Adoption tails: Second time perfect for Soxy

 Soxy was adopted for the second time on Sept 10, 2021. I have waited for more than two months just to make sure that he has found his perfect place.

Soxy in October, 2020

1 day, 11/9: Irene thinks this time Soxy hit the jackpot. His new guardian seems to understand him and Soxy is doing very well. He is eating, using his litter box and purring up a storm when patted. He loves sitting in a cardboard box lined with a blanket. It's his safe place he goes back to as he is adjusting to his new space.

1 week: Soxy is doing good. He has been learning about reflections recently.

1 month: Soxy is getting right at home now. He has his own little "away from people" spots he goes to during the day but he loves attention during the afternoon and night.

Soxy in August, between owners, August 2021

Since then: not a peep.

Soxy's second chance

 First, go to yesterday's Adoption Tails to look at the lovely photo of Collette sent by her new owners. No photo of Candy, unfortunately.

They were two vollies down this morning at Safe Haven. Robyn to the rescue. She came in and helped Sophia who is a brand new vollie. Later in the day, Sophia brought her mother by to meet the cats. She cooed at them in Hungarian and all the cats understood every word she said. Pommie was particularly receptive. She is a girl, 5 years old, no history yet.

Pommie

 

 

Archie, next door was not quite so ready to make friends although he did warm to me later (or was it to my chicken fingers?)

Archie

 

Petal is without her cone as is Magnus. They both looked more relaxed. And Wilson was in the play place all afternoon. Initially when there he walked around growling. Today he was happy enough getting pats from me while I ate my lunch with him. But when I opened the balcony door and noises came in from downstairs he was a bit grumbly. I never finished my lunch because a mother and daughter arrived to adopt Spot and Smudge. They have always had 3 cats but are down to one so wanted males to get their numbers up to normal. The finger test didn't determine which was who. And they were equally friendly to their new family. Kittens adapt so well, sometimes.

Even Harper and Scout are more relaxed. Their sibling Latte is to be brought in tomorrow "from the wild". That might set them back a bit. Or, perhaps, they will tell Latte how delicious chicken is.

Harper and Scout

There are new kittens in Incoming called Quinn, Sidney, Yin and Yang. I could only see one.

Looks like a Yang to me

But the very best news of the day is that Brandon came, sat with Soxy for ages and adopted him. He has his flat all set up with the box that his fridge came in on its side with another box with a comfy blanket in it along with a litter tray etc in his bedroom. He works from home, on the phone, so Soxy will always have somebody nearby. He has had lots of shy cats in his 21 years.

Soxy meets his new owner

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.

Irene's News of: Peggy

Peggy is adjusting really well to her new home. I am so glad I got her chipped and vaccinated otherwise she would still be sitting in her condo.

Soxy is struggling a bit but her new owner is hanging in there and I have a follow up coming up for Marmie. I will update you when I hear back from that one. New photo Billy and Sam:

Gobsmacked

Since I left on Friday at 3:30pm, Soxy, Silky, Amber, George and Lechusa have been adopted.

They have left in the order that they arrived.

Neat morning, messy afternoon

When I arrived at noon there was a family with two small children after a kitten. They chose Kimmy (and vice versa). Then the woman and her daughter who wanted Kimmy on Sunday came in after getting permission from her landlord to have a cat. While Irene was checking out Kimmy, they decided that Chilli really was the better choice for them. They are Spanish speakers and will change his name to something unpronouncable. She has had cats forever so knows what to do. While I checked out Chilli, Irene introduced a woman to all the quiet cats in residence. She had a problem choosing between Soxy and Marmalade. And finally chose . . . . . MARMALADE!

She paid her money and went away without him but promised to be back. She came back at 3:30 having set up her house with everything that he will need . . . . lots of hiding places initially. But we think that they will be a good match. They are both quiet, aloof, self contained folk just aching for somebody to love. And then Robyn came in and talked to Tim about Belle's condition and dietary needs. While she was doing this (and Irene was processing Marmalade) I introduced a woman and her two teenaged sons who really had wanted Kimmy, or a Kimmy-like semi-long haired kitten. I introduced her to the longish haired ones in Incoming. We think that Petite and Norma are the longer haired girls. And then to the delicately grey Lucy and the longer haired of her brothers in Mia and Bella's stand alone. I suspect that the boys will go for Lucy because she will be ready earlier. They are desexed. They just need a vet check and microchip whereas the ones in Incoming need to be there for another week and then go through the vet check, etc. Those boys need a kitten while they are in lockdown to replace the much beloved cat who died last year. They want a longish haired cat because their old cat was. But they don't want a matted cat. I tried to convince them that if they start brushing the kitten while it is young, the cat will enjoy being brushed all its life. I suppose this is true.

They certainly like to cuddle up together. Robyn and I processed Belle and she went home with Robyn. I thought it was warm at Safe Haven today but the cats didn't. Ginger and Lechusa shared a box.

Now that we have spare condos, we have assigned separate condos for Bobby and Doel. While they came as a bonded pair, they have been quarrelling all day. They have gingivitis so are on TD's. A better solution is daily brushing, of their teeth. What's the chance of that while they are cross with each other?

Chicken lick'n kittens

I defrosted the chicken that I had not finished some weeks ago in the microwave. It has a "frozen dinner" option which I tried. Mistake. I checked it after 2 minutes and the middle was frozen and the edges were boiling. So everybody who had a nose knew there was chicken and had to wait. Kendra in the Boarding area is the furthest away from the kitchen and she was keen for food/chicken. Meanie me didn't give her any because despite being on a strict ID diet, her tummy is bloated to pregnancy size yet again. All her kittens are together again, out of isolation. They didn't get any chicken either, just in case.

Everybody out back loved their chicken. I gave Silky, Petey and Pearl a good pat and Ebony and Casper ate from the dish that I held (the first step)

Ashleigh would have done the same but she has gone. . . . home with Sandy who has a spare room just waiting for a foster cat. Lucky Ashleigh. The Hungergame kittens went wild for chicken. But they go wild for any kind of food. I took advantage of having chicken sticky hands to give them all a good cuddle. They then spent 15 minutes licking themselves and each other clean. While I was with them, Mimi, who has been moved to the corner on the other side of the door, wailed for her share of chook. When I gave her some she not only let me pat her but she purred. It is the chicken, not my magic touch.

Sooty and Tammy will not play the love chicken/love me game. And Marmalade would if only I was Tim. But Soxy loved both chicken and pats, as did Bridie. And Matty and Maddie only play give me the chicken or I will rip your hand off. They are going to a foster home tomorrow. The fosterer is coming on the bus. Irene has, I hope, arranged for a vollie to drive them all back home to Maroubra.

The one small containter of chicken didn't last very long which was good because I had to leave early to attend my nephew's daughter's naming ceremony at a synagogue in Woolhara. The container was scrupulously cleaned by Harry and Harley.

Grass for treats

The rain has made the grass in pots grow. So I took a box of pots to Safe Haven this afternoon to give as treats for the cats. They were not as keen on grass as they are on chicken. And one box of pots doesn't have enough grass for everybody. So I had to play favourites. Of course, Billy got his pot first. He has decided that I am "alright" and accepts pats willingly. Marmalade, on the other hand, is still unhappy that I am not Tim. Same with Soxy and Buddy/Petey. What is this boy/boy thing. The kittens are unaffected it is just the adults. It might just be that they are shyer and like the hand that feeds them most often. When I came to take a few photos, I got the "flat battery" message, again. So I will add some old photos. Candy and Collette were not feeling well this afternoon. They didn't leap out of their condo when the door was opened with a food offering. They just lay at the back of the very hot box. They were desexed earlier in the week and still have their collars on.

Sapphire is wearing a collar too. She, and Tiny Tim will be adopted on Sunday. Big Tim is counting the nights he still has to take them home with him.

Octavia is still with us but has moved to the outer edge of Quarantine. Gracie has moved out to the condo below Dobby (whose nose is getting stuffier every day in the stuffy condo). Daphne and the 3 little d's are in a wheely cage where Octavia was. I have talked my cat Cody into being brushed every day. He rather enjoys it. But he doesn't purr as loudly as Tara did when I brushed her today.

I roll the fur I brush off him into balls. I would much rather these fur balls that the ones that he vomits up.

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.