver's seat. We didn't get home until 8:45AM only to hear Tilda not only got spayed, but also treated for fleas, and tapeworm. YUCK!!!!! She is only an outside cat, so that makes sense, but I don't think Macy will be playing with her anytime soon. Poor thing is traumatized and has to stay in the garage for 3 days but at least it's over.

All that work really was worth it, though. For everything, it only cost us $25.00. And my sanity. :)
It was still dark most of the morning, I had the lights on so we could people watch!
Highly recommend this place if you have any "fixing" to do! Just be prepared to wait...