This week has been defined by its ever shifting dilemmas:

Last weekend saw a high of us having Jack safe and indoors.   In contrast, Thursday night brought a sleepless night of Jango back and forth to the litter tray with cystitis and Sooty vomiting every hour or so – a particularly acute issue since he sleeps on my pillow.

Taking Jack indoors didn’t feel particularly like an ethical dilemma … he’s been visiting our garden as a stray for several years, is visibly neglected and at that point appeared to have a wound on his arm and was shaking.  If anything it felt like we were in the wrong for NOT taking him in before … a cat rescue taking in cats from all over the county and beyond, but not helping the stray in the yard.   The practicalities and his rare appearances had made it impossible before as his visits can be months apart.  The chances of this co inciding with us having a rescue room free … something which happens for usually less than 24 hours every few weeks.

However, we were depriving him of his liberty and planning to take him to be neutered.   Facebook groups throw up many vehement comments about neutering ……. “how would you feel if you weren’t allowed to have children?”  Let’s not even go there just now.  We can live with that charge.  Jack is a cat not a human daddy, biologically driven to reproduce, but with little desire to see it through from taking paternity leave to paying university fees and beyond.  Gorgeous as any baby Jacklets might be …. there really are too many already born kits out there needing homes.

What did make it more complicated though was a response to my post in a local forum about Jack saying that they thought he ‘belonged’  to an elderly man who was struggling to take care of himself, never mind the cat.  Ah!  So he could be ‘owned’ by someone who may be very attached to him, though clearly wasn’t caring for him adequately.   So which is more important?  The human’s attachment or the cat’s care?   In an ideal situation, perhaps our rescue could help support the man in caring for Jack, but what if he just demanded him back and refused help?  That got resolved by the lovely people on the allotments tracing the old guy and finding that Jack did not belong to him.

So Jack goes off to be neutered and health checked and the wound on his arm is found to be a mixture of torn claw and some sort of non-specific pink stain.  He’s ok, chipped so if he’s found to not be ok he can find his way back to us.   Is it ok to still deprive him of his liberty and keep him in the rescue room?  Equally, is it ok to put him back outside given that he doesn’t have someone specifically to care for him?  Is it better to put him back outside in the area he knows or to try to find somewhere else – unfamiliar but with someone who will look out for him?  How on earth to weigh these factors up?

Hmm … so we decide to just let things settle, wait a while, see how it pans out with Jack being indoors, if we might be able to get a very local home for him where he can revert to living out on the allotments if he chooses to.  Jack sits on the windowsill all day most days, hisses when we come in to the room but calms down once he realises who it is, and enjoys being brushed and stroked.

However, then Wednesday evening  Jango, one of our resident boys, doesn’t seem right, and Thursday night is on and off the litter tray with what we believe is stress induced cystitis all night.  Is it fair to put our residents through this distress in order to help a stray cat?  Hugely protective of Jango, painfully responsible for Jack.   Which is more important?  Will it get better as the tom cat smell subsides after neutering?  Could Jang’s problem become more acute?  And, as a bit of an afterthought … what about my needs to sleep and the impact on my patients in my day job when I’ve had no sleep?

Friday Jango goes to the vet and his bladder starts to settle a bit.   Jack continues to hiss when we go into his room.  Wouldn’t it be easier just to put him back on the allotments?  He’s neutered now which will be better for his health in several ways, we know he’s not unwell, his arm is now fine, and he’s chipped to us so if he’s found unwell at some point we can be contacted and review things.   Seriously, what can be the long term plan for a scruffy old tom cat?  Is he “bed blocking”?  Will it take so long to get him sorted that so many other needy cats are unable to have the rescue place?   Wouldn’t he rather have his freedom again?  And the weather is getting a little warmer…. we checked the forecast.

Saturday lunchtime we go into Jack’s room to try to think it through.   Mostly its about thinking whether it would be better to put him in the carrier and take him to the allotments, or to open his bedroom door, and our front door, and shoo him out.   He hisses and yowls his greeting as usual.    Then something unusual happens:  Jack shuffles down from his place on the windowsill, and straight onto my lap …… and for the first time whilst here, starts to purr…… his hand up on my shoulder and face rubbing against mine.  Someone made of sterner stuff may be able to brush this aside and carry on with Plan A …… I however melted like putty in his paws …… so we’re now trying to work out Plan B.

To be fair … cat rescue is always a little unpredictable, but this afternoon’s events were well outside of our plans.

We took Sugar off to her new home this morning.  That was pretty much as expected.   Her new daddy had come to meet her last weekend, and she’d obviously taken a shine to him …. so it was no surprise  when she went in quite happily and started playing with all the lovely toys he’d got for her.

sad

wet

refusing to go in shelter

I came home and started cleaning Sug’s room … there were a couple of cats who were possibly coming in in the next few days so I wanted to have it ready.   Then glanced out the door and there was Jack sitting in the little shelter we have on the patio!  Only the most avid of our readers will recognise the significance of this.  For the other 99.9% of you here’s a little catch up:

Jack is a long term stray who has visited our garden periodically over more years than I want to remember.  He’s never been predictable enough to trap, or confident enough to just come in.  In some ways he’s been a very professional stray cat, maintaining a number of feeding people around the area, never staying long enough to put down roots.  We put a couple of little shelters in the garden a few years ago in the hope that Jack would find some warmth and comfort in there.  The permanent residents use them frequently whilst Jack has resolutely shunned them and stood in the rain to eat.  It’s bothered me that we take in cats from all over the county and sometimes beyond whilst we’ve been unable to help the guy in our garden.  He’s normally filthy, very often soaking wet with the rain and occasionally bearing minor wounds.   My fear has been that if I make a random grab for him – given that he’s not around enough to set a trap – we could just end up scaring him off permanently.   He’s tolerated being stroked whilst eating, but left rather abruptly at any sign of a firmer hold.

lovely lad

Ok ….. up to speed now.  Delighted to see him in the shelter at last and grabbed some food to take out to him.  Anxious to realise he was limping to his dish and trembling, and pushed to try a little harder to help.  Stroked him whilst he ate, and experimented with picking him up.  It wasn’t a popular move, but it wasn’t disastrous as it had been previously.  Back indoors to ponder what our next move would be …. maybe if he was around tomorrow … maybe one day, maybe never.    Spotted the top opening carrier in the conservatory.  No way would he hang around whilst I took that outside, opened it etc.   Only he did.   Out of the question that I could try picking him up a second time and then get him into the carrier.  Only it wasn’t.   And Sugar’s bedroom was recently vacated and cleaned.

indoors at last

So he’s here.  The cat we’ve worried about for years and felt helpless to care for, went from “out there somewhere” to inside safe, warm and dry within the space of about 15 minutes.   Of course there’s a thousand and one questions about his health and his future and a fair bit of angst about that.  But for now …….

We talked last time about the recent comings and goings at 8 Lives over Xmas and the New Year ….. this post is about the naughty boys who have stayed. It’s surprisingly easy to forget we have them …… “easy” because they’re living alongside the residents so just kind of blend in to what passes as ‘normal life’ round here. “Surprisingly” because they’re kittens and as such, tear around wreaking havoc. We’ve shouted to Ralph to come down from the top of the lounge curtains so many times that serious consideration has been given to renaming him – “Zacchaeus”.

You’ll not really recognise Dave – the terrified, food refuser who arrived a few weeks ago.

dave a few weeks ago

dave now

dave with ralph

He’s cleaned himself up, and with some support from Ralph is feeling much much more confident. Confident enough to be one of the first to the fridge when I open it, and to take the prize as the cat most likely to trip me up because he’s so close. He also won last week’s “Best Behaved at the Vets” award. Having carefully explained Dave’s background to Dr Tim, and prepared a safe action plan for extracting him from his carrier and doing his vaccination, Dave proceded to be the perfect patient. Unlike our beloved old resident Sooty, who called the vet all the evil names under the sun, the moment he stepped out of his carrier. You’d think it was Sooty who had been born on the street with that language, not Dave. [Ed. Actually Sooty may well have been born on the street, who knows? we have no knowledge of the first 10+ years of his life.]

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“Ralph the emotional supporter” is also “Ralph the ringleader” … and takes David into mischief which we cannot believe was designed by anyone other than our little ginger horror. In addition to curtain-eering, one of Ralph’s favourite pastimes is to steal a packet of treats, race off with it and scoff them all. We first became aware of this when we moved the arm chair and found a collection of ripped and empty Dreamie (other cat treats are available) packets. Once vigilant we were able to spot the crime in process. It all happens very quickly, the sound comes first – the very recognisable crackle of a Dreamie packet, then a streak of ginger followed by a flash of black & white, and they’re gone. The current favourite munching place is under my bed – whether I’m in it at the time appears not to be relevant. Woke the other night to the sounds of munching coming up from under the mattress. I pretended that I was asleep ….. I hadn’t the heart to tell them off.

It seems that things in rescue can change completely in minutes. It wasn’t too surprising that we had hardly any enquiries about adoption in the run up to Xmas and during it. It was lovely being off work and able to spend lots more time cuddling both residents and guests, but there was the inevitable worry that some of our guests, I’m thinking particularly of the adults – Domino and Dizzie – could be here for quite a while. Once Boxing Day was over there was a flurry of enquiries, all about Yoda or just general enquiries as to whether we had any kittens. Just one enquiry was possibly about Yoda or possibly Domino. The weather was vile, but the home was local and it was a possible home for Domino ….. so off we skated to homecheck. Couldn’t have been a nicer home, and after introductions it was sooooooooo obvious that Dom and this lady were made for each other. The next day we did a homecheck for Yoda, a very nice home for Yoda, but made blissfully purrfect by the fact that when we arrived the family said they were interested in adopting our gorgeous Dizzie too since the lads were friends. So within a few days, both cat rooms were vacant and their former occupants absorbed in getting accustomed to lives of luxury.

Domino

Dizzie & Yoda

The space meant that we were able to respond to a another very sad situation where someone was having to move home and simply could not find any rented accommodation where her cat was able to go with her. We’re fully aware that many people use this kind of situation as an excuse to dump their no longer wanted pets in rescue …… however it is also a very genuine issue for many people and one which is exacerbated by the recession. It feels so wrong that animals and the humans who genuinely love and care for them should end up separated from each other in this way. I found it quite heartbreaking to walk away with Wiccan in a basket and his treasured possessions all packaged up ….. almost too painful to think how he and his mum felt about it.

We’d just got Wiccan settled into his room when another email arrived …. needing to get a 4/5 month old kitten into rescue …. and just over an hour later Sugar arrived.

She looks like butter wouldn’t melt ….. but when I put my hand in that box she hissed and screamed, and was crawling with fleas. A week on and she’s running to me, wanting a fuss, loving to play, and almost flea free. She’ll still remind me how loud she can spit …… but we’re both a lot less wary of each other, and a little more hopeful for the future.

We’ve had a lovely Christmas with lots of extra time at home to hang out with the residents and current rescues, and also to delight in the updates and season’s greetings from our past rescue (furry) people.

First to check in were Alfie and Aoife from the A Team.  They were very excited about their first Christmas, loving the tree and looking forward to all the wrapping paper and turkey on the big day.

Then Bosca texted us a photo of her furry lights

Then lovely Lenny messaged us ….. seems he’d got a little confused about his species …… but there’s no mistaking the fact that he’s gorgeous.

On Christmas Day little (not quite so little now) Nacho sent us a photo of her with her step sister, opening their presents

And then the other two kits from the A Team – Albert & Aslan also messaged. Aslan was blissed out to have got a new toy mouse, whilst Albert was making the most of the holidays to have a snooze

Little Truffle & Toby proudly send their Christmas picture ….. newly settled in to their furever home and loving it

Lenny got more and more excited and sent in a photo of him and his sister Lily, plus their step siblings all dressed up ready for Christmas

Young Floyd rather smugly sent in this photo of him having a Christmas kiss ……. he’s come a long way in a short time has that little boy!

Just to complete the joy, the last and most important member of the A Team – Arwen mummy cat – got her staff to email us. She refused to have her photo taken next to the Christmas tree because she was busy having cuddles …… but condescended to allow a wide shot showing the crib in the background. Bless you Arwen.

These photos have really made our Christmas. It’s not simply that they’re lovely photos and happy memories of adorable furry friends. It’s the knowledge that they’re happy and safe, and having the life that they would never have had had they not come to 8 Lives. Makes all the sleepless nights, and shredded furnishings seem worthwhile really 🙂

Although we currently only have 10 cats, the number requiring single rooms means that we’re completely full.   Domino and Dizzie each have one of the cat rooms to themselves.  Poor Dizzie would be happy to share, and I think has missed his mate Edward since he went to his new home, but no one wants to share with him.  Domino is happy to nip into his bedroom at meal times and steal his dinner but hisses at him if he tries to make conversation.

Then Big Dave arrived.     Dave is one of a group of feral cats living in Chesterfield.   They’ve had a hard time as residents were threatening to poison the growing community of felines.  Some amazing women, who didn’t previously have much experience of cats, came across them and took on the huge task of sorting them out.   They trapped him for us last Wednesday and we picked him up on the way home from work (our work that is, not Dave’s) and took him straight to the vet for B & (no) B prior to his neuter op the following day.  Next day after work we went to collect him.  The vet smiled as she handed him over, and took off her gauntlets.    Gulp.

Home and into a crate in the conservatory.   Dave and I were neck and neck as to who was the most anxious about it all.  We expected hissing, growling, lashing out …….. what we didn’t quite anticipate was a point blank refusal to eat.  Several different flavours of pouches were offered, and a pick and mix selection of dried food.  Dave sat with jaws resolutely clamped shut.  Day two we resorted to sardines and Dreamies.  Still no.  Day three pushed us to cooking – fish, and then scrambled eggs with cheese …. um ……. no …… NO.  The residents checked and rechecked the calendar as what appeared to be the Christmas feast, a rolling buffet of Dave’s rejected meals, was served.   Day four brought us desperately combing the rarely trodden aisles of the supermarket (we’re veggie) looking for more treats for a carnivore.   A slice of boiled ham was seriously considered, and then rejected.   Dave and I spent a lot of time staring anxiously at each other over ever more desperately proffered meals.

Finally on the night of Day four, Dave ate just an ordinary pouch, and hasn’t looked back.  It’s become apparent that despite the tough sounding name, he’s just a timid kitten at heart.  Things have come on in leaps and bounds since then.  After a couple of misguided choices to sleep in his litter tray and pee in his bed, he’s figured out a better plan.   He’s taking an interest in his toys, calling to me when he hears me clattering around in the kitchen, and ……. to my delight, sat purring at me last night.   We’re managing a few careful strokes at meal times now too, and looking forward to Christmas holidays when we can take things a bit further.

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It’s been a busy few weeks here getting all the little Ts to their new homes, and slowly coming to terms with the death of their mum. Unfortunately … or fortunately ….. depending on how you look at it …. there’s little time to grieve for the dead when the living make so many demands.

The kittens all seem to be settling into their new homes, and even timid little Truffle is making progress.

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Once the little ones had gone, Domino and Edward went off to the vet for neutering. Ed was completely fine as all our lads have been, but things weren’t quite that straightforward for Domino. Being a stray when she came to us we didn’t know whether Dom was spayed or not. As she wasn’t pregnant, as most stray females are, if they’re not caring for tiny ones, we thought perhaps she’d been spayed already. However she very vocally came into season a few weeks after arriving and we booked her in for her op. It turned out that she had cysts on her ovaries which made it a slightly bigger op than normal. Although this wasn’t great news, perhaps it’s what saved her from pregnancy. Unfortunately she came home and started removing her stitches. We went back to the vets and she was stapled and glued together and strongly advised to wear her buster collar. She grudgingly complied with this for a few days, until one night she managed to remove the collar ….. and shortly afterwards remove the staples! A very stressful period ensued where the collar was very firmly fastened, and (heartbreakingly) no concessions were made for the collar to be removed for her to eat or wash herself …. as the minute it was off she’d dive for her wound. Poor love, when the collar finally came off she washed herself (still under careful supervision) for a full 45 minutes.

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She’s such a little sweetie …….. all she wants for Christmas is a lap of her own to snuggle on ….. such a little cuddle monster.

The T team leaving do this evening has been a bit of a sober affair, partly because Dizzie and Edward found the box of cat nip earlier this week, ripped it open and scattered it all over the stairs.

However the main reason is much more sad …. within days of all her kittens being officially reserved, and Tilly starting to be able to have some “me time” and look for the purrfect home where she could be loved and pampered, she had a completely unexpected medical emergency.  Despite rushing her to the vets and it initially looking hopeful, surgery showed that the situation was much worse than any of us had feared, and Tilly was helped to Rainbow Bridge before she woke from the anaesthetic.    It’s been utterly heartbreaking to lose her like this …. one of the sweetest cats we’ve had in rescue, so deserving of a better new life for herself, and so close to having it.   Never expected her furever home to be at the bottom of our garden.

It’s difficult to know what the little Ts make of it.  They’re growing up, getting ready for independence and hopefully haven’t noticed too much.  If the whole thing wasn’t painful enough though …. looking up from digging Tilly’s grave to see a row of little kits on their bedroom windowsill watching me was one of the most painful moments in 8 Lives history.

The comfort is that Tilly has been very loved whilst she’s been with us.  She surprised us by being pregnant and worried us by being due whilst we were on holiday.  However she was cared for during that time by a lovely cat mad friend who reminded me how excited Tilly had been to show her her kittens when they were new born, calling at the door when she heard my friend go past and running to show her the little ones.

Such a sweet and loving mum even when they became a complete handful for both of us.

So wish she could have been here for the leaving do.  We played with toys and talked about new homes, and did our best to be brave but I think you’ll see a few sad faces amongst the photos.

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Run free at the bridge lovely Tilly …. and go grab life by all four paws little guys!

Well …. not exactly … but this is the riddle this week has reminded us of: http://riddleshub.com/fox-goose-corn/ for those of you who don’t know it.

rather too many cats

After four years of rescue cats and kits trashing the carpets in their rooms we decided to arrange to have some laminate flooring laid in those two rooms.   When we ordered the laminate. things were busy bit not overly so.  Between booking it all, Domino and then Eddie & Dizzie arrived.  With a house full, 3 additional cats might not sound much, but Dom needs to be separate from all of them, and Ed n Dizz need their own space together too.

So here we are with 18 cats in the house, in 4 separate groups who need to not mix.   There’s 5 rooms in the house if you include the conservatory which is liable to extremes of temperature and a tiny bathroom which doesn’t have room to swing even the smallest kitten – you’ll need to trust me that this is worked out by mathematical hypothesis rather than practical demonstration.

With me so far?  The joiner needs access to both cat rooms one of which contains Ed and Dizz, the other with Tilly, her 6 kittens and the remaining 3 little Fs.   The 5 permanent residents need access to the cat flap/outdoors, Ed needs to not leave his unneutered tom cat scent in my bedroom, the lounge or the dining room which are the main rooms the residents hang out in, Honey and Jango must not be stuck in a room together as they hate each other, rescue cats must not be a) in any room the joiner needs access to or b) any room with an outside door/cat flap opening on to it, Domino mustn’t share with anyone because she hates them all, but particularly not with Ed who hasn’t yet been neutered because we don’t know if Dom has been spayed or not.  Jango mustn’t be able to get anywhere near the joiner as he cornered the poor guy on the landing last time he did some work on the house and its not been forgotten.   Ideally whilst we’re out at work the joiner needs to be able to use the bathroom and kitchen to make a drink if he needs to without fear of being attacked, or having escapees.

Oh … and there needs to be no furniture on the floor in either of the rooms which the laminate needs to go down in.

You have a few sleepless nights to figure it out … starting now!