Replies

Vet: Hm. I see. Well I think I may be able to help you. You see ... your cat is suffering from what we Vets haven’t found a word for. His condition is typified by total physical inertia, absence of interest in its ambience - what we Vets call environment - failure to respond to the conventional external stimuli - a ball of string, a nice juicy mouse, a bird. To be blunt, your cat is in a rut. It’s the old stockbroker syndrome, the suburban fin de siecle ennui, angst, weltschmertz, call it what you will.

Mrs B: Moping.

Vet: In a way, in a way ... hum ... moping, I must remember that. Now, what’s to be done? Tell me sir, have you confused your cat recently?

Mr A: Well we ...

Mrs B: Sh! No.

Vet: Yes ... well I think I can definitely say that your cat badly needs to be confused.