Author Archives: accidental fosterer

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.

Had a lovely couple of hours introducing young Morris to his new home this evening.   I think he can’t quite believe his luck.   He suddenly has a whole load of possessions which belong exclusively to him …. including two besotted humans.   He got first (and only) grab at the toys, and when he came back to his food bowl all the food he’d left was still there!  This a completely new thing for him and one I believe he’ll very happily grow into.

It’s kind of quiet around here and I miss the little guy.  Flipper is having to think up mischief all by herself without her little partner in crime.  Not that that will cause her any great hardship.   I’ve had a few texts from the lad during the evening …. apparently he’s found and claimed the bed already.   He’s still a little nervous, but very soon he’s going to realise that rather than have to fight with Flipper, Honey and Sooty for a place on my lap, he has exclusive use of two adoring laps of his own.

morris pushing in on flipper’s cuddle time

Live long and purrily little man …….. and your lovely new humans.

It feels like with a first post there should be a big drum roll and fireworks.  However, we ‘re choosing to just slip in through the cat flap and slide under the sofa for now.

We have a busy week.  All of  Smudge’s kittens have been reserved and will be starting to go to their new homes this weekend.  I can’t believe how grown up they suddenly are.  Morris is also off to his new home tomorrow.   He’d spent months in the cattery and was very timid when he came to me.  However, he’s grown in confidence especially since his new family came to meet him a couple of weeks ago …  and now they’re back from their holiday he can’t wait to move in and take control of the house.    He has his suitcase packed and is very excited since he heard that he already has some post there.  I suspect its a pets@home voucher so he’ll be instructing his new mum and dad to work through his wish list of toys and treats.   Top of the list is a hammock

morris in jango’s hammock