Unsquinted Fawny

 Poor boy hates his hard, plastic Elizabethan collar. He can't eat anything, or lie down comfortably, or play with his feather or his water bowl. But, after the eyelid adjustment surgery, his eye is open and not sore. (Of course, he is on post op pain meds so nothing should hurt.) He was just as eager for cuddles and chicken as usual.

Finn and Tiger were at the dentist this afternoon. Poor Tiger only had one canine and has been positively friendly for the past week or two. This visit might set her back. I doubt that Finn will mind any extra attention even from a dentist.

I spent some time trying to figure out who is who in the palace. I wrote my conclusions on a piece of paper sticky taped beside their condo cards. 

Freddy is the tabby with white under his chin and on his chest

Tigger has the most white on his chest and white lines running from his eyes to his chest.

Hercules is all tabby and instead of the usual M between his eyes on his forehead, he has two parallel marks each side that look almost like apostrophes.

Molly is all tabby too and she has the usual M between her eyes on her forehead.

Then I moved on to Thelma and Louise.

One of them has a half and half face and the other has a white patch on her chest. I wrote them down, stuck the note to the condo and have since forgotten who is who.

Thelma and Louise

[And I was too busy handing out delicious chicken to remember to take any photos.]

Adoption tails: Lucky 14th

 On Sept 14 this year, Miko, Shadow and Wilson were adopted.

Miko

Miko

Her new owner enthuses:

1 day: "She has been very calm and friendly using her litter tray and eating her food she’s enjoying the sunny spots looking out at the garden.
She’s a great explorer and is very nosey. She is watching me work at the moment and keeps my chair warm when I have a stretch I think she’s going to be a great addition to our family”
1 week: "Miko is divine and such a good girl. No accidents with litter tray and full of fun. She has started to play with toys. We bought her some treats from the vet and built her a climbing area which she loves. Miko has settled in incredibly well and seems very happy."
1 month: "Miko is such a sweet girl she loves watching Dr Jeff Rocky Mountain vet whilst having cuddles She has settled in great no accidents and she loves playing with her toys. She loves a nap in the sunshine”

Shadow

Shadow

1 week: Her new owner had a house visit as she had a couple of questions about set up and nail clipping. Shadow is otherwise settling in very well.
1 month: Shadow is doing very well. Her owner is very grateful for the nail clipping visit. Shadow was a bit frightened but with the "expert's" tips even her new owner's partner was finally able to clip them this week.

Wilson

Wilson

1 day: "He did really well for his first night with us. He's very affectionate and always tries to stand next to us. He's claimed a spot in one room that he goes to whenever there's a noise outside that freaks him out, not a big fan of the gardener with his leaf blower”
1 week: Wilson has been amazing, settled in comfortably and is very affectionate.
1 month: Wilson is doing great. Always playing or sleeping. And is the star of some lovely videos.

A surprise

As usual when I first arrive at the cattery I check each condo and count the residents and got to 64 cats and the last one . . . . was a rabbit, named Coco. Just in case you can't tell your pussies from your bunnies, the breed on the condo card is "Rabbit". I don't know where she came from. She must have arrived after 4pm when I spoke to Katie.

Coco

Diego is the last cat still in the boarding area. I think he prefers more action, and more folk to hiss at.

Diego

 

Nada and Tabitha have been moved to the main room. They may take a while to adjust.

Tabitha

Nada

Finn has adapted beautifully to his "sister" Lucky being adopted on Saturday. He is now the lord of his domain.

Finn

Also adopted over the weekend were Oreo and Lucky together, TinTin, Jetta and Champ. Well done weekend teams!

The Wednesday team decided that Amy's kittens need names: there are 2 girls and a boy. So we decided on Angel, Annie and Andy. Angel is the lightest coloured one.

Angel, Annie, Andy

Their mum seems to have divorced them. She spent all day on the highest ledge where they can't get to her. 

I took advantage of a quiet afternoon to give Scrat and Puss clean hammocks. They thought it was the perfect opportunity to get more smooches as I had to put my upper body into their wheely cage to tie the strings. I didn't mind too much. I chose the biggest hammocks.

Puss and Scrat

Adoption tails: Leaf

 It was a lovely visit back to SAFE Rehoming yesterday, Mocha (aka Leaf) says thank you for the tunnel! I’ve attached some pictures of Mocha since adoption back in February this year.

Only a few days after coming to our home, Mocha decided that the laptop was the ideal place to nap.

 

All wrapped up like a burrito!

(6-9months old) Sleeps in his bed during the day and climbs the bed frame late at night

I’ve started to let him outside in the yard (under supervision) during the day recently

Taken just last night, Mocha enjoys the tunnel very much!

Thank you for all your work at SAFE Rehoming

Short on vollies

 We have too many cats for three vollies to get cleaned before 12:30 so I helped out on the Naughty Row (where Kimi is too short to successfully dominate the hissy kitties) and in Incoming. Amy was sitting on the highest shelf in her condo quite happily distancing herself from her three rolly polly kittens. I make it a point to wipe my hands all over them so that they take back my smell to mum. . . . . I only do it for their sake!

Oreo (black and white kitten) has been returned. He didn't get on with their resident cat and the stress made his flu return so they want their money back. He looked happy to be back when I gave him some chicken. That was just before he was hustled next door for Dr Kim to access how "sick" he is on return. (Oreo, tabby mum of Lucky, has perfected her escape technique. I found her wandering by Leo's play place this afternoon. Lucky was lounging in their condo with the door wide open.)

 Callie was uploaded as available this morning and the woman who has been waiting for her for weeks came in with a carrier. She adopted one of ours 6 months ago (forgotten whom, sorry) and wants another kitten younger than him to bond with him because she didn't realise how much joy having a cat added to the house. Unfortunately, Callie still has a squinty eye. She really shouldn't have been on the website. But her preferred new mum will watch it like a hawk until she becomes available again.

Callie

The woman who adopted Leaf visited with her friend. They just wanted to see who we have in residence so that she can tell all her friends. She promised to send me a photo or two of Leaf. The one that she showed me on her phone is of a very plump cat (5 Kg!) And another one in an elf costume!

Tabitha has been moved into the Welfare area. She likes chicken but doesn't like people (or is it just me?)

Tabitha

As has Champ who is up for adoption. I think that might take some time. But as soon as Trixie is posted she will go.

Trixie

Computer failure

 It is not a long way to the limit of my understanding of computers. When the screen told me that it was running out of battery I jiggled all the wires that I could see, turned it off and back on again. It worked for long enough for me to process Bodhi and Tara's adoption and then turned itself off again. Thank you computer. Tim is sure that he can fix it and that the fault is just the new desk and the new set up on Sunday. The desk is closer to the front door. . . . . just beside the poster with pictures of paralysis ticks. I think I should move that so the our visitors can see it more easily.

Bodhi and Tara were adopted by a couple who fell in love with their photo on our web page. Turns out that they used to have a cat who looked just like them except that he had a mark beside his nose that looked like he had a runny nose. Our Bodhi and Tara do not have that. They are perfect. And behaved perfectly. The husband was sent to "do the deed" because if the wife came "she would have adopted every cat in the shelter". I showed him our other pairs but he was fixated on B & T.

Magnus has gone. . . . . to foster with Fiona. Perhaps to adopt if he gets on well with Windsor. Overnight signs are all good. He will be missed in the shelter. But I must admit that the cleaning gets done quicker when he is not in need of somebody cuddling him while his condo is straightened. Once Fawny gets his eye sorted (he has the same problem as Schnitty had. . . . an in-turned eyelid with the eyelashes scratching his cornea) we will be able to dispense with one vollie per session!

Yesterday afternoon we accepted a 14 year old cat, Kitbells whose owner has been moved into a dementia unit and nobody in the family can take her. She is in shock, of course. But this afternoon when I talked to her (she had not eaten her breakfast) she rolled over so that I could tickle her tummy.

Kitbells

I didn't take up her offer. Even a 14 year old can change her mind in a flash.

Naughty corner is now naughty row. Two of the cats, Max and Gus from Incoming who hid in a carrier in the two story stand alone have been moved there. I expected there to be two cats in the box when I stuck the camera into their condo. Wonder where the other one is hiding?

Max/Gus

Their "mum" Willow is under Tiger, who came out for a chat today, again! Willow does not want to talk to anybody.

Willow

Adoption tails: Gorgeous greys

 Ganda: adopted 15/9/21
1 day: "He is doing well. He is very affectionate although a bit nervy and hides if there is a noise or a sudden movement. He gave us a fright today by hiding inside the chimney -- took us several hours to find him! All good now sitting at my feet having his tummy rubbed. We have changed his name to Ollie.
1 week: "He is doing well, getting used to us, he is still a bit nervy and runs off to hide sometimes but doesn’t stay hidden too long. Sleeps on our bed. He has had a problem with one of his eyes -- it was weeping from when we first bought him home. We took him to the vet a week ago, she found that he had ulcers in both eyes. We have been using ointment on them, there has been some improvement but not completely better yet." His favourite spot is on a window seat.
1 month: Ollie's eyes are a lot better. He is doing well, settling in and getting a lot calmer. He is spending more time hanging around his new guardians. 

Ganda aka Ollie

Meow Meow, 26/8/21
3 days: Adopter says "Meow meow is doing really well. We were prepared for her to be timid and scared, but within 15 mins of her arrival she threw herself at my son Jack and had big cuddles. She loves Jack especially. She has to be approached slowly, but loves being stroked and scratched. She is exploring the house and has found some good spots to sit in. We have got into her rhythm now and understand when she wants to be quiet, wants to eat and when she wants to play. She is very cuddly in the evening”
1 week: Meow Meow is settling in really well. She goes outside to explore the garden and really enjoys it. She loves to sit and cuddle especially when her new Mum sits on the sofa watching TV. She is not loving her T/D dry food.
1 month: "Her name has been changed to Dusty and she is doing well. She is such a lovely, cuddly girl. She is much more relaxed now. She has really settled into her new environment. She especially enjoys being outdoors  exploring the garden and sleeping in the sun. So much so that her new owners wonder if she was previously only kept indoors. She has got better at climbing in the past week and made it up to a height of about 1.5 metres in the Jacaranda tree. She is eating well and her fur looks good. Her owner really appreciates the care SAFE gives their cats and the follow up to adoptees."

Meow Meow aka Dusty

Lucky in love

 I moved Lucky and Finn away from the front door to next to Beauty (separated by layers of duvet covers on both stand alone cages). I looked up who is whom. Finn is the white male and Lucky is the grey and white, medium haired female. The easy way to remember who is whom is "lucky in love" because Lucky loves to be loved on. Anybody will do. Neither of them recognised chicken as food which makes you wonder how they got to be a plump as they are.

Miranda Purr was adopted on Thursday. . . . such a good looking cat.

Miranda Purr

. . . and Schnitty was moved into her condo after I cleaned off her pawprints. He was a bit disgruntled at the move until offered chicken.

Sarah (the burrito cat) was waiting for her share when I got to her condo ("at last!"). She accepted some finger strokes as well as the chicken.

Sarah

 

But the one who surprised me was Tiger, her next door neighbour. For weeks she has turned her back on any approach but today she stepped up for a pat, scratch, fondle. I didn't go so far as to pull on the matted tags by her left ear. She drooled great drops of crystalline saliva at the joy of being fondled until. . . . she snarled, without provocation or any further action, to show me her huge, solo, canine. Cats are strange. I wonder what she will do next week.

Tiger

And Bibi, who hid under her blankie on Wednesday couldn't get enough cuddles today. She wasn't even interested in the chicken. Just more pats please.

Bibi

Naughty corner

Diego has learned from Fawny how to trash his condo. It was covered in dirt this morning, and his two level scratchy pole was overturned.

Diego

 

 Fawny's was flooded, as usual. He is to go to an eye specialist next week. Beauty's kittens didn't survive the weekend. Izzy and Jetta went to the vet to be desexed and both are boys. Izzy will be short for Isaac and Jetta is an alternate spelling for Jeda! Unfortunately, the vet thinks that the skin lesions on Izzy may be ringworm. We will await the cultures. I moved him into a quarantine corner in Incoming.

Incoming is full. The latest arrival is another Oreo, black and white this time which makes more sense than tabby Oreo. He is a sweetie. He moved into Rufus' condo and Rufus went to the naughty corner by the feeding station. His narrow door is cable tied shut to avoid the possibility of him exploding through the ceiling tiles again.

Rufus

 

 

Kendra moved to the main cat room to make room for Rufus. The vet has decided that she is just fat (probably from all the expensive food we have been feeding her and from when she OD'd on Babycat when her kittens who were not feeding from her).

The other Oreo was frantic to get out of her condo today. She kept scrabbling at the glass. I tried putting a solid scratchy pole in there to give her something else to scratch. But eventually she started beating up on Lucky, her son. So I added various toys. They worked for a while. But as I was wandering around in the peaceful afternoon (no visitors today), suddenly there was Oreo making for the nearest door. The pot flew out of my hands and I grabbed her. She must have jiggled the door open. Bibi upstairs was not impressed.

Bibi

 

 Above Pete and Buddy is a handsome ginger called Maple who also has a cattitude sign. She doesn't spit but seems to get overexcited easily.

Maple

There are naughty corners all over Safe Haven.

 

Babies!!

 Robyn reports:

This morning was very exciting! Beauty had babies! Sofia called me over and said "I think Beauty has given birth". And she sure had! 

Beauty's first

Very hard to see with all the black fur but I did manage to get a pic later of the grey one. 

 

Beauty's second, perhaps

Lucky that Prue had put a hammock in on Wednesday! We didn’t want to disturb her too much. I think there were 3 when I left but Prue will know all the details by now. 

And Amy’s kittens wobbled out after a feed. I got the 3 of them second time around. 

Amy + 3

There is also Puss +Scrat sharing a hammock. Scrat’s face is priceless. 

Scrat (left) and Puss (right)

Prue, later:

Don't know how many babies Beauty had. Tim was concerned about their position in a hammock high above the floor of the wheely cage. I had put a low box with a blanket in it at ground level for her to carry her babies down to but he feared that the babies might bounce out of the hammock when she left it for dinner. So we carefully untied the bows that tie the hammock to the bars and lowered mum and bubs to the waiting box below. Beauty didn't even hiss.

As I arrived, many hours before this last task, the man who adopted Flynn and Toby rode up in the lift with me. He came to collect the pair of bowls on a stand for them. He says that they are marvelous. Nervous Toby chose to be best friends with his confident daughter and friendly Flynn has gravitated to his rather reticent son. Toby can open cupboard doors and close them with his tail. He has bought them a humongous cat tree. Everybody is very happy.

Then the women who came in August to adopt Charlie came back for a cat to keep him busy at 4am. . . . so that they can get some sleep. They chose Malabar (she being the only single, female cat available and suitable). I am sure that Malabar will keep him in line.

Adoption tails: Silky has stuck

 Silky came to Safe Haven from a cat colony in late October 2020. Mimi is her mother, Soxy her brother, she had a litter of kittens at Safe Haven.

She was adopted on 31/7/21.
1 day: Silky is in the office upstairs hiding under the wardrobe. At nighttime she did use the toilet. The entry of the office does not have a door rather a gate with bars.
Her owner told Irene on August 2 that Silky got out through the gates and is now downstairs under the sofa. The other cat Milly is in the same vicinity and Silky hisses when Milly comes near the sofa. Irene suggested to try and tempt Silky back upstairs, but in the bedroom, which has a proper door. She told her that Silky is very food motivated suggested using high value food. Silky is still quite overwhelmed, so it would be too early to have Silky and Milly in the same room.

Silky

 

1 week: Silky is back upstairs in the office and her owner has 'Silky proofed ' the gate.

1 month: Silky is very active, plays with her toys and approaches her owner to play but does still not like being touched. Milly, the resident cat and Silky run around together a lot. Initially it was Milly behind Silky now they also run the other way around. Silky watches everybody quite happily but runs away when anyone comes too close.

Harry and Harley Adopted 14/8/21
1 day: H & H have been hiding under the bed (as expected). They have been eating when it's dark but haven't used the toilet yet.
1 week: Harry and Harley have settled in very well and getting more confident by the day.
1 month: Harry and Harley are doing well. They love their food and that is the only time they 'talk' to their owner. Most of the time they just play and keep each other company. 

Harry and Harley

Foster fails hurrah

 Remember Lillian? She was in the far corner of Boarding when she first arrived with her two very handsome kittens. They got adopted, eventually, and she went to foster. Today her foster mother came to adopt her. Hurrah! She is not a lap cat yet but is very settled into her new home.

Lillian

And Daisy is back and will be adopted by her fosterer on the weekend. She is not a happy cat. Didn't eat anything all day. I think she was in Incoming briefly before having kittens.

Daisy

We are up to 75 cats in residence including Amy and her three grey tabby kittens. Doesn't her expression say "one step closer and I will rip your . . . . arm off!"

Amy + 3

So Safe Haven's kitten season has started. Irene tells me that there are at least 5 mothers and baby kittens in foster as well as several bottle baby fosterers. 

And we have more surrendered cats since last week including Finn and Lucky who are in mourning for their real home.

Finn and Lucky

Our earlier surrenders Puss and Scrat are settling in well and love any kind of attention (but not our chrunchies). The rabbits have gone to foster homes so I don't have a photo for last week's blog.

I decided that as Chris and Beauty are from the same colony and probably related, that their wheely cages could be a bit closer together. Chris played footsies with Beauty from his comfy hammock while she was on her wire shelf.

Chris and Beauty

So I strung a hammock below her shelf and tried to encourage her to get off it. Food didn't work. Time didn't work. So I had to apply the squeeze by raising one end of the shelf. 

Beauty

She got the message and moved. But by the time I left she hadn't climbed into the hammock.

Bigger chickens needed

 I ran out of chicken to share by the time I got to Jet who didn't hiss when offered chicken. We are almost full. There are 12 cats on the website ready to be adopted including 5 bonded pairs.  In anticipation of a VERY busy day tomorrow, I assembled the remaining cat carriers. I have got it down to 3 minutes per carrier which is a huge improvement on my first one which must have taken 25 minutes to get together.

We have two rabbits as well. Tim can't find a vet who is prepared to desex a young bunny so these two sisters (who don't like each other so need to be in separate bunny runs) may be very cheap. [Forgot to take a photo. I will add one next week]

We got a delivery of some street cats including a small kitten whose mother cannot be found. I think s/he is about 5 weeks old (long hair slows them down). Tim thinks 4 weeks. I woke him/her up when I opened the door to take a photo. Katie is to take him/her home to make sure s/he gets fed every 4 hours. My camera calls him/her "unnamed" but I am sure that s/he will have a name by tomorrow. S/he is almost as loud as Suki.

Unnamed

 

Tara and Bodhi still have signs saying that they are both 5 years old. But they are such different sizes. Bodhi is a boy but surely he shouldn't be that much bigger? Neither wanted chicken. ?Bodhi wanted cuddles. ?Tara wanted a place to hide.

? Bodhi

?Tara

Jumi, next door, has got over his shock and is all about the head butts and cuddles. He is a handsome lad (2-3 yo).

Jumi

Below Autumn and Summer (Steph still hasn't chosen their new owner) is Miranda Purr. . . . such a neat name for a beautiful, mature (8yo) tortie.

Miranda Purr

And there is Bibi who didn't want anything, no chicken, no pats, no nothing, thank you.

Bibi

 

And the kitten season hasn't started yet!