news – good and sad

The good news is that I’ve heard from all the 4Rs this week.   Interesting that they all decided to get in touch at the same time.

rabbit & radish enjoying the sunshine

Radish and Rabbit have been outside enjoying the sunshine this week.  I dropped in on them unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago and found them happily sprawled across their human’s bed.  Rabbit still has his endearing habit of carrying his tail so high that its almost laid along his back 🙂  These lads are well in and clearly loved to bits.

robin & rocket - grubby handed cat burglars 😉

Rocket and Robin have sent pictures of them also snuggled on mummy’s bed – despite having grubby hands after rummaging around in the attic.    Their human apologises for the quality of the photos but they’re taken on her phone since her camera disappeared.  Seems Robin is the main suspect, it sounds like he has a habit of collecting stuff and stashing it away in his treasure trove.  Perhaps I should have warned her?   I rediscovered so many things when I cleaned their bedroom out after they’d moved.   Then again, it looks like she loves them so much they’d get away with anything.

It’s less good news at home.

this big boy so needs a home of his own

Alfie is thoroughly fed up living here and being stuck in his bedroom a lot of the time because

he doesn’t get on with the other cats.  He’s lonely, missing his human, and feeling the need to

stretch his legs.  He’s such a snuggle bug, loves a cuddle and human company.

There must be someone out there with an Alfie shaped hole in their lives?

(that’s a pretty large hole – he’s a big lad)

remedial cat flap lessons 😉

The kittens – Obi and Amara – are happy little souls.  They’re able to go out in the garden to play now and are having a wonderful time.   It’s sad that there have been no enquiries about them though.

Seems that kittens their age are simply past their sell by date.   Even sadder that most people seem to be looking for kittens who are so young they’re really too young to have left their mothers.   They are the most adorable little furry people.

comings and goings

Its been another catty sort of weekend.  [Yesterday someone came to meet Obi and Amara, and I think this is going to be the right person for them, so they’ll be off soon.  It’s time the little monkeys had their own home to trash.  Sadly having taken up time with home check and visit to the kittens and plans to take them home this weekend the person has not been back in touch 😦 and the kits have been let down.]  They’ve learned all the naughty tricks they can from my residents.  Sooty has taught Obi to listen for the fridge door and rush into the kitchen when he hears it.  Obi has taken it one step further ;  leaps into the fridge when the door is opened, and has to be hauled off the cheese shelf.  Amara has learned from Mog how to open all the kitchen cupboards, however her main love is the the fish tank.  I’m not sure how to break it to her that she can’t take it with her.  She’s a real water baby – loves to play in the wash basin with dripping taps, or in the remains of bath foam after I’ve had my bath.

Biff and I have had a lovely afternoon visiting Radish and Rabbit in their new home.  They’ve been there nearly 3 months now and have grown into lovely sleek healthy looking young cats.   Radish mainly sat watching the football and being a little aloof, but Rabbit was his usual adorable lovable self.  It’s a complete delight to see them looking settled and happy and with the most lovely humans who clearly adore them.  Who knows where they’d be now if an elderly chap hadn’t noticed them in his garden whilst he was feeding the hedgehog over the summer. 

We’ve also welcomed Smudge into our house this afternoon.  She’s a beautiful mature lady with a sad story.  It seems her human rescued her some time ago when a neighbour wasn’t able to keep her, but now her human has become too poorly to be able to care for her any longer.  Smudge thought she’d found a new home but then couldn’t get on with the resident cat so has found herself in rescue.  Poor girl.  I wonder what sense she can possibly be making of all the upheavals in her life recently.  Hopefully its all very temporary and she’ll be settled and happy in a new home again soon.

kittenhood regained

I think I may have mentioned before how Jango and Sooty looked with such disdain at Radish and Rabbit while they were playing downstairs with their toys.  Then when I came back downstairs from putting the little ones to bed I discovered the big lads chasing around after a pom pom on a stick.  I didn’t press the matter and allowed them to regain some of their dignity.

Sooty is really on a roll now though.  The 3Vs were playing downstairs the other night, trying to scale the floor to ceiling bookcase in the lounge.  Next thing I know, my arthritic old Sootboy is attempting to shin his way up there.

There’s been a bit of aggro in the house generally in terms of teaching the little people that big people’s tails are NOT toys.  However to Jango’s disgust Soot caved in to temptation last night and dived at Jang’s tail.  High on cat nip this evening (it IS Friday after all) the situation was reversed.  They’re sleeping it off now trying to pretend it never happened.

I wonder where the lads came from and where they’ve lived before they came into rescue, and what kittenhood they had …… if any.  It’s good to see them enjoying it (albeit a little sheepishly) now.

another week in the life ….

Say this only very quietly …. so as not to tempt fate ….. Duke has found a new home.  He’s hopefully on his way tomorrow.  Soon as I told him there are no other cats living there he had his bags packed, best stripey jacket on, sitting in the hall waiting for his lift. 

The 3Vs – Victoria, Violet and Vic are growing steadily.  Of course when you see them all the time you don’t really notice.  But then when it came to going to the vets for their second vaccinations it was clear how much more of the carrier they took up.  And now when we check Victoria’s weight she’s no longer a tiny passive dot at the bottom of the kitchen scales – rather a wriggly little madam who fills the bowl and spills out readily.

We’ve had news of the 4Rs this week too – Rocket & Robin and Radish & Rabbit.  And heard from Rosie their mum as well.  It sounds as though Rosie is utterly adored and her new humans think the sun shines out of her.  I’m soooo pleased for her.  Rock and Rob seem pretty well settled.  After so long spent trying to coax a terrified Robin out from behind the curtain when he first came into foster care its unspeakably lovely to see him chilled out in his basket in his new home.  Rad and Rab had a bit later start in their new home but are playing happily and starting to trust their new humans.

a week’s a long time in fostering

So we’d kind of settled into a pattern of the little boys coming downstairs to play every evening, and being allowed out in the garden on weekends.  The big boys were a bit fed up of the hero worship and constant invitations to join in what they thought of as stupid games, but hey, they have little else to worry about.  Then Sunday morning TC says someone is interested in adopting them, a couple come to see them Sunday afternoon and by Monday evening we’re waving bye bye.

The lads have got a lovely quiet new home – and a couple of perfect new slaves.  I’m confident that it’s going to be “second time lucky” with rehoming them.  They jumped out of their carrier and ran under the (unlit) stove, thereby finding the ideal spot where they could observe but feel safe.  Thankfully they have tolerant, patient new humans who seem to be putting up with the fact that every time they come out to explore they trample soot and muck all over the kitchen floor.

Exactly 24 hours after dropping the lads off I picked up Duke – my 36th house guest.  He’s an utterly adorable tabby hunk, who has had a tough time recently.  He was a stray, found by a busy main road, rehomed for a while but back in rescue through family issues which were no fault of his own.  Miserable and car sick on the way here, but trying to make the best of it, he spotted his bed the moment he got out of his carrier, jumped in, curled up and went straight to sleep.  He’s a purry tabby snuggle lump who loves to play and cuddle but doesn’t like other cats very much.  He’s going to make someone who just wants a single pet very very happy.

playing out

Today has been a big day for the little fellas.  I decided this was the day for working in the garden to get it ready for winter, and that it would be good to ask the juvenile delinquents to help.  They’ve been stuck inside since we trapped them in the garden at the end of June, and that feels like too long. 

Letting cats out for the first time always scares me, and this was no exception.  If they’ve been living upstairs all this time will they know where they live when they’re in the garden?  Had a bit of reassurance from TC and decided to go for it.  Bless them – they’ve given me the least trouble of all the cats I’ve had.  Several hours out in the garden and I hardly lost sight of them once. 

Radish always used to be the most confident, but today it was Rabbit who took the lead with exploring.  Whilst Rabbit gave me a hand with the weeding, Radish watched from the conservatory.  Rabbit might need a little help learning which ones are weeds but I’m sure he’ll make a great gardening companion in the future.

My lovely long suffering Jango stayed awake and on hand for any difficulties.  Bless him, he’s not very into children.  He freaked a bit when they ran up to him shouting “mummy mummmy mummmy” but he kept an eye on them and came to tell me when Radish had gone through to next door’s garden and couldn’t find his way back.

The little boys have gone off to bed now ……. all chattery and excited about their new adventures.  My big boys have opened a couple of beers and are relaxing for the day’s babysitting.

one week on

I have to admit to holding my breath when I opened the email from Robin and Rocket’s new human yesterday.  A catalogue of possible catastrophes (both puns intended) raced through my mind at the speed of two feline delinquents on a house wrecking spree.  I’ve been anxious about them, particularly since Rabbit and Radish’s new home didn’t work out, and knowing that Robin was more timid than all the others.  But it was good news: they’re playing happily around the house, getting to know their new big brother, and enjoying strokings from their new human.

Meanwhile Radish and Rabbit continue to have periods downstairs here, trying to build their confidence a little more.  They’re desperate to make friends with Jango and Sooty, but my big boys aren’t having it.  They watched the kits play with such looks of disdain, though the little boys managed to be pretty much oblivious.  What amused me was that when I came back downstairs from taking the little ones up to bed my big boys had got all the toys back out and were rolling around the floor with them.

If there’s anyone out there who is tired of having a tidy house, and bored with a peaceful life I can fully recommend Rab and Rad as a solution. 

The 4Rs

Its been a busy week with Radish & Rabbit, Rocket & Robin.  Radish and Rabbit hopped off to their new home last Friday but phoned me on Sunday to say they were horribly home sick and could I come to fetch them back.  They had a lovely new family and perfect home and garden but they were very scared  in a new place and hadn’t eaten for 2 days.  They managed to pull all my strings by rushing out of hiding when I arrived, purring like crazy, climbing on my knee (for the first time ever) and rubbing round my face. 

I think because they’ve become so confident with me here I’d under-estimated how frightened they might be in a new home.  They’d been fine with Biff when she was around and got used to their previous carers visiting, and coped with TC looking after them whilst I was on holiday.  But a family with young children who they didn’t know, and new surroundings was obviously one step too far.  Of course its disappointing and upsetting but I have to admit that on one level I was delighted to have them home again.  And now there’s only two of them they’re allowed to come downstairs for a while.  They’re such lovely little boys.

Thankfully Rocket & Robin’s move to their new home has gone much better.  Their New Human spent quite a bit of time with them here before they moved to her house so they could get to know her.  Then I spent a bit of time with them at their new home when they went.  That seems to have made a difference plus the fact that she’s a very lovely cat friendly new human who lives in a fairly quiet house.  They seem to be exploring their new home quite happily, and are looking forward to meeting their new big brother (one of the most gorgeous orange tom cats I ever met) when the time is right.

So now we’re looking for another quiet home, with an understanding and caring new human (or two) to give Radish & Rabbit the chance they need.  They’re lovely confident, playful and affectionate young cats here.  With a little patience and understanding I’ve no doubt they’ll discover they can be happy in a new homw, and make superb companions for someone.

vacaciones

Biff and I are just back from a lovely holiday in Spain, whilst the long suffering TC has had the challenge of keeping 10 renegade cats and a crowd of tropical fish in order for us.  

The main news since we’ve been gone seems to be that Alek has been adopted (yay – lucky person who has him – what a hunk), and we have a new tortie, Jennni, in rescue who is looking for a home.

Radish and Rabbit are about to be unhappy little bunnies in a minute when I take their food away in preparation for their “little operation” tomorrow.  They’ll soon realise that it was all worth while though when they go off to their new home on Friday.  Their brothers Robin and Rocket are still looking for a home and will be off for their snip on Monday.  These lads will make someone very happy one day – Rocket is an adorable affectionate little boy, full of fun and Robin is a good natured, playful but timid young man who will repay someone’s patience with love.

The resident tres amigos have run pretty true to form since I arrived home.  Sooty has been waiting at the fridge door looking for any spare human food, Jango appears to have moved about 6 inches to the left of where he was when I left him last week, and Mog is off at the allottements still – oblivious to the fact that we’re home.

distant memories of relaxing hot baths

As I got into the bath this evening I had a fleeting flash back to days when I’d run myself a nice hot bath, candle light and aromatherapy and a nice drink on the side.  Was it just a dream?  I jumped in the bath tonight – towels pegged onto the towel rail so they can’t be dragged off, clean clothes balanced on top of the door – the only place the kits can’t reach them.  No nice glass of wine on the side, because it would be on the floor before you could say “Sláinte”.  And candles? – don’t even go there.

I’d just sunk under the water when there was a scratting and a thunk, and I realised Rocket had finally managed to squirm through the gap in the bathside and wriggle under the bath.  I’ve seen him trying several times this week, so now he’s achieved his ambition.  I try to remember what pipes and wires are under there and whether to leave him to explore until I’m ready to get out. Whilst I’m weighing it up Rabbit charges in, straight up onto the edge of the bath, wobbling precariously and trying to guess whether you can stand safely on bubble bath or not.  I grab him and pop him back on the floor and fiddle with the side of the bath to release it for Rock to clamber out.  And then try to push it back in before his brothers all rush in to see what he’s been up to.

Happy days!

Crotchet has gone off to his new home yesterday, the last of Coco’s kits to go.  We’ve heard from his brother and sister during the week and they both seem to be doing well.  Little Crumble has made friends with her new brothers who have been taking her under their wings.  Cwaver has been checking out his super new toys and his new family.

Robin has had a bit of a breakthrough this weekend and started accepting being stroked.  Real head to tail purry strokes.  He’s wary still if you approach him head on, but whilst he’s eating, or whilst he’s in the general kitten cuddle scrum he’s fine.  After over two months of caring for him from a distance, its hard to describe just how lovely it is to finally be able to give him a cuddle.  These lads are such lovely boys – full of character, utterly adorable.