Smashed bin

 Only one Willoughby bin was taken to the sidewalk yesterday. There were more bags on the balcony and and empty bin in the garage. But, perhaps, if it had been filled and taken to be collected this morning, the collection truck would have dropped and smashed it as well. 

Seems to be our luck with trash cans.

It has been reported. The mess moved into the erstwhile empty bin which is back in the garage. Let's hope they are quicker at getting us a new bin than usual.

In the meantime, our monthly tally of one cat/kitten adopted per day is holding in April.

This afternoon last week's keen family came back for Cheetah. I left Kath to it because I wanted to rush home to PC. (Just like previously, I left two bags of washing and a bag of washed tins in the loading bay in my rush to get home).

PC had a very quiet day in bed. He hadn't got up even for a drink of water, let alone food. Yesterday he and Aslan basked on the nice warm tiles on the verandah . . . between snacks.

PC and Aslan

 I don't think PC got out of his bed today. Not even for a drink of water. We have fixed that but he isn't interested in eating anything. But rather likes it on my bed.

PC

Just like Cookie liked it on my lap earlier in the afternoon while I brushed her tummy.

Cookie's pretty tummy

And Bruce loves lying on his mummy's tummy.

Ruby is a pillow for Bruce

 Old AWL vollies will enjoy that we had an email from the daughter of the woman who adopted Jasmine, with 3 legs. I fostered Jasmine before and after her amputation and she was a lovely cat. And I used to feed her when the mother went to visit other family in Canberra. I could go through the blog I kept then to find a photo if anybody is interested.

 

Planet litter

 For some reason the stand alone in Incoming had been rotated by 90 degrees so that the door was against the side of the desk. I moved it back to it's usual position to give them lunch. Some of the planet litter have been desexed and have collars on. The boys may well have been castrated as well. But they don't need collars so don't get the sympathy. Now I have photos and names:

Neptune, the tabby

Venus (tabby white nose), Saturn (tabby brown nose), Mercury (black girl), Jupiter (black boy)

Mateo is to go to the Cat Show at Olympic Park with Tim and other vollies tomorrow. Tim wanted him in the pink, sparkly harness to show visitors how easy cats are to train. So we popped it on and let him run around. He didn't like the lead much . . . or the harness, but got used to it. 

Mateo in pink

Don't know who else it to go. Ishi and Apricot would enjoy an outing.

Ishi, Apricot

Jasmine and Alladin would not like to go anywhere. Alladin is looking a bit snuffly.

Jasmine and Alladin

 

Roisin adopted again

 Let's hope it is for good this time. Because her stand alone was emptied, a pair of foster cats came in. They are Alladin and Jasmin. They are VERY shy. Their fosterer came in today to give them their favourite bed but they still look terrified. I decided that being inside the front door opposite the desk where the phone rings and folk talk all day is perhaps not the best place for them. So I swapped them for Le Clerc (ie I moved the stand alones around).

Hiding Alladin and Jasmine

LeClerc is now the meeter and greeter cat and likes it.

Sue and Le Clerc

Mylo has gone too. And Jimmy will be picked up on Sunday. 

Coco Cranfield is visiting again. She was very chatty today.

Coco

There are new kittens in Incoming including Griffon and 3 in C20

Amelia, Lexie, Loki (ginger)

Griffon

Souffle and co had several inquiry phone calls today. They might be ready on Friday. If so, there might be a "I got here first" fight for Souffle.

Souffle

Bins arrived

 But only half of them: one each for paper/cardboard and general waste. Better than nothing. Where we will store all the bins is another problem to be solved.

Jasmine was adopted yesterday. But not by the mum with 2 pretty daughters. A mum with a son adopted her. So, the mum with 2 might come tomorrow to get Maeve or Ruby. Their choice will be complicated by the additional cats there are to choose from today. Who could resist:

Biscuit with that pert tongue (which pokes out because her canines have been removed).

Biscuit

Milo and Olga who have moved to where Charlie and Champ were. (A vollie adopted them and is very happy). Milo was out with the gang this afternoon. He is a smaller version of Simon and is very interested in food. He kept going into other people's condos looking for anything edible. Olga stayed put.

Milo and Olga

Ussie who is where Jasmine used to be. S/he is a bit wary but not hissy.

Ussie

And Pearl is available. She has recovered from her initial shyness and is all over pats and attention. Unfortunately she is still out back in boarding, up in the heavenly condo. There should be some rearrangement to bring her into Welfare. (Perhaps Lucky boy can go to Better Row.)

Pearl

 

Geoff had a shock when he arrived. Chia's kittens had eaten a hole in the cat mesh that he installed. It is supposed to be cat proof. He took lots of photos of the mended hole (I wove in cable ties to keep the kittens in), the hole with the cable ties removed, the hole with a kitten contemplating escape. He will send them to the manufactures of the "chewproof" mesh. Perhaps we will get a refund.

Geoff removes the cable ties for the photo shoot

 

 

Loose screw . .

. . .  on the right side of Virgo's condo. There is a screwdriver in a jar on top of the filing cabinet to tighten it up. Nothing wrong with Virgo that won't be cured by her kittens growing up.

Vicky wanted photos of some of the cats that need to go up on the Adoption list. Joy took some beauties. I helped Vicky find out what the cats are like.

Maxwell is a love. He chirrups and loves to play and although he looks a bit rough he is really a sweetie.

Maxwell

Maeve is out on Better Row and hides on her upper shelf. I climbed the ladder and found that she wasn't a bit interested in the creamy treat but was very interested in being patted and petted.

Maeve

Just like Jasmine who is a lovely cat and couldn't get enough attention. 

Jasmine

She can't mix with other cats in Welfare because of her infection history. Her kittens, Rajah and Genie have been moved to Welfare and have the same quarantine restriction. They are where Milo used to be. Milo is around the back in Boarding.

Rajah

Genie

McQueen and Donatella have been taken off the adoption list (I thought they had been chosen) because they have an intestinal infection that is being treated. I decided not to change their hammocks which are looking grubby.

McQueen and Donnatella

They had an interesting afternoon because Cammy decided to tidy up the merch shelves. They look much better. We decided that duplicate of cat beds can be stored elsewhere (in Opies Room). And I think we should give everybody who adopts a cat a free cat bed for the rest of the month. . . . at least.

Dumped

 Firstly, news of Cleo. She seems to be doing well.

Secondly, we have our New Year lucky black cat, Johnny. Don't know if Johnny is a boy or a girl. S/he was delivered yesterday by some people who said that they didn't want her and then left! S/he, of course, is shattered. I just hope that this is not the start of a trend. Or we will have to frisk folk at the door for hidden cats to smuggle in.

Johnny

Joni is getting used to her new digs. She came out of her cat carrier when there was a visitor this afternoon and almost smiled.

Joni and Taylor's tail

The visitor wants a cat to fill her empty nest as her two teenaged sons are off to ANU soon. She has a 14 year old King Charles spaniel who is a sook. She wants an older cat. I tried not to push Ginger George too hard at her but he did behave beautifully flopping at her feet. But she also liked Libby (what is not to like when she is awake). She will be back tomorrow with her strong minded friend who owns a carrier.

He needs to loose the Cattitude sign.

A neighbour couple came to visit. The man was very comfortable with cats. He picked up Ginger George and rolled him onto his back. I wouldn't be so bold. But no blood was spilled.

Dexter is boarding. Remember how miserable he looked when he first came to us. . . . all mangey. Then he was grumpy and bored in his stand alone. He is quite charming now.

Dexter

Jasmine and her kittens are still in the play place. The kittens seem to have got over the STARVING stage so she is not so desperate for food either. Makes it easy for the vollies to go in to play with them.

Jasmine

Piglet was hiding when Robyn took these photos on Wednesday.

PS: Apropos the title: Jolene, I am told, doesn't like to use her litter box when there are people around. She was looking very swollen in the tummy this afternoon. But should be slim by the morning.

BIn Happy Day

 We now have a second rubbish bin. It was filled and put on the street in time for the pick up this morning. Helen took home 15 bags over the weekend. So the poo bag mountain is melting like the . . . . any comparison that springs to mind is just too ecologically depressing on such a happy occasion.

We had visitors. One came with a large box of single scratchy poles, brand new that we can sell (or give one each to all the cats in Welfare who needs a scratchy) amongst other things. She had a thorough conducted tour. Another woman was delighted to find us because she has a business cat sitting for clients on the other side of the harbour. She often gets cat things given to her by her clients. She is happy to have somewhere to donate them on the side of the bridge that she now lives on. Somebody else rang to offer us a feather doona. . . . no thank you. A couple came to inspect Pearl and Ginger. They have a FIV cat at home and would like another. Peach froze while Ginger who happened to be out when they visited, threw himself at their feet and was his charming self in spades. They chose Peach because they think that Ginger (George) will easily get a home. They will come back on the weekend to do the deed.

Jasmine's kittens in the play place have figured out how to play with the reticulated python toy.

Max was very happy to be offered the Top Cat.

Max

His neighbour is Libby. I had to wake her up to give her a pill with her dinner. She was fast asleep and only woke up after I stratched her forehead for 5 seconds. . . . most uncommon. Once awake she headed straight for her food bowl.

Libby

Last Friday, Puss fell asleep and did a face plant on his shelf. He woke up as I pulled my camera from my pocket. . . . a much more usual reaction to being looked at even though asleep.

Melody was out this afternoon. She seems happier out of the far corner of "Better Row"

Melody

And Lola just wants to play when she tries to scratch you.

Lola

Rosie and Callie are due back next week. Sigh.

Exchange Row

 The Naughty Row needs a new name. This week I suggest Exchange Row, or The Exchange. It is where things change from bad to good for the cats who come in. 

For example, remember Chester? He came from a vet with various other cats and was said to be desexed. He was in Incoming first and was withdrawn/shy. Then he moved out back and started to become much more friendly. Then he started to call out to other cats. Then Tim had a good view of his back end and realised that he is a she and that she was coming into heat! So Chester is now Chessy and will wail until she is really desexed.

Chessy

We had the minimum number of vollies today which was still good as Sandy arrived in the afternoon to help clean up out back. And one vollie brought her sister who stood and watched the cats until I found her jobs to do. . .. the boxes of plastic gloves are stored in the bookshelf behind Opey. There are only two packs of toilet rolls left there (hurrah!). Next I asked if she like putting things together. She did. So I got her to assemble the pingpong roller track that had been left on the drying table.The idea was that it go into the play place. But it was too big.

She made is half as extensive and Jasmine and her kids will learn to play with it. And we will get used to it looking like a reticulated python.

There were visitors. One came looking for a young cat (not a kitten) for her unit. She is expecting visitors in a fortnight to the room which should be the cat's safe room. We decided that she should delay her decision until those visitors leave. She rather liked Lucky! Fingers crossed.

Other visitors came with donations and got to visit with the cats by way of thanks: one lot adopted Tom and ? 2 years ago (and changed their names immediately) from us and are very happy with them. Another came with donations because their cat died of urinary failure. They will be back when they are ready. Another brought in a splendid crate and a bag full of ? mouse hidey holes (too small for cats) that can be suspended!

We have a kitten in Incoming who needs physio on her back legs. This entails gently pulling her back legs every afternoon. She is getting much better. Her name is Jolene.

Jolene, nothing wrong with her appetite

Phantom will have company perhaps.

Phantom's funny way of sitting

And finally, I don't know why Demi and Winnie are still with us. Such loving cats.

Demi and Winnie cuddle

Timless Friday

 He had a day off today. Friday is a good day to choose. The training of a new batch of volunteers always adds an element of chaos to the morning. But all the washing up was done by 12:30 this morning. (And overflowed to the floor again).

It was a busy afternoon with visitors.
The first batch arrived to look at kittens because Santa had left all kinds of kitten gear while they were away on Christmas Day. Slight complication is that the daughter has displayed allergy to cats. But she says that it was just certain cats that make her sneeze which is why they had to come to test our kittens. I sat her down with a Cleo kitten and her younger brother with the other (which they kept swapping) for 10 minutes. She should have been sneezing if she was allergic. But she didn't with either of them. And Mum fell in love with the calico. Then I sprayed her hands with F10 and she sneezed. She didn't sneeze at Earl but did sneeze at Midnight and the F10 lotion. So they went away to talk to dad.

Then a mother and her son came to donate us cat stuff. I didn't ask the details but think that their cat had recently died because of what she gave us. They has a short look about.

Then a prize winner came to pick up her raffle loot. She volunteered with us when she was let go when Covid struck. She gave us up when she got another real job and then got her old job back. She was very pleased to meet the new cats and did recognise Stella who has been with us for way too long. I mentioned that we are always looking for foster homes for our long term residents.

All these visitors were a fine audience for Ginger George who strolled around and introduced himself to everybody (in the hopes of more treats). Later Phantom had a lovely roll in some cat nip. He is moving better and his movements are more solid now that he is on ZD.

Even Tabby is surer footed. Perhaps the antibiotics that she is on for her tummy wound is good for her balance?

Lucky was the Top Cat and hypnotized me into feeding her a tube of treats. We left her there overnight and opened Nada's door in the hope that they will not tear each other to pieces overnight. They may as well be friends as they are both on weight reduction crunchies and their condos have a connecting hatch. (Remember when Diego used to force open the flap and end up with Nada overnight?)

Nada + Lucky = ?

Daisy came back to board after her people took her home for the night on Wednesday.

Daisy

Our Daphne (their Tilly) is back in boarding and has settled down quickly.

Daphne/Tilly

Joy worked the morning shift in Incoming and was happy to get more photos of Jasmine's smallest kitten who is doing much better now. He eats everything and his tail is a curly as a piglet's.

Jasmine's piggy

There are ringwormy kittens in Incoming so vollies who work there cannot linger elsewhere after their shift. I don't know if these are they as Joy took the photo.