A Fall from Grace

 When I got to Grace's condo on this morning's food delivery, it was a mess. She had pulled up the grass from its pot and then tipped over the pot so that there was dirt everywhere. I may have said something that startled her because as she jumped up to her upper box she missed her footing and fell out of her condo. To the floor. And then scurried, screaming "I AM SCARED" which got the attention of every cat in the cattery. We proceeded to have a merry dance with me trying to direct her back to her condo and her trying to hide under any low furniture. Luckily she didn't take the high way. 

Eventually she hid under the new merchandise shelves. I cornered her with the duvet cover from Mini's stand alone, put her breakfast in a carry cage that was draped with the same duvet cover. With the help of a prod or two with a bit of stick, she allowed herself to be guided into the carry cage. And got carried back to her condo. Pretty exciting for before breakfast.

We have three new cats in Boarding: Sasha, Shadow and Ellie. They are not boarders with us. They have been surrendered to us. They are really friendly with people. Ellie is a long/ish haired cat who has been shaved. It will be interesting to see how long her hair grows. Her whiskers are enormous.

Ellie

 

I tried putting Sasha into the play place with her but got the distinct impression that it was not a good idea. Katie confirmed that although they came from the same household they are not friends with each other. They just love people.

Sasha

 

 

Shadow is the third member of this trio.

Shadow

Steph dropped off Autumn and Summer. Lovely to have tortie kittens again.

Summer and Autumn

Magnus has a bare tip of tail. A bit has been amputated. There is no bandage. Let's hope this fixes his problem. He is such a loving cat.

Laurie (aka Lasagne) wins the photo of the day 

Laurie

 

As Dolly got adopted on Tuesday, the mother and daughter who fell in love with her on Sunday came to meet Petal. They promptly fell in love with her and will be back when she has been desexed. 

And another lady came in at 3:30pm to adopt Meow Meow. But she didn't do it today. She decided to go home and set up everything, buy lots of food, etc, etc, and come back tomorrow at 1pm to adopt her. (Adoption hours have been limited to from 1pm to 3:30pm to limit our volunteers' exposure to members of the public. We are not admitting people who come from hotspot LGA's)

Adoption tails: Blockbuster weekend

 So many cats were adopted from Safe this past weekend:

On Saturday: Honey, Mini, Mixa, Patches with George, Sock

On Monday: Misty, Pooh

Misty

 

Pooh, Piglet and Tigger

 

Misty was still in Incoming last Friday. And I didn't get around to sorting out the Wind in the Willow kittens. It will be easier now there are only two left.

And remember the delightful Bailey? He is one happy cat now.

"Do we have to get up?"

"There is enough room for us both here"

 

His person's daughter is going to adopt Emerald who has been living with Irene and family.

News of Harry and Harley after a week in their new home:

They’re doing good. Took a little longer for Harry to come out from under the bed, but by the end of the week they’ll both play with their new owner. They also took their first steps out of the bedroom and have been exploring the rest of the apartment. 

Sudden noises or larger movements do make them retreat to the bedroom but they come back out shortly after. The owner can get quite close to them as long as s/he doesn’t touch them and they are comfortable enough to eat in the human's presence and outside the bedroom.

Will Silky stick?

 Soxy is back. His new owner is frightened of him. He was very pleased to see me this afternoon. I think he, like Mini, is really happy to be back home.

Soxy

 

Wilson went to the vet this afternoon for his vet check. So I took Petal into the play place to see how she would cope. She was fine while I sat on the floor with her while she explored. Then I got my lunch and took off my mask and she hid under the tall scratchy pole. After lunch, Robyn arrived as did some customers. Katie was going through the paperwork with another woman who adopted Daisy. So I popped the masked Robyn in with Petal. They had a lovely time. Lots of cuddles and happy to be carried back to her condo. Do masks make us more appealing to cats?

Petal

The customers were a mum and her two kids (under 10). They have been enjoying looking after a pair of older cats that a friend left with them when she went overseas. Covid struck, the friend was stuck overseas, the kids really got used to having cats to play with. Then the friend came back and claimed her cats back. They thought initially that they'd like older cats like the ones they looked after. So I introduced them to Marigold and Mini who both behaved beautifully and let little kids pat them (Who'd a thunk it!) After lots of consultation with mum, photos taken, extra pats with Patches (who didn't behave very well and George hid) they chose Tip (because that will make more boys in the family than girls). 

Tip

Tim quickly vaccinated him and they took him home. Lucky Tip will have a great life. And perhaps Socks will accept Mo as a hammock mate now.

Alice brought in her kittens (in floods of tears). They hid in the box until I coaxed them out with a magic ping pong ball. There are two black kittens, Barrington and Hiccup. Barrington is bigger. The tuxedo is Momo and the tabby is Gia.

Momo

Gia and Barrington or Hiccup

Adoption tails: Mimi

She is back. The older man who adopted her at the beginning of July expected her to become a lap cat within 24 hours. He didn't put her into a room with a closed door with everything she needed and let her learn her new surroundings and routines gradually. He tried to force the relationship and got swiped. We all know how accurate Mini is with her swipes. He was advised to let her decide when she is ready for more contact. There were frequent phone calls between us and the new owner and his friend but the owner decided that she wasn't right for him. He had a real struggle getting her back into the cat carrier, so perhaps she didn't want to leave. It took three days. Here she is when she first arrived back in December 2020.

Talking of struggles and cat carriers: Silky gave Terry a black eye when he put her, with difficulty, into a cat carrier to be taken home. She too is hiding. So is Soxy. But their owners are being more patient with them and don't expect instant lap cat. 

Yesterday I moved Mini to a stand alone from the single condo she was in because I remembered how much she liked it in the stand alone. She let me pat her, scrunch the base of her tail and lift her into the wheely cage. She is happy to be back, I think.

A stream of unmasked visitors

First Dr Kim came by to talk to Tim about the rent. I didn't listen because I was busy brushing the great pile of hair out of Rosie's rear.

I had noticed on Wednesday that she had hard, tufty spots over her hip bones. Today I got a comb and got them all out. She is now half of her original size. Dr Kim toured our cats looking for one suitable for a friend who's Himalayan-type has died. She rather liked Rosie, for a change, thinking that he would want an older cat. Then a young woman arrived to meet Mimi and Macy. Tim attended to her. They took their time, and proceeded with the adoption. Hurrah. While that was happening the woman who raised the three tuxedo's closest to the front door arrived to spend time with her "babies". Tim shut her in the play place with them. It was the kitten's first time there and they had a fabulous time. . . . hardly noticed her at all. It didn't stop her sitting and chatting with a kitten clutched to her breast. (She named the boy with most white on his face "Fiesty.") The vet students from Dr Kim's arrived to check us out, I thought. I did the tour, introducing each cat. Eventually the girl vet student confessed that she was interested in a companion to the male adult that she adopted from Sydney Dogs and Cats ("who don't have as many cats as we do"). He sleeps all day long. . . . as you do if you are a cat. She loved Zelda. By this time Tim was packing up Mini and Mia to take them to Dr Chris while he picked up Snow Pea. Mini has a suspicious bard spot on her tail that Dr Chris decided is not ring worm. Hurrah! Mini has a sore paw which we have been treating with antisceptic. Dr Chris says that it is probably chronic and not dangerous. Get her a home that doesn't have a hard floor and she will be fine. Hurrah! While Tim was away I offered to feed everybody. Working from out back to up front, I got to Star's condo. They all rushed out, as usual. When I put their food in their condo, they rushed back, as usual. But there were only two kittens. The sign on the condo said Star + 3. I looked under every thing that had a kitten sized slot. Watched the cats to see where they were focused which is usually a sure fire way of finding a kitten where it should not be. No third kitten. I checked the diary to see if a Star kitten had been adopted. There wasn't anything there. I chewed my fingernails until Tim arrived back to be told that another one of Star's kittens has been adopted. I really don't like this no name system. Dr Kim arrived with her two students and the client who wants another cat. She steared him towards Star (because she is fluffy). The girl student didn't point out that Zelda was fluffy too. But he decided that he is not ready for another cat yet. And the girl student muttered that Dr Kim said that if you have one cat who is happy in your home you should think twice about getting a second cat. . . . . REALLY

Lillian's kitten who I encouraged to play with thetoy.

C kittens:

The only girl below Salt and Pepper who spent some time this afternoon grooming her collar.

Dobby who doesn't have upstairs neighbours any more.

So/unny who would rather not hide with his mum, Sally.

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.

A little birdie told me. . . .. . Rod saved the day

Last week I took two bags of dirty washing home. An occasional chirp came from a bag which was easy enough to ignore. On the way back to Safe Haven today with two bags of washed sheets, hammocks, towels, toys. . . .the same bird chirped happily all the way. It would not be quiet. It was so happy to be going home. Sandy unpacked the bag of cleans and immediately commented on the chirp. She gave it to Star's kittens in the play place and it chirped happily for as long as they were in there. A happy bird. Later, Sandy went to do the washing and found the the plug/strainer wouldn't hold the water in the sink. She couldn't fix it, I couldn't fix it, Rod couldn't fix it so he went to Bunnings while Sandy, herocially, washed up in the small sink. The bloke at Bunnings said that the washer was on upside down! Imagine designing a washer that has a right side! Must have been a plumber that thought that one up. So we now have two spare washers in the tool box and the old one is working in the sink. Thank you Rod. The three grey kittens of Mini who were desexed last week all have been adopted since then. The one that I couldn't catch, Myra, was desexed yesterday. This afternoon she would have been adopted by a young couple who missed out on the other grey kittens. They WANT her but will have to wait until she is cleared for adoption. Lunar's kittens were also desexed yesterday. Another young couple came to check out a suitable cat to go with their small dog to replace a rescue cat who died a couple of months ago. Eventually, they decided that Belle, without Mia, would be perfect. More decisions for Tim to sort out as neither are available at the moment. Rosie really liked them. But she is not on the available list either.

We have new kittens: Three from Clare who are not necessarily from the same litter.

The three who had been fostered by Bronwen are settling down:

One arrived yesterday and is called Leaf.

Last week Tim put a couple of large boarding cats in the play place. I took this surreal photo of the cat and the outside of our building from the balcony

: Soxy is growing up.

Home alone

Mini/RubyG's day started early. She and her kittens were due to go to a vet in Manly Vale to be desexed. So that Tim could sleep in, I elected to get to Safe Haven early and drive them there. That went well. I was ready to pop them into a carry cage at 7:15am. But her smallest kitten had other ideas. S/he did not want to go. S/he refused. S/he bit and scratched me S/he ran me around the room. I dripped blood while the rest of the family sat happily in the carry cage. When s/he decided to hide behind Lucky's condo, I decided that we had both had enough. S/he won. I put some food beside this bolt hole. Gradually, I moved it towards Mini's condo. Eventually s/he followed her/his nose and I could close the door behind her/him. (Would it be OK to use "it" for a genderless preposition?) I got to Manly Vale in record time (thankyou lockdown) and they were in the dark. Yesterday's storm had knocked out their power. We decided to leave Mini and co there because the sparkies said that the power would be back by noon. I explained that they had one less kitten to desex today. Later in the morning the vet rang to say that the sparkies wouldn't be able to fix the power until 4pm. So Mini and co will stay overnight and get fixed tomorrow. . . . hopefully. Irene was scheduled to pick them up at 4:30. I emailed Peter to let Irene know but he "never reads his Safe email". So Irene arrived to be told the tale. Fortnately, she said, it was on her way home anyway. She will pick them up tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope the smallest grey kitten doesn't miss its family too much. And that my thumb stops swelling! Apart from that drama, it was the normal, frantically busy day. When Lily is home alone she shreds her corrigated couch.

I noticed that one of Rita's kittens has been playing with scissors. Half of its whiskers are short. The other half are long. How did that happen?

Robyn's news is that Isabella had five kittens on Sunday afternoon while she and hubby went out for a walk! She missed her chance at being midwife. She has changed Isabella's name to Belle because the cat is so loving it is easier to coo Belle to her. Robyn will make up lots of B names for the kittens who are very cute. She has taken at least 100 photos alreaady.

I put Mimi and Macey in the play place this afternoon. Soon thereafter a family arrived to find a kitten. We don't have any. Shadow and Elliot were adopted over the weekend. Everybody else available is bigger. But the family went into the play place and found that Mimi is much friendlier that Macey. Macey eventually learned how to play with them. They may be back, or might hang out for a younger kitten. My computer is 10 years old and suffering from age related obscelence. But I have managed to upload some photos. Would have uploaded more if I had had time to take them.

Christmas Cheer

I was late to SH this afternoon because we had our break up lunch for Friday morning tennis. As I got there Tim left with his two tiny kittens and another new cat to Chris the vet. Irene was still doing stuff so I got to my appointed task of taking photos for next year's calendar. I was not very successful. Ollie was more interested in being brushed and/or patted than posing by a prop.

The Ra family was trying to find the food hidden in the tree.

We tried out Mia and Belle in the play place. They were happy enough to be stroked, had a little explore but spent most of their time huddled together in the corner. Not a merry Xmas photo.

Earlier in the day, Irene had put Mini/RubyG and her grey kittens into the play place. They had a marvellous time. The kittens climbed to the top of the green labyrinth thingy. It did Mini/RubyG the world of good. She was very happy to have lots of pats later in the afternoon from me rather than hissing at me. As Tim was away at the 2:30 feeding time, Irene served the mums and kittens. Luna's lot had a lovely wander but never strayed far from their condo.

But Zelda's kittens made friends with all their neighbours, especially Claude.

A lovely boarder, Luna was lying peacefully, on her back, in her carrier when a person came from next door to "groom" her. She came back an hour later, shaved and still wet around the legs. Poor baby, I couldn't bring myself to take a photo. Tim got back at around 4pm. His kittens may have giardia and the other cat doesn't have a thyroid problem.

Family History

Last Wednesday Joy took photos of RubyG's lovely grey kittens. Today, the woman who rescued them came in with two full shopping bags of food for them. To her, RubyG is Mini.

Mini is the mother of Silky (so the grandmother of Silky's 4 kittens)

and also the mother of Sooky.

I don't know if Sooky is the father of Silky's kittens. So there is a plan, when Silky's and Mini/RubyG's kittens are grown, I will put Sooky, Silky and Mini/RubyG in the play place together to see if they recognise each other. By that time, we hope, the Ra's should be out of the upstairs-downstairs condo. Patchy's Spotty and Tippy have been renamed PJ and Penelope. (Tippy is PJ)

There are three kittens next to the two kittens in ex-Q. They are fraidy cats but we will win them around with Baby Cat. Their next door neighbours already know that we are the good guys.

Our Laurie (ie Lily's Laurie) is in boarding. His new name is Claude not Clawed.

Zelda is back from foster care. Her kittens are enormous and hefty. They will be desexed next week.

Charlie had a go in the play place. He was happy to get back home but will probably like it the next time.