The road to Cheshire

A few months ago it occurred to me that I should brush my cat's teeth. She's a gorgeous two year old tabby, my precious little feline masterpiece, my baby. The vet said she had beautiful teeth. I asked her about brushing and she recommended some toothpaste and brush. I purchased it all and eagerly rushed home to try it out. Of course, I was to be sorely disappointed.

Kitty did not seem too enthusiastic at the prospect. She watched me suspiciously as I unpacked my treasures. She came close, inspected the brush dubiously and after deeming it harmless, gave it the mandatory "you're mine" cheek-rub. I opened the toothpaste and put a little on the tip of my finger. She licked it and seemed to like it. Emboldened by my success thus far, I ventured to put some paste on the brush. Quickly seizing the furry creature, I gently pulled back her lip to try lightly brushing a canine. Kitty did not like that much. She sneezed her displeasure and started squirming. Kitty still has her claws on all four feet. Slightly mutilated and feeling amateurish, I let her go. 1-0 for kitty.

I decided I needed serious help to tackle the task so I referred to the source of all wisdom: google. So many helpful websites out there. Reminds me of my quest for the perfect sirloin roast cooking time. It appears that the secret is to make kitty like the teeth brushing sessions. Right. So easy. I'm supposed to brush only a couple teeth and reward her until she starts tolerating it without squirming. It's been months now and although I skip some days, she still squirms. She likes the paste but I can't get to her back teeth. The score is now a sad 76-0 for kitty. (Editorial Note: Previous number was made up at random but is likely an optimistic estimate.)

I'm determined. I've had mitigated results but I will not give up. The road to Cheshire is paved with good intentions (and a few scratch marks). My cat will have a sparkling smile or I will lose an arm!