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.

RIP Nom: Liz reports

He was collected by his owners sister and to be taken to their vet for euthanasia. He recognised the young woman when he saw her. You may already know this but Tim had rung them on Christmas Eve to tell them that Nom no longer had much quality of life and suggested that they could take him home for a week or so. They refused saying they have another cat so they wouldn’t get on together although of course Tim had pointed out that Nom could be kept in a separate room. However when she saw him the sister acknowledged that he’s not the cat he used to be in terms of attitude but I think that came too late for him.

New Years specials

It is almost as though we have a sale on and cats are going "out the door". Primrose and Patchy were picked up today by a young couple who paid for them a couple of days ago but had to get all their gear ready. Diamond was adopted. Hurrah. Robyn took home Isabella who still hasn't had her kittens. She might have had them in the car on the way home she looked so full of kittens when she went into the carry cage.

Robyn is thrilled at the prospect of being a foster parent. I forgot to tell her to give Isabella some newspaper to shred into a nest. It didn't often work at Peggy's but sometimes it brought on the litter. Irene also has a mum at home who had had four kittens by the time she dragged herself away to come volunteer at Safe Haven. We expect to get lots of Zelda's kitten sized kittens back from them both in 3 months time. My purpose this afternoon was to get decent photos of Dolly, Elona and Elliot for the website. Dolly eventually obliged, after numerous photobombs by Dobby.

But Elona was not going to smile. (And look at that odd shaving on her leg).

And Elliot would not stand or sit still. See how beautifully in focus the scratchy pole is!

Because Diamond was gone, I convinced Tim to let me move Mia and Belle into her wheely cage. They didn't like the move and hid in the igloo that Mia arrived in. But their heads came out at dinner time.

Goodbye Leo

A woman from Avalon rang on Wednesday wanting a ginger kitten. Her big, ginger boy died a month ago and the family needs a cat. The husband is working from home. Son#1 has just graduated from uni and son#2 has just done his HSC. But she is in Avalon and not allowed to come to Chatswood. Luckily, I have a bit of paper to say that I am an essential worker and can travel from Avalon to Chatswood and back. So, after my shift this morning, I popped Leo into my cat carrier and went to Avalon to see if they would fancy him.

He got a bit anxious in the car until I covered the carrier with my rain jacket. It must smell calming. The transition to "meet this kitten" to "this is MY kitten" took a nanosecond. I convinced her that he needs to be in a room with a door for a little while in a new environment so she established his potty/water bowl/food bowl/bed beside her bed. Otherwise he would have been in the laundry off the kitchen without a door! The house is full of stuff and windows out to gardens with a family of magpies and other birds. He will be a happy cat. His name will be changed. Initially she thought Covid would be a good name. The men in the family disagreed. She then thought "Lachie" or "Lockie" for lock-down . . . perfect for a red headed cat. Meanwhile back at the cattery: After 5 days off, Tim noticed the smell. So he, at least, doesn't have Covid. Is-a-belly hasn't had her kittens yet. Mimi/RubyG's smallest, hissiest kitten has a ring worm lesion on his/her forehead. Bugger. Joy took some photos as she was leaving. Billy was in good form but didn't want to head butt her: perhaps the face mask detered him. Although I wonder if cats read much from noses and mouths as their noses don't move much. Their eyes and head gestures tell their feelings.

Macey was playing at being a bat and hanging around upside down.

Peggy kept a low profile.

And there were miscellaneous, un-named kittens.

78 and counting

I was Boss Cocky today so that Tim could have 5 days off in a row over Christmas. Considering that he hasn't had more that one day off at a time for months, he probably didn't know what to do with himself. When I arrived (super early because of delicious lock down trafficless-ness) I was all ready to shift bags of poo into various rubbish tins. But it was Tuesday. The garbos don't come until Wednesday. Bugger. But then I realised that the accupunturists in the front building are off until Jan 4 and their rubbish bin was left out front. Aha! I thought, I will fill it up with poo bags. But, by the time I got down there this afternoon, it has already been filled up by somebody else. Grrrr. The garbos will have been and gone by the time I get there tomorrow for a regular vollie morning. Not counting boarders we have 78 cats and kittens in residence. Isabella is really Is-a-belly. She is full of kittens. At least 5 to match our running average this season. Perhaps tonight. Unfortunately I didn't have any newspaper to put into her condo for her to rip up.

I tried to wash off the pink stain on Primrose's poitrine. But it is permanent. Perhaps we can market her as a punk kitten with pink hair.

Rosie is getting used to us. She now faces the mesh rather than the wall.

A woman in lockdown in Avalon called to ask if there was any chance that somebody could get a kitten to her. Everybody in the family really wants a new cat to fill the hole left by the 15year old cat who had to be put down a month ago. He was a big, ginger. She fancies another ginger (?Leo) or a tortie kitten (?Primrose). I could bring a kitten home for them to meet. And perhaps Cody and Jo would fall in love with it while it was here overnight. (Dream on, Prue). Another family came to choose a kitten for their daughter. It will have to go with their dog. So they brought the dog as well, in Dad's arms. The dog is a chihuahua with long, curly hair. It shivered in the dad's arms but didn't say a word. I think a cat/kitten would gain supremacy without any blood being drawn. The daughter took photos, they will be back.

Extra duty: Joy reports

I did my extra shift this morning with Irene and team and was asked to clean the kittens (behind boarding) so here’s a few photos. Windsor enjoying his time ‘outside’ his safe place.

One of Silky’s kittens.

All of Silky’s kittens .. they are coming on well

Kitten of Black Mum below (Sign says Mum +1 & has drop off/pick up date but they are located in kitten area)

Sima - Rag Doll/Persian in Boarding, very friendly and beautiful cat

Lulu - Burmese who wants nothing but attention ... wouldn’t keep still for her photo to be taken so it’s through the glass - In Boarding until 30/12.

Sox has been adopted and surprisingly Shadow and Leo still available!

Happy Christmas from Safe Haven

Primrose met her first elf. She is available for adoption. As is three of Zeldas: Shadow

Leo

and Sox

And we had all those exotic Z names thought up before she even had her kittens. There is a new pregnant mum. Snow Pea has been moved to accomodate a boarder. Star's bigger fluffy blacks are back with the litter now that the little ones are not so little. Star seems thinner though. Dobby still has a stuffed up nose. I changed the litter from wood to paper because he might just be sensitive to wood dust. . . . worth trying anything. Cody caught his own Christmas present and brough it in to share with us.

I thought "how nice for him to have something to play with". There are SO MANY cicadas around this year, one less is no loss. Then he knocked it downstairs and lost it. When it starts to "sing" indoors I will regret my generosity to the cat.