Owner Spends $200 at Vet to Find Out What Cat’s ‘Weird Scab’ Is, Regrets It

The “hilarious” reason behind an unusual scab on a cat’s leg has gone viral on Instagram.

The video was shared by The Loki Show (@loki.doestricks), the Instagram account of 2-year-old Loki, the feline known as “the most chaotic cat on the internet” for “pulling off new heists every week,” his owner Danielle, who did not share her last name, previously told Newsweek. The video currently has 2.1 million views since it was posted two days ago.

Loki was adopted in 2022 from the North Shore Animal League America on Long Island, New York, where Danielle is from.

A message overlaid on the clip reads: “0 percent chance that anyone can guess the diagnosis of this weird scab on the back of his leg that prompted yesterday’s vet visit.”

Another note on the screen reads: “irritated skin, missing fur, 2 hard white spots,” with an arrow pointing to a close-up shot showing Loki’s leg.

A voice in the clip later reveals that the cat’s “$200 diagnosis” turned out to be “red pepper flake stuck to your leg.”

According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), pet owners in the United States were projected to spend a total of $143.6 billion on their pets in 2023, including $37 billion on veterinary care and products.

A 2021-2022 APPA survey found that pet owners spend anywhere from around $94.50 to $201 on their feline companions to cover “basic annual expenses,” including routine and surgical visits to a veterinarian, food and other costs.

As costly as the doctor’s visit in the latest viral post may have been, Danielle made the right call by having Loki examined by a veterinarian, especially in case he may have been in any pain, which isn’t always obvious.

“It is a cat’s instinct to hide or mask its pain, making pain difficult to diagnose. No one is in a better position to identify the subtle changes in behavior that may signal pain than human family members,” advised veterinarians Malcolm Weir and Robin Downing in an article for VCA Animal Hospitals, one of North America’s largest hospital chains.

Some of the signs of pain can range from vocalizations, such as more meowing than usual, to changes in facial expressions and daily habits, such as squinting their eyes and overgrooming, the veterinarians also noted.

‘The $200 Diagnosis’

A voice in the latest viral clip says: “We gotta go to the vet, can you go in your carrier?” Loki is seen climbing into the carrier as the voice says, “Good boy. Ready to go?”

The video later shows Loki sitting on top of a kitchen counter. The voice in the clip asks, “Loki, what is the $200 diagnosis?” The feline is shown tapping a container of red pepper flakes placed next to him with his paw, as the voice says, “Yes, red pepper flake stuck to your leg.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via email. This video has not been independently verified.

Instagram users were amused by the diagnosis in the video, with many saying they could relate, sharing their own anecdotes.

“This is hilarious,” wrote sallehformallyhill, while user somany_words noted “This is so, so, so, so relatable.”

“I legit laughed out loud on a call when I heard the diagnosis. Only Loki!! Happy it’s nothing serious though,” wrote conwayranch.

User lisa_barnhorn_pelz also wrote: “Hahaha. But glad it wasn’t anything worse.”

“This reminds me of the time I thought I was submitting a stool specimen for my dog that I collected from the yard. The diagnosis came back as, ‘Ma’am, that is an acorn,'” recalled dljord.

“I once took a foster to the vet for swelling in her abdomen, and the vet checked it out and told me that well, ‘This cat is fat,'” commented no_ordinary_housecats.

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