ALL MY CATS 26th FEB, 2015

All the cats in my house on this day: 1 adult foster, 2 kitten fosters, 7 adult residents.

1. Tash the foster cat, 7 years old, loves cuddles, frightened of other cats, off to our re-homing centre next week.

2. Rhiannon the grey tabby and Tabitha the black and white kitten, sisters, 16 weeks old, available for adoption from 3rd March.

3. The Residents.

Fifi the first to arrive.

Aelfric, the second.

Grey Girl, arrived the day after she was born.

Emma.

Arya.

Rikki, who over-grooms himself hence the collar.

Squeak, who rips open everything not in hard plastic, cardboard, or a tin.

Group shots.

RESCUING CATS AND KITTENS

1.

I got a call earlier this week from a lady I'd helped a while ago. She regularly feeds strays where she lives but because she's elderly and lives in a small flat, she doesn't feel up to actually taking them in, but she does what she can. A cat she feeds had been injured in a fight and she was worried about it so I agreed to call round and, if she could get it inside, I'd take it to the vets. This she did and it turned out to be a fairly placid animal despite having been on the streets for at least two years -the period she'd be feeding him.

I got him to King's Road Vets where he was seen by chief vet Wendy. She bathed the wound and gave him a couple of vaccinations which he endured without complaint of any kind. He's about 6, hadn't been neutered and the lady -let's call her Ms A- didn't want him done because she felt he would lose his edge if he was. By the time I got him back I'd had an idea and I told her: if she'd keep feeding him I'd arrange for him to be vaccinated and then neutered and take him our Ferry Farm Re-homing Centre. This changed slightly as I had a cat in my conservatory -more about whom later- bound for there (today as it happens) and when he went, I'd take her cat in. And so, to shorten a longer story, that is what has happened and he's here now and will be for three weeks. I've also decided to apply my original plan to another cat Ms A is feeding.

I'm a little concerned about him as, before he could go in the conservatory I had to put him in a cage for a few hours. When I moved him I noticed he'd emptied bowels and bladder where he sat. He's also not eating and just sitting on the window. It's probably just nerves. Some cats take a while settling in to a new place and not eating is one of the main symptoms.

2.

I agreed to take in two 12 week old kittens (sisters) which arrived yesterday and are living in my bedroom. They'll go to the vets on Monday for a check up and first vaccination at the same time as I pick up a ginger cat which is hanging about an old people's home and which I'll also get checked and vaccinated. Incidentally, both reek of cigarette smoke. I've often wondered about the effects of passive smoking on animals but that's a subject for another time.

The grey tabby is very friendly and confident coming to me for cuddles while  her sister is extremely nervous and runs away from me. Give it time.

3.

Quite a few photos below and all taken at independent local rescuer Carole O'Brien's house. In this case I'm just the transport and always happy to help her.

The first kitten is only 5 weeks old and was founded and handed in to the local PDSA hospital where they did what they could for it and contacted Carole to ask if she'd take it. Not having transport, she asked me if I could collect it. I was going to nearby Kings Road Vets (see 1. above) to collect the cat in the photo anyway.

Once at Carole's she put it in a mother cat, the cat's sister, and mother cat's kittens which are about the same age as the new one in the hopes that MC would nurse him and kittens would accept him. It was a little awkward while I was there but I've since heard from Carole that all is well. There are no guarantees but the kitten now has a good chance thanks to the PDSA and Carole without whom he'd be dead by now.

4.

Houdini is the cat who went to Ferry Farm today. I gave him that name because he is a feline escapologist. Basically he's never seen an open door he won't run through whether you want him to or not and he combines speed with sheer determination. He's also a incredibly friendly cat who likes people but does intimidate other cats with his sheer ebullience. Anyone who takes him on should like a cat with a lot of personality and also possess fast reactions and an airlock to stop him getting outside when they want him to stay in.

By coincidence he also came via the PDSA (who removed the tip of an infect tail), then on to Carole (I collected him with her) who later begged me to take him because he needed space that he didn't have in one of her cages.

MY LIVING ROOM, SUNDAY EVENING

Rikki (who has a skin condition hence the collar) with Emma (2 photos), Arya on the cat bed, Aelfric on the cat tower, and Fifi on the top of the armchair. Squeak and Grey Girl are both upstairs on my bed so they didn't get photographed and Little Ed (soon to be name changed) the cat with the stumpy tail I'm fostering is in the conservatory and I wouldn't have been able to get a picture of him anyway because as soon as I opened the door he'd be through it.

I really should be posting more but I just don't have the energy these days, plus I'm still doing quite a few Facebook posts which are essentially condensed versions of what I write about here. You can find them on Animal Krackers FB page.

I'M STILL HERE, I'M STILL DOING CAT STUFF, I'M JUST LAZY

Here's a list of all the cats and kittens we've re-homed this month.

Frazzle, a kitten, adopted 01/01/15
Minnie, female, about two, okay with children and dogs but still a bit nervous but is becoming more friendly by the day. Arrived 01/12/14. Adopted 02/01/15
Timmy, male, about 3,  confident cat who lets you know where he wants to sit, best as the only cat, likes laps, arrived 01/12/14. Adopted 02/01/15 
Ted, about 3-4 years old, neutered 02/09/14. He's an abandoned cat who's been on his own for a while but, when he comes out of his shell has shown himself to be a nice natured friendly cat who’ll happy sit on your lap for a cuddle. Arrived 31/08/14. Adopted 02/01/15
Sherry, kitten, adopted 02/01/15.
Polo is 6 months old, he is very loving. Adopted 06/01/15

Cleo, 2yrs old, adopted 10/01/15.

Dandy is about 3, he is a very affectionate little man. Arrived early Dec 2014. Adopted 12/01/15.
Morrissey the kitten adopted 13/01/15.
Flipper & Dipper 2 feral kittens adopted by fosterer 13/01/15
2 semi-ferals adopted by Joanna 13/01/15.
Juno, 8 months old ginger-white, adopted 14/01/15
Bettie, 2 years old, a nice friendly cat who isn't keen on other cats. Arrived 02/01/15. Adopted 14/01/15
Mickey & Eva, 6 months, brother and sister, adopted 17/01/15
Fluffy, the adorable fluffy ginger tabby adopted 18/01/18
Neville, a nice young male around 2/3. Has had a bit of a rough life and would like a nice quiet home and lots of cuddles. Arrived 07/01/15.Adopted 20/01/15

And now here's some photographs I've taken this month.

After three weeks with me, this one moved next door and his best friend is now an elderly labrador.

This is Neville (see above) who likes sitting on people's shoulders.

Carole O'Brien rescued this mother who was living in terrible conditions and who had several kittens as soon as she arrived. About three of them died but mother and survivors are now doing well.

Carole also rescued this poor young boy who had been handed in to the PDSA who had to amputate part of his tail. If, as I'm expecting, Boots the cat in the next photo leaves my conservatory for a permanent home tomorrow then this one, who I've named Little Ed, will replace him.

Then again I've just had an email asking if I can take in another cat and as Little Ed is with Carole...

Tomas, who has lived with me for three weeks and had his second vaccination today, is a nice friendly boy who may also have a new home this weekend. If he doesn't then he's off to our re-homing centre next week.

Mickey and Eva abandoned me for a permanent home a week ago and I miss them terribly.

Back soon. (I hope).

AND NOT QUITE SUCH A GOOD WEEK

It started out well when I re-homed Polo (who had interest from three people) to a nice young woman who wanted a friend for her young ginger female, but it went downhill after that with no other cats or kittens adopted since then.

I agreed to take in an adult female which had been seen being thrown out of (a non-moving) car and had a stray kitten delivered from Seaham. Andrea took the former and Joanna the latter. Both of them were discovered to have problems with the kitten having a headful of ticks and, after being opened by the vet, to have an inflamed gut. The cat is being sick and has diarrhea. Both are being treated and will hopefully get better soon.

Here's the, lovely natured, kitten.

 On Wednesday lunchtime I got a call from Hill View Infants School (not far from me) about a young ginger-white cat which had come onto the school grounds that morning and refused to leave. As the conservatory was free -Tomas, a white with grey patches and a tabby tail, young male, having graduated to living in the rest of the house and spending time on my knee- I went round and picked it (her, probably) up. After two days she's still not eating much and varies between rubbing up against me and purring to giving me a swipe with her claws and growling at the other cats peering through the glass door. Being a young pretty little thing I put her up on Animal Krackers Facebook page with high expectations of locating her owner. No word, however, so far and I'm beginning to suspect that she's been dumped. I was told when I collected her that a teacher was interested in adopting her so if I haven't heard anything by next Wednesday and a Tuesday checkup at the vets gives her the all clear, the teacher can have her.

There is one nice thing to have happened this week. A few weeks back Adele sent me the link to the Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund which gives small disbursements to charities which are listed on their webpage. It's designed to raise the profile of charities and encouraged more involvement in them -as well as getting good publicity for their product (and who could begrudge them that?). Anyway, after I put up Animal Krackers' profile on their page, we have been selected as one of this week's winners and we'll be getting our photo taken next week. So a big thank you to Galaxy Hot Chocolate.

Skye, a cat I rescued, fostered, and moved to the re-homing centre suddenly deteriorated and was discovered to be ill with feline leukemia and put to sleep. I had her vaccinated as soon as I got her but it was obviously already inside her. She kept to herself while in my house so I'm hoping she hasn't passed it on to any of mine. Apparently it can be passed on through the use of shared litter trays but this is rare.

LOTSASTUFF: IN WHICH YOUR HUMBLE BLOGGER ENDEAVOURS TO RELATE FELINE-INVOLVING INCIDENTS WHICHAVE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, ANNO DOMINI 2015.

Part the First: adoptions.

On New Years Day, Joanna homed the kitten Frazzle and on Jan 2nd she homed the kitten Sherry. Also on 2nd Jan, three adult cats were adopted at Ferry Farm: Timmy, Minnie, and Ted, all graduates of the Ian Williams School of Feline Deportment. So, five in the first two days of 2015, a good start with promises of more to come (or go) his week.

Part the Second: arrivals.

Some come. some go.

Arrived are: Albert & Victoria, Lightning, Gemma, and Bettie. Only one of them is one I've been fostering.

Part the Third: Rikki and His Friends

Rikki is one of my cats and he's gone through the wars a bit. He's had an operation on his eyelids because of ingrowing hairs. He was pining on his own Ferry Farm so I brought him here. He's got into a habit of over-grooming so he's on his second lot of different pills. Despite this, he's a friendly loveable boy.

Another cat I'm having a problem with his Arya. Now she's a lovely affectionate young girl but... She has a flea allergy and at one time had several large scabs over her body. All of these are gone now and she's flea-free. Well, all but one scab. This keeps healing only for her to scratch it open again. At one time it had completely healed leaving healthy bare skin. Which, a couple of days later, she raked open again. So I took her to the vets again about this where she had a couple of injections and Wendy the vet came some cream for her. This is what the scab looks like.

And then there's Tomas. He's actually a nice boy. With a quirk. This afternoon while I was on the phone after making a fuss of him, he climbed on top of my shoulder so I could continue what I'd started. He is getting quite friendly and isn't as nervous as he used to be. But he doesn't half howl a lot, loudly, and long. I may be imagining it (I hope not) but it didn't seem quite so long a session late this afternoon. I live in hopes.

And here's a photo of Fifi.

Part the Fourth: Animal Krackers on Facebook.

I've been a member of Facebook for a little while but only recently joined the Animal Krackers Facebook page and once there I realised what a good thing it is and wished I'd joined sooner. A perfect example of why it's a good thin happened a couple of days ago.

I got a call from a woman who lived just around the corner from me about a cat which had been hanging around for a week so, as I'd decided Tomas could manage without being in the conservatory, I went round to have a look. I found a big ginger and white intact male sitting on op of the plastic rubbish bin outside her house. It let me stroke it and pick it up so I took it home, took a photo and put it and what details I had up on the AK Facebook page, quickly receiving a number of helpful replies. One reply linked to a post of a missing cat which looked very like this one. Not long after, a guy knocked on my door and said it was his sister's and he'd be round in the morning. I asked him to come in and look at it but he didn't. After that the person who posted the lost similar cat got in touch, sent me a photo, and, to cut a long story short, I took it round that same evening and there was no question that this was her cat. He went into into a small living room where several people came and made a fuss of him without him being phased. This was his home from which he'd been missing for six weeks. Result!

His name is Toffy.

Part the Fifth: There is no Part the Fifth. 

That's yer lot for now.