Along about 9:30 last night, I began to notice Tasha acting strangely. Our cat was fidgety, meowing and yowling, then trying to pee on the floor. There were tiny spots of blood. Then I watched her repeatedly straining to urinate in her litter box with little to show for the trouble.  Oh, yeah, I recognized those signs: cystitis – a urinary tract infection! Severe cases can be life-threatening and become so very quickly. Less severe and the kitty is really miserable and loudly lets you know. Either way, it could be a very bad night ahead for all involved. So, after watching her for a while and talking it over, we bundled her up in her special cat-carrying cloth bag and made the run to the Akron Veterinary Emergency Center. After examinations and tests, my layperson’s diagnosis was confirmed. We headed back through the rainy night, cat and antibiotic prescription in hand, arriving home in the wee hours. Tasha obviously felt better already, eating and drinking at her feeding station. This morning two bleary-eyed humans dragged themselves to work while the cat slept soundly in her own bed. It was a late night, but she’s all right.