Adoption Tails: Diego, Cal, Camille

Diego, now Atlas

1 day: The owner is planning on changing Diego's name to Atlas. He's doing well so far. He's kept to himself since coming home but did eat the wet food the owner put out for dinner, not when she was there. He's been exploring the room but has yet to use the litter tray.

1 week: Atlas is doing really well! He is very snuggly and has explored the whole apartment now so he's settling in. Still very shy around new people but he's definitely getting more comfortable everyday.

1 month: He's doing well - spends most of his day snoozing by the window but has spent a couple nights cuddled up to the owner which has been lovely!

 Cal

2 days: He is eating and drinking fine, and using the litter tray as expected. His owners are deciding between renaming him Tiger and Tigger. He has integrated into his new home very well. Any concerns with their older cat have disappeared as they are playing together nicely.

1 week: ”He has examined every aspect of our house multiple times. He's a handful but getting on fine with everyone. He's also eating well and getting bigger”.

Cal

1 month: no response 

Camille

1 day: Everything seems good. She is timid and I think a bit overwhelmed but we have given her her own room and space that’s her safe space. She has been eating and drinking just fine and has been using the litter tray. I think we will be renaming her Maisie as we feel it suits her.”

Camille aka Maisie

1.5 weeks: “Maisie is settling in very well. She is slowly getting to know the house. She is still quite jumpy at new sounds but I assume that’s normal. She is a complete love bug and loves snuggling up with us at any point of the day which is a good sign. She has also started following us around the house, letting us know she is getting more comfortable. She is certainly being well loved and I think she is starting to understand that and has brought us so much joy and life into the household. She has been a lovely addition to the family and we have all had our fair share of cuddles from her. I’m excited to see her once her full personality comes out”

pincushion Maisie

1 month: “Maisie is doing amazing and has settled right into our home like she has been here since the beginning. She is the most beautiful soul and we are beyond grateful to have found her. Just wanted to thank you and all the volunteers for helping us bring her into our home. She has found her forever home and is so so loved”

Nada nada

 Jacqui's cats have gone home so the play place is available for our cats as none of the boarders are inclined to move. I put Tiger in after Diego and Dora had a play. He liked it. Strolled about and did a big, smelly poo. Then Opie went back in overnight,

Tiger

There have been adoptions. Sampson and Kit Kat have "adopted" on their condos but are still with us. Luigi has gone. He didn't even make it to the "for adoption" list! One of Mia's and Cindy of the Supermodels have also gone. So has Betty White from foster.  And SOOTY has gone to a family whose previous cat hid for 9 years. They like a quiet cat. So Helena and Kate have moved into Sooty's condo. They were not happy but they will get used to it. 

Whitney and Mary will be next to go as soon as they recover from being desexed. Whitney tried the Top Cat this afternoon. She was not keen. And went back to bed.

Whitney

Later I set it up next to Nada. And she wasn't impressed (while I was watching). I hope she comes out overnight.

No Nada

But Yin did unroll himself this afternoon and posed for Robyn.

Yin

And I gently held Tibby still while he ate his dinner. He pecks at the food like a bird rather than hoovering it up as most kittens do.

Tibby

There is a new mum, Ruby in Incoming. She has 5 jewel named kittens about 2 weeks old. One of them has a eye that hasn't opened correctly. It needs to be bathed and anointed 3 times a day. This kitten will get very used to being handled. The mum is completely friendly. Don't know her story. 

We will have to inspect all volunteers who wear black tops as they leave to make sure that they are not trying to smuggle Margot out with them.

Margot gets first prize in the Cuteness Class

Thank You Helen

 I slept in this morning and arrived at Safe a little late. But, thank goodness, Helen had taken home all the poo bags yesterday so I didn't have any to schlep down to the bins. I could get straight on to feeding our 62 cats plus four boarders. There will be many more boarders next week. But our Daphne (now Tilly) goes home tomorrow. She was really happy to see me today having got over her disgust at being sent back to lock up land last Friday.

Daphne/Tilly

Yin had tossed all his bedding into his litter tray which was in his tall space. So I tossed the blankets onto the upper shelf to get it out of the way of his breakfast. Later I found him wrapped up in his blankies.

Yin

I put the red and black spotted rug thing in his sleeping room because it might be more difficult for him to dig it out of there and into the litter tray. Later he went into that space and I removed the dirty blankets. Cats have strange ways of relating to two leggeds.

I demonstrated the erection procedure of the Top Cat play place to Terry who came by with a load of litter. (If the person who overfills the litter trays on Tuesday will stop doing that, the litter will last much longer). So now he knows how to do it.

Kiki enjoyed it. But later when we moved it, Diego escaped through the gap at the bottom.

Kiki kinda likes it

Kiki preferred being in the proper play place. A couple of blokes came to find a friend for their ginger, 1-2 year old boy. They rather fancied Duke on line. (What's not to like!) But I thought that two bossy boys was not such a good idea (especially in view of the nasty pee smell that came with Duke and Bowie when they arrived) and suggested that a female cat would rule the roost and everything would smell sweet. So they looked at all our single girls. Couldn't decide between Courtney and Kiki. I put them in the play place with each, successively, for a good while. .   for them to get to know each other. They went off for a cup of coffee and a talk. They came back and chose Courtney. 

Courtney's new best blokes

Enzo and Cleo are in Truffle's stand alone. The daughter of the house is doing her HSC and doesn't need the distraction. But said daughter and sister arrived to have a kitty cuddle today. I put them all in the play place. (I had a struggle getting the kittens out of the high-rise-hidey-hole when they left).

Enzo and Cleo's girlfriends

Later their mum and brother arrived to have their cuddle and discuss other cats that need to be rescued. 

And another woman came in to see one of the Supermodels. She will return on Saturday, perhaps, when she makes up her mind about her first ever cat.

Head to head super models

Luckily, Ann baked a banana cake this morning and brought it with her. Thank you, Ann. There are left overs.

Nada doesn't need cake. She has been on weight reduction crunchies for ages. It is not working.

Nada

And a fortuitous kitten photo. (Thanks Robyn)

Cleo plus 4

Adoption Tails: Diego

 1 day (03/08/22): He hides under a couch most of the time, but she managed to get him to play a little with her while he was under it. He was very active at night. He hasn't used the litter tray yet, but he did go into it as some pellets were on the floor this morning. He ate last night when she went to bed and had a drink of water. Nothing yet today, but he isn't as anxious today as his eyes are no longer big and black. She will not be renaming him as she thinks Diego suits him just fine. She got Amazon delivery of play toys for him.

1 week (09/08/22): She just talked to Chris at Mona Vale vet about him, as she dropped off a carrier she borrowed to get him home. He had one mishap of him peeing on the bed, but he has used his litter tray every other time. He eats everything she gives him and is taking a treat from her hand. He is still under the couch most of the time but comes out while she is up to look around. Today was the first morning he has come out of hiding, but he generally goes back pretty quickly. He has found a windowsill he likes to sit on and watch the world around him. He likes the window as he can see all the comings and goings in the apartment complex.

1 month (02/09/2022): He only hides if something scares him. He still won’t let his owner touch him. If she is not in the room, he will come looking for her. He loves playing with 2 little mice that are stuffed with catnip. He has to know what is happening all the time by sitting on the windowsill looking at what the neighbours are doing. “He gets better bit by bit every day”. He has already been registered with the council.

 

Adoption Tails: Diego and Samiri

Diego and Samira

 

3 days: Diego has been renamed to Aslan (Turkish for Lion) befitting the name already given to his sister Samiri, which is also Turkish. They are settling in well. They have investigated her entire home and sleep in their safe room at night. They eat all of their morning and night meals and are very active, playing with toys and each other. They are also using the litter tray well. She has started to feed them in the kitchen. One of them was lying in front of the heater in the lounge and the other was settled on top of a lounge chair to watch TV for about 10 mins before returning to their safe room. She has bought a 3-level play tree with beds and scratching posts and also assorted toys for them to play with. They like to be around her but they keep a distance of about 1 metre. They’re doing very well for 3 days, especially as they have not been conditioned to be around people at all. They now eat downstairs with their owner in the kitchen. Every day they are becoming more confident and starting to show their personalities.

1 week: They are settled into a routine. Toileting is all normal and everyone is getting on well. The lighter-coloured one is a good chatter and she can stroke them on the back and they follow her around a bit. The darker one is more timid, but is interacting more each day. They are playing more with their owner and now sit near her while they’re playing with their toys. She assembled a play house for them and has left it in a sunny spot by the window for them while they’re left alone today.

1 month: They are doing well. Felling more at home. Their owner can pet Aslan most of the time and he comes up to her for pats. Samira is still more timid. There’s a certain time in the evening when she’s sitting by the window and she’ll sometimes allow a pat. They both sit near her and interact when she plays with them with toys. They’re both eating well and are more settled because they don’t react to different noises so easily. Both won’t allow her to pick them up but she thinks it’ll change with time. The next step will be brushing them because they'll be shedding their winter coats soon. They are very happy and well looked after. Their bond is slowly making progress. Aslan decided to sit next to her on the lounge tonight which is a new thing.

Foster Fail again

 Three kittens and their mother were put up for adoption this week. When an adopter came to the foster home to choose one, the fosterer was in tears about loosing one of her three babies. Then they couldn't decide which kitten to keep so decided to keep both. . .  plus the mum. It cost her almost a thousand dollars! But she was very happy to be able to keep her family together.

Luckily Tim was there to help me through the new adoption system. . . . I will get it, eventually. In the meantime, somebody might come in to adopt Shelly on Sunday. And there is a new black boy in Incoming from Helen's work colony.

Deigo and Dora/Delores enjoyed a run around in the play place after it was thoroughly cleaned after the coffee shop kittens were there for 2 nights and 1 day.

Diego (in front) and Dora

 

Vollie Leon was worried that Domino had a sore throat. But I think he just has a deep, sexy purr.

Domino

Skeley has been moved to the condo next to Domino. Her eyes are very round and black. I hope Domino's purrs will calm her down as well as the cool vibes coming from Princess and Precious.

Precious (white 4th toe L paw)

Sammy and Cyber have had a couple of nights out, again. The food bags have been attacked, again. Tim thinks that they rattle the door hard enough so that the bolt comes loose and they can squeeze through. Geoff is working on the problem. In the meantime, I put them and Thumbelina and Bambi in the play place together overnight. It might keep them slim.

I hope Abby gets adopted this weekend.

Abby

[Thanks Joy for the extra photos. I didn't think to get my camera out this afternoon.]

Up Close

 The Coffee kittens had been in the play place since we left them there on Wednesday afternoon. Nobody else got a turn. But we managed to get them back into their stand alone at dinner time and moved it to where Bean will be easy for his potential adopters to see him on Sunday.

Coffee kittens

A couple came in to meet Rikki. The girlfriend hasn't had a cat before. He is very experienced. She liked Rikki because she is an all ginger girl. He liked Mayka because she is so pretty and also Suzie because his previous cat died at 23 and he knows there is a lot of life left in Suzie besides . . . . Suzie liked him. I sent them away with all the accessories to think about it overnight. (And hope he can talk her into Suzie who would be the best cat for them). They have a ground floor flat with a fence type screen on their balcony which will be an escape route for either Rikki or Mayka.

Clyde came in with a pet shop donation. We are overwhelmed with expired food and clumping litter.

Two of the supermodel kittens have been desexed. One was wearing her collar properly. The other had hers around her hips. She might have wiggled out of it by tomorrow. 

the good supermodel kitten

Jayde reckons that the short tailed cats are Japanese bob tail cats. Dora is the tabby and white. Diego is the tuxedo. Can we give them Japanese names please? They have recovered from the shock of coming to us and are friendly.

Dora

Amelia was friendly too .

Amelia

. . . it was probably the chicken. And Mayka likes being beside the Beatle brides.

Mayka

Yoko typically more reserved

Linda, as always, in your face

Rabbit luck

 We heard the good news yesterday that Diego has been adopted by a woman who lives by herself so can give him all the attention and love that he needs. It was especially welcome news on Joy's birthday.

But nobody told me about the rabbits. They have both gone. I noticed the lack of their hutches as soon as I walked in the door but had to wait until Tammy (wrong spelling) arrived. She told me that Lily was adopted and that Coco has gone to foster. The fosterer emailed this morning to say that she was worried that Coco isn't eating and pooping enough. She sent photos of a very happy rabbit who spends most of her day out of her hutch (so I suspect that she has found somewhere else to poo.)

Coco

She sent other photos including one of Coco lying on her chest. She is Japanese so I gave her Mariko's email address and they can chat about rabbits. Mariko has been trying to plot how she could have Coco in her flat without the landlord knowing. Perhaps she will get visiting rights.

Nobody else noticed that hutches were gone. Not even Mariko who brought in greens and a bit of carrot! 

I have, of course, reorganised. Somebody put the hooded litter trays from the top of the stand alones to where Coco was. I put them where the Coffee shop kittens were. So now that wall near the entrance is all merchandise. I moved the Coffees to beside Linda and Yoko and moved the trolley to where the hutch was. Natalie did a fabulous job of cleaning and tidying it and Sandy threw out the plastic bag sausage and it's contents. Hurrah!

Later, after Mayka's play in the play place with Sandy, I swapped her and the Coffee's. She looked so much happier being out of the corner. The Coffees will just be happy not to be in the doorway and getting roused on for throwing litter all over the merchandise.

We have a new Diego on Naughty Row. Who has a Dora (should be Delores). I don't know who is who but both of them have bob cat tails! And are very friendly.

There is a Kiki where Ziggy used to be, on high. He must have got adopted too. And Chloe is back. She wasn't happy in her adopted home. She has hidden under the furniture for the past 6 weeks. But she seemed pleased to see me.

Chloe

Abby is where Theodore was. So he must have got adopted too. Abby is desperate for love. She tends to take your finger into her mouth. . .  not biting it, perhaps trying to suck. Skeley has cleaned herself up and is trying to get up the courage to be friendly.

Skeley

For the first time today Linda and Yoko shared a hammock. I was beginning to wonder if they are truely bonded but am now convinced.

Yoko and Linda

Somebody rang to say that they are coming to adopt Bean on Sunday.  . . . . OK!

Bean and bestie

More space for poo bags

 This post is dedicated to Helen who spirits off poo bags on Tuesday so that there are not so many for me to schlepp out on Wednesday morning.

I have brought home the pots of dead grass and put the rubbish bin of dead mops in their place in the corner beyond the clothes rack. This makes more room for poo bags so that they won't be damaged and leak all over the place. (I hope).

When I arrived, Max and Gus's door was open, again. And they were inside, again. The catch is very loose and when it is tightened up, it is either too tight to move or too loose. There is a gap in the mesh beside the latch. It is my belief that the cats stick their paw through the gap to push down the latch. There used to be a wad of sticky tape there to hold the latch in place. . . I think Catsie devised that. I have added some cardboard strips stuck on with gaffer's tape to keep the latch in place. Geoff needs to devise a better way.

Max says "It wasn't me"

This morning, I moved the Supermodel kittens to the Palace. . . . very carefully and one at a time. (They were the kittens who made me bleed dramatically and get a spectacular bruise all down my forearm some months ago). They each went to a different corner of the Palace and stayed there all day. One ignored the bed I put beside her. And they all ignored the food at dinnertime. They have superstar temperaments.

Joy took some great photos.

Ricki didn't enjoy her overnight stay in the play place. She much prefers talking to the people.

Ricki

Zac has settled in to a different place since he moved from Incoming last week. He is a cat who doesn't like change.

Zac

Theodore got one of the new hammocks I made over the weekend. I tried to make some light sides for dark cats  and dark sides for light cats. Ginger cats look good on everything.

Theodore

We tried to get Diego to get into a carrier so that we could give him a go in the play place but he wasn't having a bar of it. Eventually (when he'd had enough treats) we gave up and he got a new fluffy bed instead of the carrier that Joy bought for him.

Diego is where he wants to be