THE PERFECT KITTEN-CAT

Hi Everybody,

I want you to meet L'il Ed, the most perfect kitten-cat in the world.

L'il Ed, say hello to our readers.

I've been fostering L'il Ed for less than a week and in that time he's been neutered and had his first vaccination. I learned something about him in those two trips to the vet -he doesn't travel well. Threw up in his cat carrier both times before he got there. Oh, and I'm calling him a kitten-cat because he's only about 6 months old.

Let me tell you what else I've learned about L'il Ed in the short time I've had him.

He likes affection. A lot of it and he'll let you know it.

He's fine with other cats.

Even if they squash him into a corner.

He likes sleeping on a bed and most mornings I've woken up with him on my pillow.

He'd suit most homes as long as his new owner likes the sound of the description I've just written.

And he's available for re-homing now.

But wait, you ask me, if he's so wonderful and loveable and friendly (which he is), then why aren't you keeping him?

Well, basically the answer is that I'm living in a smaller house than I used to and don't want to get overrun with cats which would be very easy to do so I'm limiting myself to three. There's the two I brought and there's Fifi who I started fostering but decided to keep because she needs a bit more special care. She's very friendly with people but scared of the other cats and will only eat tuna or tuna-based cat food and needs to be with an experienced owner. (I think I mentioned this in the last post.  L'il Ed, however, would fit in happily anywhere (though he doesn't like dogs).

So, if anyone is interested in re-homing him (and I'm also open to a show of interest in Fifi), call me on 0191 5142850 and we'll talk.

WE'RE BACK

Or, more accurately, I'm back. No, too egocentric; the blog is back. That's better.

I've been moving house, having split up more amicably than anyone would believe from Susan Hardy who kept seven of our nine cats. Apart from being incredibly busy settling in to my smaller (but lovely) new home with large garden, I swapped over from Virgin to Sky which resulted in three weeks without Internet access. I think the withdrawal was more agonising than when I quit smoking sixteen years ago. It was also incredibly frustrating as I couldn't email or blog, never mind accessing my favourite websites.

The cat above is about 6 months old, currently being fostered by me, and is being neutered tomorrow. On Monday he'll get his first jab and three weeks after that will go to our re-homing centre. I would not recommend him to anyone who doesn't like a cat which: demands a lot of affection, cuddles up to you on your bed, likes to be made a fuss over, sits on your knee, is fine with other cats, and purrs loudly. I do but I'm still not keeping him.

I am, however, keeping one year old Fifi (seen on my front kitchen window) who I'm currently supposed to be fostering.

Fifi is a finicky cat. She doesn't eat much and only (so far after two weeks) tuna-based cat food. She is incredibly good at hiding -twice in her first week I became convinced that she'd got out despite being careful only to find her behind the bath panel and then behind books on a bookshelf. She's scared of other cats, even unaggressive ones like my Lotus and Lily. She is, however, very affectionate. She now spends all her time upstairs in either my book room or my bedroom. Fifi needs an experienced cat owner so she's stuck with me.

On the re-homing front, they are going from our new re-homing centre (see previous posts) at an average of one a week which is okay but could be bettered. There are always more waiting to come in once they've had their second jab -another two next Monday.

Here are some of them.

This is a shy but friendly boy who's found a nice home.

This pretty and affectionate ginger female (yes, ginger female, not all gingers are boys) had a difficult time settling in to her new home but is fine now. Unlike-

-this lovely friendly girl who was so unsettled she messed all over the place so as there was a small child in the house she had to come back.

This is one of a pair and we have a policy of not splitting up pairs as long as they get on.

So there we go. Hopefully this post means things are getting back to normal and there'll be more posts soon.

CAT RE-HOMING UPDATE

First off, apologies to the several people who are waiting to hear from me about volunteering to help with the cats but I'm in the process of moving into a house which I've only just finished having done up. Once I'm actually in my new home I'm going to get the new re-homing centre properly sorted.

In the last week, we've re-homed 3 cats from there taking the total up to 7 in seven weeks which I'm quite happy with. One of the cats was stumpy-tailed tabby Jay, and also my personal favourite the talkative ginger boy. Carole has re-homed a couple of adults and some kittens from her end and she's taken in a couple of young cats which I rescued. As more than a couple of cats have been re-homed as a result of people reading this blog  which I'm obviously pleased about (yay, me!), here's an updated collection of photos of those still wanting homes. Three more additions are due at the end of the week and I've an idea about how we can increase the intake and turnover.

I don't know what it is about black and white cats but they are nearly always the last to be re-homed. Maybe it's just because there tend to be more of them than any other kind but they are just as loving and affectionate as the others. We have five in this house and they are all equally, if in different ways, completely lovable.

SATURDAY, JUST ANOTHER CAT RESCUING DAY

I'm normally an early riser, six to six thirty being the norm for me. Until this winter when I sleep longer. So long it hasn't been unknown for me not to get out of bed until as late as 8 o'clock or even 8.30. Plus I tend to be tired all the time. When a couple of years ago I jokingly suggested to my doctor that I might be SAD (as in Seasonal Affective Disorder), rather than laugh at me, she agreed. This morning I got up at 6.30, performed the usual routines (sort out the varying needs of nine cats), breakfast, check email and news online, have a bath. Then I thought sod it and went back to bed for an hour.

I woke up at half nine and rushed out to drive halfway across the city to feed the cats I'm looking after and clean their cat litter. After that it was walk the dog. Not my dog. My dog is distinguished by the fact that it doesn't exist. No, every time my brother and sister in law go away for the day, I walk their dog, an elderly female Cavalier King Charles spaniel which doesn't like me. She a rescued dog and the general opinion is that I remind of someone she knew when she was as a breeding machine by some scumbag of a dog breeder. I wouldn't say all dog breeders are scumbags, but ... I think I've said enough on that subject.

Then at noon I met a family who were interested in adopting a cat. Unfortunately this proved to be a misunderstand in that they were really looking for a kitten or a very young adult cat. All ours are at least a year old. Still, nice people.

Back home and I'd just finished my lunch when I got another call from someone who'd read my blog (see, it's not just you) and was very interested in Hector and Harriet. I arranged to meet them at two o'clock and they duly turned up promptly at 2.30, seconds before I was going to leave. (Maybe they thought I lived there rather than having to drive halfway across the city.) Glad I did, though. Father and 18 year old student daughter who came over as real animal lovers and experienced with cats -their old one had only recently died. Once they got their hands on the two cats there was no question they'd taken them. All our cats are friendly but H & H are just friendly. Susan had called round the previous day and she'd commented on how affectionate they were. The girl was so delighted she even gave me a hug and that doesn't happen to me very often. Good home for two lovely cats. Result.

On the way back I called in at the home of the five cats (see above). Then back home to walk the dog. Just after tea, a social worker rang from the hospital. The cats' owner was getting agitated about the state and safety of her cats. I made sure the social worker knew that they were in safe hands.

Bye bye Harriet and Hector.

THE JOY OF CAT RESCUING

Let me explain something I should have explained when I first started this blog. I may be stating the obvious but sometimes the obvious needs to be explained.

Cat rescuing is a catch-all term to describe a variety of activities. It doesn't just mean rescuing stray or abandoned cats but instead covers a multitude of activities which include cat welfare. There are two things I did this morning (and it's not 11.00am yet) which illustrate this.

For the last six days I've been visiting a house twice a day to feed five cats and deal with their soiled cat litter. The owner had to go into hospital for up to two weeks (hopefully no longer) and Social Services contacted me to see if Animal Krackers would do it which we (that is me) would. Now four of the cats are very frightened of strangers -indeed I've yet to even see one of them- but the fifth, a large long haired black and white moggy of indeterminate age, is friendly. He also has extremely densely matted fur on his belly and around his anus so I booked him in at the vets where he was due to be taken this morning. However, placid and friendly as he normally is, he vehemently objected to being put in a cat carrier which he literally ruined and (figuratively -there was some blood- shredded my right hand in the process). I will try again when I've got my hands on a large and secure carrier.

Prior to this I had to go and collect a cat for the day while its owner moved house. The owner, who is differently mentally abled but can live on her own in the community with only a minimum of support, got the cat from us a few years ago and looks after her well. The cat has a placid nature which helps. Anyway, I picked the cat up and set off to collect the cat from the previous paragraph and within less than a minute placid cat had soiled the carrier and herself. When I finally got her to my house I did a preliminary clean but Susan and I ended up putting her in the bath and thoroughly washing her fur. It wasn't easy and it wasn't fun. She's now locked in my bedroom and lying on a couple of towels on top of my bed. All being well I'll be taking her to her new home about mid-afternoon.

Much as I love being involved in cat rescuing and find it very personally rewarding and, to be honest, my life would be rather dull without it, there are times when it can be quite unpleasant and often bloodily painful as several healing scabs and the odd permanent scars on my hands, legs and stomach testify.

Cat rescuing aint a job for wimps.

Post Script

The cat spent a few hours on my bed, not even moving when I lay down next to her for a nap. However, a couple of minutes into the trip to her new home, she crapped once again in the carrier.

Some days you just can't win.

CAT RE-HOMING CENTRE ON VIDEO

A few weeks ago I mentioned that Nisha of Sky had done a video piece about our new re-homing centre which would appear on the Sky News website. She was supposed to let us know when it was up but she forgot and I only heard about it ten minutes ago when I got a call about something else and the person mentioned he'd seen it.

Well, now I have and you can too at-

http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/video/50468

Be warned though, I'm in it.

ONE DOWN, THIRTEEN TO GO.

And a Happy New Year to you.

We re-homed a cat, our second to date, on New Year's Eve. I got a call from a guy I used to work with who wanted a cat, the family pet having just died recently aged 18. Within half an hour were all there: me, him, and his two daughters aged 11 & 14. I showed them all the cats and it came down to a choice between Ginger, a talkative young tom, and Tabitha a long-haired grey tabby. One daughter wanted one, the other the other.

And the lucky cat getting a great new home where she'll be loved to pieces was-

-Tabitha, the only cat I don't seem to have a photo of.

so instead, here are two sisters, about 8 months old, currently with Carole. Both are very loving and need to be homed together. They're really quite special.

 The stitches were taken out yesterday and she's made a full recovery.

HAPPY (SECULAR) CHRISTMAS

Hope you and your cats (and dogs, rabbits, etc) have a great Christmas.

Ian

AK'S CAT RE-HOMING CENTRE HAS JUST RE-HOMED ITS FIRST CAT AND IT'S-

-Tess, the lovely soft-furred black cat.

I got a call from a retired couple in Barmston and I met them at Ferry Farm. They'd been on my blog and had taken a liking to Leona, who arrived yesterday, and Tess from the first arrivals but when they met the cats there was no question as to which they'd choose.

From my point of view they were perfect, retired, around my age I guessed, experienced cat owners with a garden.

So, one down, lots more to go.

Post Script.

 

About fifteen minutes after I got home, received a call. Two year old female, neutered and vaccinated. That's Tess's pen taken up.

CATS AT THE CAT RE-HOMING CENTRE (REVISED, EXTENDED VERSION WITH EXTRA TRACKS)

This post is an updated photographic list of all the cats available for re-homing as of today, Thursday 13th December 2012. They are all, all of them, nice friendly cats. I've visited them today and can guarantee this. so I'm not going to use the word friendly in the following descriptions because you can take it for granted. All have been neutered, vaccinated, de-flead and wormed. All of these cats love people and just want a good and loving home.

Further, having seen them all this morning, I'm delighted to say that they've clearly settled in well to their new accommodation where they are being well looked after. On this level alone the new cat re-homing centre is a success. All we need now are people who can give a good home to a cat or two to turn up.

Leona, a small female about two years old, not great with other cats.

Jay, female, 8 years old, good with children but not other cats.

Ginger, two-ish, male, bossy with other cats, shy but likes people.

Harriet & Hector, about 14 months, brother & sister who must be re-homed together, and two of the friendliest cats you're likely to meet.

Aimee and Annabelle, mother & daughter, 10 and 18 months respectively, should be homed together.

Phoebe, 3 years old, has a lovely soft coat.

Tess, about two, a bit shy.

If anyone reading this would like any of these cats, contact me on 0191 5142204.

Lastly, two very young (8 months) neutered sisters who are living at Carole's. They have to be re-homed together and it goes without saying that they are friendly and basically adorable. Contact Carole on 07977769109.

 

A BUSY WEEK/ MORE CAT RE-HOMING CENTRE ACTIVITY

I'm having a quiet day today as I have to stay to await the delivery from Amazon of my new 42inch full HD LG TV which I will then transfer to my new house which will be legally mine sometime in the next few hours. The house (soon not to be known as Cat Rescue Central, though that's what it'll effectively be) needs some work doing to to it (though it's in excellent condition) so I probably won't be moving in until the New Year. I'll be doing some of the work myself -basically wallpaper removing because I can't really do anything else being completely useless at anything which requires practical skills- when I can fit it in between running around after cats and other cat-related activities, plus the need for around an hour or so's afternoon nap. So I'm going to make the most of today as it will be the last quiet one have for some time.

Tuesday was busyish but  not on cat-related activities.

Wednesday morning was fun. For starters the weather decided it was going to snow, intermittently but often heavy. The ground was also rock hard and icy. Great driving weather, though having a heavy van was better than a car for traction.

My first call was at a fosterer's to pick up five cats to take to King's Road Vets (where we take all our cats and can't praise the staff too highly) for their first vaccinations. The second is in three weeks and then they can go to the re-homing centre. 

Basically our fosterer had, with the best of intentions, taken in too many cats with the result that they began to show stress-induced behaviour -specifically not using the litter trays for the toilet. Two of them showed even more stress in the surgery by going berserk with the resultant spilling of blood, some of it from Louise, the vet who works part-time there, but most of it mine. One of the cats caught me so deep in the base of my right thumb that blood pulsed from it. I swear I must have lost nearly a pint before getting the bleeding under control. Or maybe it was several mls, I get easily confused when I'm bleeding to death.

So, back with the cats where I then picked up the one cat which had been vaccinated and which was a bugger to get in the carrier. After that, to pick up another cat for the re-homing centre. This turned out to be a sweet-natured stump-tailed female tabby about 8 years old. And here they are in their new temporary home. The ginger cat, now imaginatively named Ginger, was absolutely terrified but Jay the tabby was fine.

By this time it was around 11.45, snowing heavily and I was tired and heading for home and  driving down a major road when the phone rang. Carole. I couldn't talk at that moment but I pulled in as soon as I could. Turned out a mother cat and her four two-week old kittens desperately needed re-homing. Fortunately, the place was only about half a mile back the way I came and I found it easily. Cat and kittens secured and off to Carole's on the other side of the river. When I got there I learned I had to take them to a fosterer's at Hylton Castle a mile down the road. I didn't need to consult the A-Z for the address because it was only a few doors away from the (now-closed) library which I was in charge of for three years. A three minute drive took ten (both ways) because of road works, grumble, grumble.

Here's mother cat and, just for luck, another young ginger boy at Carole's who wants a new home.

Thursday (yesterday) was even busier.

I spent the morning driving around on icy roads as I criss-crossed the city doing some of my own shopping, picking up four 30-litre sacks of litter (which involved me reversing backwards up an icy bank), and emptying the food-donation bins from Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons. The donated food I then had to take home, sorting the dog from the cat food. Susan also decided to take the opportunity for use to sort out and tidy the garage, which also involved a trip to the shop with stuff she was clearing out. Normally, that done, I'd go straight over to Carole's with the cat food. But not today.

Today, Nisha of BSkyB's news website was calling in the afternoon to do a video report on our shiny new cat re-homing centre. Nisha is the young lady who did an excellent piece on our kitten crisis earlier this year, a story which got picked up by The Mail Online.

I got to Carole's and unloaded the litter and food just before Nisha arrived. She did some filming at Carole's and then, on my suggestion, we called in at King's Road Vets where Nisha did a video interview with Wendy. I'd bigged up (is this still current slang?) Wendy and her veterinary practice to Nisha (also a genuine cat lover) who was delighted to find out I wasn't exaggerating and she liked Wendy a great deal (but then, who doesn't?). Here's a photo of the two of them.

And then, under grey skies, finally, to the cat re-homing centre. Dawn was on her way out and Mark was too busy to do anything other than switch the lights on. I showed Nisha around and introduced her to the various cats which had mostly settled down in their new (temporary) home. I did some pieces to camera, covering topics we'd discussed, and made a stumbling hesitant job of it, though Nisha said she was pleased. (She's a nice young woman who probably says that to everyone.)

Anyway, the piece will probably not appear until after Christmas and Nisha will let me know when. I'll post the link to it as soon as I find out.

And in between starting and finishing this post, I've learned that I am now the legal owner of my new house.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS -AT LAST

Yes, it's true. Only three and a half months late but Animal Krackers Cat Re-homing Centre is now finally open to re-home cats and it already has its first (hopefully temporary) residents. This morning I collected six cats from Kings Road Veterinary Practice where Wendy and her staff had been looking after them for over four months and to whom Animal Krackers owes a big thank you. They are all lovely people who are devoted to animals and who have been very supportive of our efforts. The practice is a model of good veterinary care.

So, on to the cats and the re-homing centre. We have a mother and daughter (Aimee and Annabelle) and brother and sister (Harriet and Hector) sharing cages (but not all together if you see what I mean), and Tess and Name Temporarily Forgotten in individual cages. All are young ranging from 10 months to 3 years, all neutered and vaccinated.

First off, a couple of pictures of NTF and Tess at the vets.

And, in descending order- Harriet and Hector on arrival, Harriet, Tess, Aimee and Annabelle (or vice versa), Annabelle (or Aimee), Aimee and Annabelle (yes, again), and two of NTF.

Tess is a bit traumatised by the move and didn't stir from her basket when I put her there. But she is a nice cat with the softest coat imaginable. All six cats are nice, friendly animals and will make some people lovely pets. The friendliest is Harriet who doesn't just want affection, she demands it and won't leave you alone until she gets some.

And here we are at the beginning of Animal Krackers and Ferryfarm Kennels new joint venture. There'll be teething problems and we won't get everything right straight away but we will get there in the end. The cats have gone from a metal cage to a much larger area full of space and light and things to play on and hide in. They can see outside to what will be a grassed over area (it's a muddy field at the moment) with bird tables. The sleeping unit has a flat heater attached to the wall close to their beds. So they have warmth, security, space and light.

I'll be back with more photos and new residents in a few days time.