All I want for Christmas is my teeth...

...pulled out, followed by lots of morphine, then an easy life of soft food and lazy living. That's my wish for Linus (Puppy), my black kitty. He had major dental surgery Friday -- all of his teeth extracted to treat stomatitis, chronic gum infections that make eating excruciatingly painful.The post-op period has been a trauma for both of us. Puppy is so freaked out, reverting to his feral ways. He's not letting me give him enough pain meds. He hides under the house. He growls at me -- I've never heard this sweet kitty growl before. He still can eat only liquids. This surgery might not even help him. If this doesn't work, we've run out of options.

In this photo taken days before his surgery, Puppy snoozes alongside Natalie. She's mean to every cat except Puppy, and he's the only cat that's not scared of her. They cuddle on top of each other and me in bed. Natalie even licks his face. That's how irresistibly lovable Puppy is. He so deserves to get well and happy (and fat!) again.