Play time and shadows

 I let Chelsea out in the Top Cat and she had a lovely time playing with ping pong ball. Emily and Annabelle were next (they are available as a bonded pair since we removed Emily's stitch. . . Annabelle didn't have one). They enjoyed it. I then put them back and opened Darcy's door. He was very unsure. Still hadn't ventured out by the time I left. 

Darcy

Ciara, below him would have loved it.

Ciara

But Billy next door to him wouldn't have been seen ever again!

Billy

Which reminds me. When I arrived, Archie's door was opened an inch or two. He was in his box, Archie's Bar. Later, after he had been cleaned, the door was again unlatched. The latch needed to be tightened. But I think that is a temporary fix and it might loosen itself with use. I should have added it to Geoff's list of jobs. 

The Play Place was empty so I let Gimli have a run around. Tim brushed him after getting covered in orange fur.

 It seems that Prue and Trude have never been to the vet. They need to go before being offered for adoption. So today I moved out the goldfish bowl wooden box thing from their enclosure and put in a cat carrier just to get them used to something new. After cleaning the gold fish bowl thing, I installed it in Julie and Bass's enclosure. It only fits one way. At least their quilt fitted. I hope they like it. 

Nova went to the vet's today to have her eye looked at. They said that it was swollen and giving her great pain so should be removed. It was done. 

Ombre didn't look at all well this morning. And had not eaten much over night or at breakfast. Sue took her to the vet where she died. Poor wee thing. I remembered a french song: Un onbre de nous, restera toujour (an Ombre/shadow of ours will last forever). . .. was a song in the film "A Man and A Woman"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUtMxdh3jT4

Adoption Tails: 48 in January

 Adoptions that is. 48 is an all time record. Well done us. 

And today there were 3 more: Celine Dion (she will be beloved) and Dorian and Sterling together, at last. 

Not only that but the people who adopted Suki Sioux the "Siamese" rang to say that she is "going really well with everything."

Willow's kittens

Scout

3 days: He's as happy as Larry! Very confident and settled in beautifully! Couldn't be happier. So purry and lovely. The owners have not decided whether they will change the name yet so he is Scout for now.

1 week: He's great, currently sleeping in air conditioned comfort! Very playful and affectionate.

Scout

1 month: Scout is going really well, gaining weight and lengthening before the family's eyes. He had his final vaccination just last week and the vets are very happy with him. He's a cutie and very affectionate!

Maple, now Nina

 

1 day: Maple is settling well. She’s eating, drinking and using the litter tray. The owner has renamed Maple to Nina (after Nina Simone). She’s definitely got a loud and constant purr. Nina is actually having a nap at the moment.

Maple, not Nina

1 week: Nina is doing well! Settling into her furever home. She met her housemate, Nico and they're slowly getting along with each other.

No 1 month response.

Hunter and Pippa - Both adopted on the same day but Pippa was picked up 4 days later

1 day: no response
Hunter’s 2 week & Pippa’s 1.5 week: “We have decided to keep his name. It’s very fitting, they are both adjusting well and are confident moving around the house now”

Hunter and Poppa

 1 month: “They are amazing. Hunter and Pippa have really come out of shells, Hunter is a proper alpha cat and makes sure to hunt down any pesky flies. Pippa is just the sweetest little thing and cuddles up every evening.”

Ranger

1 week: “Ranger has been settling in so well at the moment, on day one we had him in his little safe room but our resident cat just wanted to get to know him and they've actually been getting on so well! They love sleeping next to each other at night and playing through the day so I think he's settled in amazingly. He has eaten and used the litter tray and drinks heaps of water so everything seems good on that end. I actually think we're going to keep the name as well!”

Ranger and big friend

1 month: “He's growing so fast every day. I wish he could have stayed little for a little longer but he's been doing so great”. His owners recently moved places. “we were a little worried the adjustment for both cats would have been tough but they were excellent and really kept each other company the whole time and helped each other become comfortable in the new space. They're getting on so amazingly and love playing/sleeping/grooming each other”

Cricket, now Pepper

1 day: “She’s very happy and bonding very well with my daughter. She is eating and drinking and has used the litter tray (for all functions). She is playing and exploring the room. She has been very affectionate with my daughter. We have renamed her Pepper. We are absolutely thrilled with her. She is adorable!”

3 days: They found fleas on Pepper so they will be giving her a flea treatment. “She’s still a bit skittish and wary of noises but she is settling in. She’s been snuggling up with my daughter.”

Cricket

1 week: She dashed out of the daughter’s room into the owner’s room and explored the owner’s room. She’s also followed the daughter into the bathroom. “We’ve let her out for short periods into the living area. She runs back to the bedroom if she’s startled. If there’s anywhere with dust she managed to find it (under my bed, under the buffet, under the TV)”. Her owner thinks she is very comfortable and happy. She came into the lounge room this evening. She sat on the owner’s daughter’s lap and fell asleep. Pepper meows if she wants the owner’s daughter. “They are a beautiful pair!”

1 month: “She’s doing very well. She has us well trained already. We really love her and she seems very happy. She pretty much doesn’t let my daughter out of her sight. She’s definitely found her home!”

Oscar (not one of WIllow's kittens)

1 day: Oscar's been great and started to eat/drink when he came home. They will keep his name.

1 week: He's been wonderful!

Oscar

 1 month: Oscar is great and the hot spot is drying up after a vet visit with some medication.

No Chicken Kitten

 For the first time a kitten refused chicken.

Thor

His brother gobbled it up.

Eddie

Thor and Eddie are in the stand alone behind Le Clerc. Their sister, Ginger was with them until spotted by a mother and her daughter who were playing with the kittens in the Play Place when I arrived. They made friends with Tallulah (not an easy task) and fell in love with Celine Dion. But Celine has a slightly mucky eye. So when they saw Ginger, it was love at first sight . . . mutually. They took her home.

And another family, Dad and 2 small daughters came in to do the paperwork for Smudge and Xena in foster. They were such nice, polite, listening girls that I am sure those kittens will have a lovely life.

Archie doesn't seem to think his life is much fun. . . . so far. We will wait to see if Geoff's magic works on him.

Tommy's pad could do with an upgrade .. ... . perhaps after he gets groomed.

Tommy

Where Suki was are a pair of mismatched cats. One, Mad. . . is loud. The other, Zoe hides.

Mad. .

There are two carriers in the double condo which is enough to make anybody mad.

Zoe

Zoe looks pretty.

And next door to Chelsea are three kittens who were quite difficult to get back into their condo after they had been let out for a run behind the flattened Top Cat. They are Petal, Ziggy and Koa. Must have come from a foster home. They liked chicken.

Petal, Ziggy and Koa (not in any order)

I let Le Clerc out for a wander. He enjoyed it. He was very  easy to bribe back into his rearranged stand alone. . . .. all it took was a bit more food.

Aiming for 40

 Suki was adopted this afternoon. I think the couple who took her looked like a good match but didn't do the adoption . . . . . Tim W and Sue looked after them. 

Another woman is coming back tomorrow to adopt Harry to go with her rather shy, small 7year old cat. He will be happy at her house. 

That probably will make 39 adoptions this month. Which must be a record.

We certainly have more kittens coming to make Feb and March record breakers as well. 

Peaches had 5 babies.

Peaches

Peaches' ? 3 boys and 2 girls (torties)

And Lilli had four:

Lilli + 4

The set of three kittens brought in last Friday were given names:

Mowgli is the tabby in front, Bagheera is the black on the right and Baloo is the black and white on the left.

At one stage all of Mateo's lot were in one hammock. I managed a photo when three were snuggled up together. So cute!

Catsie got a shot of them all together in one hammock.

 

 

Adoption Tails: Maia, Poppy

 Maia

1 day: Maia is settling in slowly but surely, the owners were very excited to hear some playful meows this morning (though she's still shy when they're in the room!). She has been eating her dry food and used her litter box last night thankfully! She's still quite tied to her "safety box" at the moment so it's tough to get pictures. The owners will keep Maia's name, the foster carer said she seems to recognise it and they think it's a sweet name for a sweet girl.

 1 week: Maia and the owner are now box patting buddies and very regular midnight bed snugglers with head boops. She is still quite attached to her box especially during the day but she's coming out to eat regularly at feeding time too!

1 month: She's doing great, her safety box is no longer needed like before. She has a nice cupboard to retreat to but will generally follow the owners around the house during the day and is playing all evening.

Poppy

 

1 day: Poppy is settling in really well. She has eaten dinner and breakfast since coming home, had some water and used her litter tray. She has played lots and slept well. "Her foster carers have done an amazing job!"

 

1 week: Poppy is settling in really well. She is very curious and loves to play and cuddle. She kept the owner company at the desk today.

 

1 month: Poppy is very well, she is definitely part of the family. She seems very settled, she still loves to play - she loves her tunnels, feather wands and balls although the Santa toy and old sock she came with are still firm favourites and are offered up as gifts most mornings. She will come and lie on the owners at night, belly up with purrs so loud they can't hear the TV.

Firsts

1. First time I ever washed a cat.

Natalie left a note asking if I could use a special ringworm shampoo on Teddy this afternoon. Before putting on the antifungus cream. I found the stuff and read the directions. You have to wet the cat all over, massage in the shampoo, leave the lather on the cat for 10 minutes. Then rinse it off and dry off the cat. 

The directions also said that any cohabiting cats should be washed as well.  GiGi!

I was prepared to do Teddy because he is a pussy cat. But baulked at GiGi. Natalie said not to bother with the other cat direction.

So we had a bath. I used a couple of the big red basin buckets so that the sink wouldn't get contaminated. 

Teddy, of course, was very tolerant. What he has had to put up with! I think he liked being rubbed dry best but he gave me such a look when I put him back with dirty GiGi. But he was all dry and comfy by the time I anointed him with the fungus ointment just before I left.

Suki had two lots of interested visitors. She was out and about when they visited and behaved like a prima donna. Later on when Geoff fed her, she yelled at him that she wanted more, warmer, fresher, etc, etc.

I changed Jule and Bass's hammock for the right kind rather than the square ones. They cuddled up together in the narrower hammock.

Julie and Bassuria

Irene brought in more kittens. One group of three:

And a group of four:

No names. They are in Incoming.

The kittens except Mateo in the stand alone there were taken to the vet last thing today to see if they do have flu or are just stuffy kittens. Mateo loved being alone and settled on my lap to have his eye ointment and pill.

Mateo

Nova still hasn't ventured upwards in her stand alone. We will move her to a condo as soon as one becomes available.

But the GOOD NEWS is that Chad has gone to a foster home which will probably be permanent. The lucky fosterer left a box of goodies for us as well. 

2. I didn't succumb because I didn't get around to having my lunch all afternoon. . .  another first.

Bottled kitten

 I made room on the top shelf of the laundry shelves by putting the ping pong balls into the toy drawers and consolidating other toys. There are two piles of towels there now.

I was going to throw the large plastic pot that the ping pong balls came in but was distracted by holding kitten duty while the Palace was cleaned. Tom Claws decided to climb into the pot. Later Hui Hui climbed in and Tim W carried her to show what a clever girl she is.

Potted Hui Hui

So that is why the pot is in the Palace. They have all that space and choose to be confined! 

Hui Hui is the lightest of the three and needs to be encouraged to eat. Tulip in Isolation with Tilly doesn't need encouragement to eat but she has a blocked nostril (R) and wheezes. I had to move GG and Teddy because the hinge on their condo 6 failed.

But because kittens have been adopted I moved various cats.

Nova is where Missy used to be. She stayed at ground level all afternoon. I wonder if, having only one functioning eye, she finds 3D difficult.

Nova hiding in plain sight

Next door, in "Lola's stand alone" is Celine Dion. She got the jumping from level to level without any problem. The two boys (Cheesecake and Waffle) were the quickest adoption ever because Sue gave the new owner the folder of info yesterday. She took it home and read it thoroughly.

Celine Dion

I also moved Annabelle and Emily into Welfare. They settled down very well.

Annabelle (l) and Emily (r) the matriach

And Kyle has settled down very nicely. He is such a friendly cat but very difficult to get a photo of because he is completely black.

A woman visited and fell in love with Chad. She may be back.

Another woman visited and feels that Suki might be good for her but has had experience with Siamese who pee in public before so thinks she should foster to adopt to see if they can live happily together.