the only way is essex

We’ve made an interesting start to our new focus on S8 cats by spending a day this week by transporting Albert from NG3 to CO12.  Um … what can I say?   Albert is an elderly black tom cat with hyperthyroid and was in urgent need of a taxi.   He’d come into Vets4Pets in Nottingham as a stray.  He’d been at risk of being put to sleep by the RSPCA but thanks to a lot of lovely people working together, had been offered a retirement home in Essex.   All he needed was to get there!   Sounded too much like my lovely Sooty to refuse.

So on Thursday we set off on a long journey.  Big bag of supplies packed ….. cat carrier, towel, spare towel, and another spare towel.  Puppy pads, wipes, rubbish bags.   A frozen bottle of water so it stays cool, bag of treats, some dried food, feliway, toys, and bowls for the water and food.   Oh and just as an afterthought, a flask of coffee for me cos I didn’t want to leave the lad whilst I went into a service station.

Mapperley Vets4Pets are fab.   They’d looked after Albert well and were obviously very fond of him.  They gave him a big send off, with toys and cuddles.   And added some rather delicious cake to the comparatively poor supplies that I’d packed for myself.

albert’s mates at vets4pets

We set the sat nav and off we went.  Albert wailed as we threaded a rather complex route out of Nottingham, and I tried not to imagine what a 3+ hour rendition of traditional Nottingham feline tunes might be like.   Would I be chewing the  steering wheel by the time we got to Cambridge?    And given that my lovely Mog can need a change of bedding just on a short journey from home to the vets, would Albert’s singing be the least of my worries on a hot day?

Thankfully once we were on the A1 Albert decided to settle down for a snooze.  We listened to the radio and occasionally exchanged comments with each other.  Once we’d got half of the miles behind us we pulled in to a service station.  With all the windows closed and doors locked, Al hopped out of his carrier for a while.   He sipped iced water in the foot well and munched on Dreamies whilst I cracked open the flask and dined on the excellent cake from the vets.   What a sweetheart – he had a bit of a snuggle and then when it was time to go back in his basket he hopped back in.  [I briefly wondered about swapping him for one of my awkward monsters].   And snoozed all the way to Harwich.

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It was lovely to meet his new human.  Another mad cat woman who offers a lovely retirement home for many elderly cats with extra needs.  And dogs, and guinea pigs, and fish!   Albert strolled out of his carrier, met some of the other cats, looked at the dogs, and settled down.  Whatever he’s been through in the last few weeks/months it looks like nothing is going to phase him now.    His new human thinks he’s great.  She clearly has good taste.

new postcode

Sounds like he’s settling down well.  It’s the furthest from S8 I’ve ever been for the sake of a cat, but I’m delighted to have been part of the lovely group of people who have come together to save the life of this delightful boy.