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

Adoption Tails: Archie

 Remember the woman who came to adopt Mayka but took Archie home instead. Here is their story.

 Archie, adopted May 27, 2022

1 day: He is doing good. He is eating and drinking daily but no toilet yet.

1 week: He has settled well and started to explore outside on Day 4. He loves to play and eat.

1 month: His new name is Ginger. He is getting used to his family. He loves to play hide and seek with the kids. "He is so cute".

Archie

 

PS Mayka spent time with Sandy in the play place on Wednesday (in her standalone). It was rather marred by the hairballs that had to come out when induced by small pieces of chicken. They both felt much better when that was cleaned up.

Flu largely gone

It worked . . . . either my blog title from last week or the antibiotics . . . . but we are largely free of flu at the moment. Ginge and Sabrina are still sneezing but Florence is clear headed and full of bounce. As is Ricki. And all the snufflers in Welfare, including Dynamo, are much better. But we almost lost Star on Saturday. Terry was in today being, as usual, our hero by delivering a full load of litter from Arundel Park. He said that at 5pm last Saturday, Star suddenly couldn't breathe. Luckily Dr Kim was in her surgery and dealt with the problem. Star is on very fancy antibiotics and looks well today. All bar one of her kittens are off flu treatment.

Akela or Rafiki

Now that these kittens are getting used to us and more friendly, I must figure out who is who.

As usual, I didn't get around to taking any photos. Luckily Joy was in. Her photos are much better than mine because I use a camera and she has a fancy phone.

Bean

Cocoa (left) and Mocha

Latte

 The coffee shop kittens were in the play place when I arrived. (Thanks to the poo bag fairy who only left 5 bags for me to schlepp out to the garbage cans). They hopped back into their wheely cage for breakfast and spent the day supervising from the front door. 

Fern, Linda and Yoko, Mayka had turns in the play place before the Coffee kittens went back overnight.

Nobody was adopted over the weekend but Myrtle and Wanda went earlier this week. Myrtle went with an older man who came in a couple of weeks ago. His was a considered choice. Myrtle came out of her shell very well in the interim. And Wanda was adopted by an older woman. Almost all of the cats in Welfare are available for adoption now. There are 36 cats and one rabbit listed on our website!

And today, there was an emailed enquiry about Coco, the rabbit. Somebody wants a companion for their lop ear boy who has lost his mate recently but plays nicely with the puppy, has full run of the house and is getting the garden rabbit proofed! Sounds perfect. So I gave her extra cuddles today . . . just in case.

Shock and horror

 The shock happened half way to Safe Haven this morning. I realised that I still had my slippers on.

Luckily my tennis racket and shoes live in my car so I had something to wear and didn't have to expose the uggies to the germs in SH. There is lots of flu about. Diego leaned into my hand when I gave him his breakfast. I thought that he was just pleased to see me but he probably had a headache and wanted some comfort.

Diego last week, pre flu

The horror came from Mariko who saw Linda vomit and called for help. Sandy and I came running and said "Not to worry, it is probably only a hair ball". And sure enough, another heave and up came a 4 inch one. Mariko was impressed. We said that it is the price of being beautiful.

Linda

We found a perfect sized box for Coco. She spent the morning in it, making it shake and quiver until she had chewed a hole in one corner big enough to use as a door. She was a happy rabbit.

Because Chloe was adopted I moved Violet, all of whose kittens now have homes,  into her stand alone. And Oreo moved into Violet's condo. He was discombobulated and tried to hide under his blanket. The coffee shop kittens were in the play place all weekend. I moved them out because a boarder has paid to spend time there. It was easy. I wheeled in their stand alone, put their breakfasts in there. They hopped in. I shut the doors and wheeled them back to their place below the clock. Later Mayka had a wheel in. Sandy opened her doors. She hopped out and explored. Later, when Sandy came with treats, Mayka hopped back into her SA. What a good girl!

Adelaide was died yesterday. We hope that Sydney doesn't have the same, unexplained, possibly neurological condition. He actually came out of his sleeping box to ask for dinner this afternoon.

Adelaide with Sydney before he got sick

Florence is much better than last week. She can breath through her nose now and is eating to catch up. And Midsummer is enjoying a holiday at Catsie's house. She is one fast kitten who only stops when she is asleep.

Midsummer

Back in the 90's

 We had 90 cats and 2 rabbits this morning when I arrived. But 4 (or 5) boarders arrived and two went home so we are still over 90 but not quite to 100!

The garbage men were VERY early this morning. When I arrived at 6:50am, they had already collected the commercial as well as the residential bins. Which means that every vollie should take home at least one bag, please, because I didn't have the opportunity to put our extra 18, or so, bags into other peoples' bins. And those were last week's bags. We will have more bags this week because of more cats. 

The Canin condo has been moved into the main cat room with its cargo of Sabrina and her kittens.

The only way to control five of the kittens is to put them into a carrier. It is a very full carrier. Lulu (the short haired tuxedo sticks close to Sabrina).

a container of kitten mischief

A woman rang early to get directions to come to meet Romeo and Juliette. I quickly cleaned their condo to make them ready for visitors. It required Gumption. The whole family arrived. The rather deaf mum  wants a cat (or two) to replace her beloved but stand-offish previous cat. Her husband, her daughter and her grandson (last two visiting from the UK). Romeo and Juliette were overwhelmed and hid in their carrier, together. . . . or was it the lingering smell of Gumption? Disappointed the family asked to see others. We went through the lot and husband, daughter and grandson liked Trixie the best. She behaved beautifully and purred in everybody's arms. But the mum was hesitant about the potential cost of her swollen salivary glands and decided that she liked one of Sabrina's best. They are not yet available but probably will be tomorrow.

Coco had demolished her box and I couldn't find a suitable replacement so gave her one of the "cat towers" that teeter on top of the D kitten's condo. She loves it. When she has chewed her way through the tower I will put $5 in the donation box.

Coco has a new box

Between these visitors and the boarders and their owners who kept coming and going, and being two vollies down, it was a busy day. A man even came to sell us some kind of Vet Clinic package. A woman came from the local funeral home to give us stuff left over from her recently dead pug (at 12 and a half years old, he was a very old pug) and cat beds. So busy that we didn't have time to make a fuss of Mayka who has graduated to the next age group. No more kitten food for her.

Speaking of food, we are desperately short of wet food. If you have any that your cats have rejected, please donate it to the Safe cats.

Oops, late blog

 Sorry to keep you waiting. I went to a lecture in Chatswood after closing up shop at the cattery today. It was about an ambassador's wife who made the most of being in the Middle East for her inspiration to make amazing quilts.

No adoptions today.
But a woman brought in her daughter to check on Peppa. But she wasn't in the cattery. We thought we had booked her and tabby Amelia in for desex yesterday. But the vet practice disclaimed all knowledge of the booking.  They did agree to keep them for a day and do them today. So Peppa wasn't home when her prospective new owner came to visit. I showed them Blueberry who put on a star turn, cuddled in their arms and purred. So now they can't decide between Peppa and Blueberry.

Blueberry all ready to go

Then a man arrived to meet Tabitha. I know him from at least a dozen years ago when he adopted a cat from us at Peggy Brown's. At Peggy's AWL branch we used to let folk choose kittens before they were ready for adoption. The prospective owners would come by every weekend to play with "their" kitten. It helped the bond to form. The kitten that this man chose unfortunately died while being desexed. It can happen. He was convinced that we had sold "his" kitten to somebody else until I convinced him that it was just an unfortunate death. 

He eventually chose another kitten and has lived happily with her for over a decade. But recently she died and he is ready to choose another cat for him and his mum to love. l think Tabitha will be perfect. He spent lots of time talking to her and patting her. He took lots of photos to show his mum. They will be back. She enjoyed the attention so much that she made a very rare appearance at her window later in the afternoon.

Tabatha

Valentino came in to board for the weekend. He is just as wonderful as ever. 

 

Valentino

He settled into the condo next to Libby who was taken home. Her new owner was concerned that she might get confused because they have only had her for a month. She came from Monika's Doggy Rescue. 

I noticed today that Mayka as white socks on her back legs. She is much more relaxed these days.

Mayka

So there is hope for Bella and Lulu who have come in from a foster home, Dynamo and Rosie and Callie who have moved out of their cat carrier but no further than its roof.

Callie and Rosie

Dynamo

Bella and Lulu

Midsummer madness

 As you can imagine I carefully checked that Mayka was in her stand alone when I arrived this morning. She was. And the rubbish men had not come yet so I hurried around collecting the black bags on the verandah to take down to other people's not quite full garbage bins. Then I noticed that Remi's condo door was wide open. I walked carefully down naughty row and her condo was in a state of disorder (not uncommon with Remi) but her igloo had lost a leg and was on its side. I was VERY releaved when I was greeted by the usual Remi hiss-spit. She was on her upper ledge, at the back, as usual (unless there is food on offer). What a relief.

After that the day went smoothly despite a new vollie having to drop out late last night because her husband has Covid. Catsie came instead so I had a full team who worked like a dream. Thank you.

They were all high on the fact that Pete and Buddy got adopted on Monday. I scrubbed out their condo trying to put all the energy in it to keep them from coming back to it.

Wanda has a new kitten called Midsummer. It is grey and much smaller than the rest of her collection. She seems to have accepted it very well and her neck is looking much better with the anitibiotic cream. 

Midsummer in the middle

We have new cats including a pregnant mum, Violet who didn't give birth today.  Her expression indicates that she has never done anything that could lead to that!

Violet

And Duke, out back in Boarding who needs twice daily eye drops. It looks like his right eyelid is missing. He is very patient with strangers who insist on dropping cold liquid into his eye.

Duke

Next to  Duke is Stephi who has just been desexed, as has Amy's Annie.

Stephi

And we have another Peanut where Tammy used to be. (Tammy is slowly settling into Tim's house full of cats). I doubt that this Peanut will be as charming as the last one, but live in hope for another miracle.

Peanut

Big nights for the M's

 Mayka had her big night last night. She got out of her stand alone during the afternoon and led her staff on a merry dance to try to get her back into it. They gave up evenutally and left a litter tray out for her and delicious food inside the stand alone. When I arrived, opened the front door to let the stink dissapate and walked towards the verandah door to open it, I noticed that her cage doors were open and she was nowhere in sight. I moved very quickly to close the front door! 

Eventually I found her behind her stand alone, snuggled down on a Safe T-shirt. I tried to grab her to throw her back in but she bit me but good and ran off to hide somewhere in the main cattery. The vollies spotted her under the small table at Casper's end. We stuffed that with towels and put something utterly delicious in a carry cage. No way was she going to fall for that. 

When Geoff arrived we leaned on his WIRES expertise and she lead us a merry dance. At one stage she was behind the merchandise shelves between the back screen and the wall. . .. a space of all of 2 cm. She hunkered down below the trolly next to Max and we struggled to corner her and Geoff managed to squish her (evidently cats can squish safely) and got her back into her stand alone. He has a hole in his cat proof gloves as well as in his finger for his efforts. We NEED more bandaids.

Mayka not happy to be home

Of course, Max had watched all this drama. So when things settled down, we decided that he deserved a quiet place and I wheeled him into the freshly fogged play place where Trixie had spent the night. He took his time to get out of his stand alone. (The wires seem to confuse him. Perhaps he is short sighted). But once "FREE" he happily found a good place to curl up. I joined him at lunch time and he came out of hiding to quietly be with me and to explore after which he happily went back to his good place and went  to sleep. He will have a lovely time there tonight.

He didn't say a word through the entire process. Perhaps because we had a family brought in by a fosterer. (She kept one of her "lot" for a little longer). Included is Tommy who didn't shut up. He is an entire male so he pongs as he sings.

Tommy

His lady love, Mia is in Incoming with their two kittens Bonnie and Lemmy.

Mia, the mum

Bonnie and Lemmy

The fosterer also brought in Peppa and Poe who may be related to Tommy. They are both tuxedos and 4-6months old sweeties.

Frankie is fine

 Frankie the boarder whose owner was worried that he doesn't eat enough, seems perfectly normal after a couple of days at our health spa. He is in the play place and ran around between snacks all day until he flaked out on the high window shelf.

Frankie

He will be taken home tomorrow. He and Mayka played peek-a-boo this afternoon because I pulled back her modesty sheet.

Mayka

Mayka let me pat her for chicken.

Trixie has been moved out back. She is just so charming that everybody who sees her, wants her. But she still has health issues that we need to clear up. She is where Ashleigh used to be. Below Lucky.

Trixie

Next to Lucky is Taylor who looks much better than she did when she arrived. But the fur on her back is in a terrible state. Her bed has a dangling thing that attracts the surplus hair from her face. I think it is a mouse but it is covered with her hair.

Taylor

There have been enquiries for Ebony. One from a family with a small poodle who is afraid of cats. Another from a couple with a garden flat with lots of spare rooms. First come, first served. In the meantime, she has been ousted from her comfy bed by the toy tiger.

Ebony

The next day

 I went back to Bilgola Plateau and processed the adoptions of Sunny, Stormy and Sky. They are much loved kittens. Sky, the only boy, is the boldest, Sky is the sweetest, Stormy is the most agile (for example, in an attempt to keep them out of the kids' bedrooms they installed a sheet of cardboard at the top of a short flight of stairs that has clear perspex instead of railings (like modern swimming pools). Stormy can jump up to the top of the cardboard sheet (at least a meter) from the top step and then walk along the edge of the cardboard to get to where she can jump down into where she shouldn't be.

Stormy

Sky or Sunny: only difference is a spot of orange on her head

Today when I arrived Tim was introducing a couple to Schnitty. I took over when one of them wanted to meet Fawny. They need a cat to replace their rescue cat who recently died because their small, 9 year old dog needs a cat companion as much as they do. That is why Schnitty was first choice as he is used to dogs. But one partner spotted Fawny who was in the process of being added to the web page because he is the same colour as their previous cat plus their dog. Reason prevailed and Schnitty was chosen. They bought lots of stuff to go with him because they wanted to support us. 

To compensate poor rejected Fawny, I fogged the play place and put him there. He had a marvelous time, alternatively hiding, playing peek-a-boo with Mayka and racing around like a lunatic. By tomorrow he may be calm enough for somebody to choose him.

Manic mood Fawny

The mystery of Dusty and her kittens name kidnap is that the person who found them in their back shed now wants to adopt them all. She gets naming rights and has given them Indian names. So Ashleigh and Edie were left-over names. Then another couple of kittens arrived and were given those names. Ashleigh is on meds and is very shy. Edie is the purrer.

Edie up front, Ashleigh hiding

We have boarders including our Taylor renamed Tutu.

Tutu, not happy

And Heinz, so named because he was put in a Heinz box and thrown in a river and rescued. His foster carer has gone to Berrima for the weekend. She adopted Petal previously. Petal is terrified of Heinz!

Heinz