Needs must

 Some of our water spray bottles have run out of puff. I devised an alternative. Instead of spraying the cleaning paper with the spray bottle, dip it into a dish of water. Do not double dip. It works very well.  I will try to remember to buy some new water spray bottles.

Over the weekend there were adoptions: Sandy, Florence, Skittles, the last Coffee Kitten Mocha, two of Star's planet kittens and one of the supermodels Naomi. On the arrivals side we have KitKat who only eats wet food and has a sore eye.

KitKat

And, another white but medium haired, Pearl.

Pearl

Our Daisy visited. She had been to the vet a day or two ago to have her anal glands attended to. She was sent home with a large, opaque, hard plastic collar which she hated. She couldn't walk in it. She removed it. Her person dropped by the vet to get another. Daisy took it off in the carrier. She came on to us (having phoned before) to get a cloth collar. We will see if it stays on. It certainly looked good.

Daisy

The person who adopted Hera brought in the things that she doesn't like: food, covered litter tray, metal food dishes. She is very happy with her and has renamed her Poppy. I showed her around and she would have taken them all if she had room. Bowie pulled out all the stops, of course. He likes to be held like a baby.

Bowie

Rhapsody has moved into kitten Sandy's stand alone. While Sandy and I had a tea break, she joined the conversation so we moved over to beside her and she came out to sit on our knees.

Rhapsody

Mia is a passion pussy too.

But the amazing news is that Megsy has a clean bed, at long last.

Megsy

Hera the hero

Yesterday I picked up a carload of litter from way out west and delivered it to Safe Haven in time to chat to Liz and Cass. They were fighting over the right to cuddle Tiny Tim. Cass lost because she had cleaned the ring wormers. Liz had a lovely cuddle. Tim (the big) told me that Gracie's kittens have ringworm. They were in their own, tight quarantine area around their condo. He was worried about how to move them somewhere else when nobody could be moved because everywhere was full. This morning I arrived to find that Hera was adopted yesterday. Lucky adoptees! Lucky us. We had a spare wheely cage. So I cleaned and reorganised so that now we have an expanded quarantine corner with better access to the scales and fogger shelf. With Rod's help I moved the humungous scratchy pole out into the foyer so that there is room to move in the Rita/Gracie quarantine quarters. A couple came to find a replacement for a cranky, unpillable cat to go with their lovely lady cat. He really liked Mia. But Mia and Bella are billed as a pair.

Another pair of young women came to look at one of Mini/RubyG's long gone greys. They rather liked Mini/RubyG.

And liked Elona except that she hides.

And REALLY liked Luna who cuddled up to both of them and is so small and sweet. But is not on the website yet.

The folk who fostered Zelda and her kittens brought in the pair that they adopted to board today. They couldn't resist spending some time (quite some time) with Zelda who loved their attention. They said that they felt angst every time that they read that one of Zelda's kittens was adopted by another family. They wanted to keep them all for themselves.

Coincidence or Psychic?

Around 10:20 this morning I thought "I should phone Tim to see if there is anything I can pick up before I go to Safe Haven this afternooon". Five minutes later he rang me to ask if I could come in early because the third vollie did not show up. I asked if he wanted anything on my way. He answered "No thanks." Soon after I arrived a family came to find a companion for their difficult cat. Irene, eventually, handed over Dobby who played beautifully with the young girl. They went away to think about it. It was a good thing they didn't put their noses into Dolly and Dobby's bed box. They were moved to below Mimi and Macey yesterday. In that time they managed to poo twice on their bed and saturate it with urine. That pretty, pink, fluffy bed is now in the rubbish. No way was it going into my washing machine! Shortly after the family, the woman who rang about Hera on Wednesday arrived with her daughter. They were going to come as soon as a parcel was delivered. It didn't come until 5pm. Hera was not very friendly until I offered her some crunchies. In the meantime the chatty couple met all the other cats available. They have been following the webpage closely and were pleased to meet Apricot's brother Marmelade.

Marmie, of course, is not interested in anybody but Tim. They loved Macey and Mimi because they are so pretty. The daughter especially spent lots of time playing tootsies with Macey. They, eventually, went away to "think about it". They know there are lots of kittens in the pipeline but want a more mature cat for the elderly mum who wants a companion who won't bolt out the door or get underfoot. And Lauren arrived with Miles to adopt one of the cats that she has been fostering. Miles was a great help keeping Mimi/RubyG's kittens inside their condo while I cleaned them.

Even the boy came back from the vet with a collar. (I put them in their carrier cage on Wed morning before being savaged by the littlest). ((My thumb is fine, thank you)). Eventually all the visitors left and I could continue to clean condos. A couple of boarders had play time in the play place. They are big cats so appreciated being able to stretch out.

I cleaned Rita and co. Only the little silver and white tabby is still poorly. The other three are full of beans. I made some towelling cloths to line their hammocks out of left overs from sewing some new hammocks. Being germy from cleaning them up, I left at my usual time.

Not sisters

I had a visitor today. He came to look for a companion for his 15 year old Burmese boy whose brother has recently died. I, of course, said that he would need a girl to go with his boy and showed Hera and Diamond who I said were sisters. Because I have always thought that they were sisters. He said "Why is one 1 year old and the other is 2 years old?". I looked up the paperwork and it is true: Hera's date of birth is 22/1/18 and Diamond's is 28/4/19! No wonder they were quarreling about food. Old(er) sisters are so bossy! (say's Prue who is the youngest of four daughters).

I showed the visitor around the available cats and he fell in love with Ollie. He will be back tomorrow morning to do the deal but couldn't do it today because he was working all day and has to set things up correctly, as per our web site, to introduce the "new" cat to the resident cat. I think that Ollie will take it in his stride and a Burmese is always ready to welcome a new slave.

Patchy's Spotty and Tippy have been adopted. They were renamed PJ and Penelope for adoption. And Charlie found a home. There is only one tiny kitten of the four who has survived. Tim takes him home every night. The others are thriving.

The biggest, fluffiest two of Star's kittens have been separated from her family to give the little ones a better chance. Luna's and family had a fabulous play in the play place today. At one point I looked around to see a kitten hanging from the mesh ceiling. It dropped to the floor. . . . at least 7 feet, landed on its four feet not on its mother and ran off to play some more! I don't know about Luna but my heart stopped. We have a new cat called Cecily. She is in boaring at the moment but should be moved as she is available. She is the sweetest green eyed girl.

Weight lifting

When I arrive in the morning I leave all the doors open so that the pong de chat can dissapate. Imagine my horror when I went through to the feeding station to see Buddy and Petey's door wide open, again. I rushed back to close the doors and then approached their condo. They were sitting together in their carry cage. Petey has learned to jump up to the higher level. My heart beat went back to normal.

Later when I was bathing the face of the dark tabby kitten (to the right of the desk) I heard Peggy hiss. I looked over my shoulder to see Macy stopped in her tracks on the gutter outside Peggy's condo. Perhaps Macy wanted to visit Rara. Mimi was watching from the open door of their condo with a worried expression on her face. I just turned Macy around with one hand (the other was holding the above kitten) and she walked back home. But it may be the eyebrow marking that makes Mimi look worried. Because later when I was washing the gummy eyes of some of Gracie's kittens, she watched with concern. I went to take a photo and my camera said "Charge the battery". Sue had three new volunteers to train this morning and Robyn is still nursing a very sore arm so took it gently. There were plenty of helpers. And then the men's shed arrived. They call themselves a community shed these days because there are women as well as men involved. They wanted to attach the brackets that will support the walls and top of the play place. And they the brought bits to fit.

We thought that they would be able to work around the stack of litter bags. But no, they had to be moved from where I put them yesterday. Luckily the community shedders did the moving, not me. I did it yesterday. And we had to move Hera, Diamond and Octavia because the litter bags are now behind Octavia where the scratchy poles used to be. They have been moved to the foyer beside the ones for sale. Really Octavia and Lily should change wheely cages. Octavia's only has three wheels and a peg leg. Lily's has 4 wheels. Maybe tomorrow. The community shedders will be back tomorrow or Friday to finish the job. By the way, I think Hera and Diamond are happier in separate areas rather that bunking in together. Patchy and her crew were happy when I rotated them so that I could mop their area.

We have a new, nameless, label-less mum with four grey kittens. She is a frightened, hissy mum. But she has a collar on. So she must just be really pissed off to be with us rather than a wild child. Later when It was quiet I noticed Star's tail hanging out of her condo. And when I looked at the photo there are two kitten tails hanging out as well. . . . cute.

Flash and kittens. . . . poof

Dolly's kittens didn't even make it onto the website last weekend. When I arrived this morning there was only one left with Dolly. He was the one that was too snuffly to be desexed. (I thought it was a ginger but the microchip never lies).

And Flash was adopted by a woman who already has two cats. Lily was desexed yesterday. Her leg was though her collar this afternoon.

We have a Lucky cat who was handed in by a Good Samaritan. Her collar has slipped over her shoulders which is quite appropriate as she has stitches on her side (lateral desex). (She is where Belle was).

Other movements: Octavia is now in the big room. Lily is where she was. Diamond and Hera are in separate wheely cages where Lily was. Confused?

We had plenty of vollies this morning. Rod is back. He feels safe to venture out from his retirement village (or can get back in safely after venturing out). There were no cats that he recognised from when he came last. Last week's learner vollie came and was very efficient. But next time she will tie her hair back. And a Qantas hostie came because she is still not working. The last job of the day was to try to remove some of the tangles on Star's tummy. Her kittens have been kneading her mammaries and felting her soft, fine fur. The nipples are clear because the hair falls away from them when the cat gets pregnant. I think Star enjoyed the attention.

Surprise return

Last night I checked the SH webpage to know who was available for adoption and saw Diamond/Hera and Tammy 6. So I assumed that my computer was stuck in two weeks ago. I tried everything but couldn't get it to update. This morning I found Tammy 6 back in her condo.

She has been there since Saturday. (I just didn't notice her yesterday). Evidently, the person who adopted her found that she is a trip risk. She knew that her eyesight was not as good as it used to be but, perhaps, didn't realise how much sight she has lost. She did adore Tammy and was very sorry to give her back to us. Tammy won't be with us long. I had three enquires after her today. Across from her is Mimi plus 1 who came in yesterday with her boyfriend Rara. Pretty silly name for an entire male, semi feral cat. Perhaps we could say that it is his nick name and that his real name is Rory.(We might spell it fancier. . . . Roreigh). Mimi seems friendly enough. The kitten is very skitty. Angelique and Ashleigh were moved to below where Lillie used to be. In Lillie's condo is Luna and her three kittens one of whom LOVES food.

A second before I took this photo he was spreadeagled across the double bowl with his face in the wet food. Luna couldn't get any of it. He still had food on his tummy (for later).

His siblings were happily playing in the bed, not the slightest bit interested in the food. They are only distinguished by the shape of the white line on their noses.

Too busy

Safe Haven was a scene of controlled chaos when I arrived at noon. Star had her babies overnight. They are all black, just like her so are difficult to count.

A foster carer came to take her home but took Zelda instead because she hadn't had her kittens yet. . . . not a good idea to transplant newborns. Then a couple arrived, cats in arms, in tears because they have lost their jobs and their home and need to go back to Germany pronto so can't keep their furbabies. They don't get on very well so are in adjacent condos.

They are Lillie (the name of the month) and Toby (the grey tabby)

Then a "family" of three young adults came to adopt Lucia. They have not had a cat before so needed all kinds of advice and inctructions and support. Tim gently lifted her in her Rose box out of the wheely cage and she stepped out of it into their carry cage. He then gave them the box with instructions to not clean out her hairs. I set up an wheely for Diamond and Hera. Tim transferred them: Diamond to the bottom door and Hera to the top door. Diamond stayed where she was but Hera had to be helped to find a way down to her.

Sewing circle

Today I repaired the hole in the mesh that Hera and Diamond made. John next door donated the mesh. I provided the needle and thread and the cats watched. Katie just above to the right purred throughout. She made music for me to stitch by.

Hera and Diamond were fascinated. They have forgotten their part in the hole.

Beyond Katie, Peggy was fascinated.

Even Mally wanted to know what was going on. Or maybe he just interested in the music Katie was singing.

We got it done and now can admire the moire effect of two adjacent grids. Will it survive a cat's claws?

Apricot has gone to Sue's house to be turned into a brave cat. We have a replacement ginger puss called Billy.

We have a new cat called Emma because Emma brought her. We don't know if we will keep her.

There is a new mum with bubs under where Abbey used to be in Boarding. I didn't realise that she had bubs in her carrier. I got her confused with the other mum with bubs at the other end of Boarding, who has been named Dolly.

And there is a new cat called Maisy under Leopold.

Not to mention the fact that Larry and Leonard went home today. The lovely man who adopted them may just come back to adopt Lucia as well. But I think that is greedying too many greys.