Three cats (only one of them mine)

[vilakins]

I haven't posted for a while, mainly because I haven't really had much to say. However, have some news about three cats.

Ashley has really taken till this week to get over her white-tailed spider bite because the abscess came back. She's now completely OK again and no longer having to take steroids and antibiotics to everyone's relief, ours and hers, although she was a very patient little girl. It's been six weeks. Anyway, last week when we took her in with the abscess still weeping for a checkup, Garfilly was there in reception and me without my camera or phone.

Remember Garfilly, the kitten with the thyroid problem? She's 6 months old now and when I said she'd really grown, Harriet (vet nurse and owner) said she was still too small at only 2.5kg. I pointed that Ashley at three years is only 3kg. Garfilly was running about on the reception desk eager for attention and--THIS IS SOOOO CUTE--if I held up my hand she did a high-five with one soft paw. :-D She also tapped me at one point to make me notice her when I turned aside to see how Ashley was in her Sleepy-Pod. That photo in my last post about her I now realise is showing her doing a high-five--and she's no longer cross-eyed as she was in that photo. :-)

I posted some time back about library cats and was delighted to find that there was one at St Heliers library (a couple of suburbs away), Xena. Here's her page with a lovely close-up. She was in the local paper last week when library staff organised a school holiday knit-a-thon where kids could knit a square for a blanket for her. Here's the paper's photo, not a very good one, of her in the library workroom.

The paper told us more about her. She doesn't actually belong to the library; she has a good home of her own just up the road but her owner works full time and asked the librarians to look out for her. Xena's at the back door every morning when they open up and she also visits the police station, the video store, and the fish shop. :-)

Comments

[gwendraith]

Good to see you post. I sometimes find I have nothing to write about.

Glad Ashley is okay now. Garfilly sounds absolutely adorable :) How nice that the library look out for Xena. I worry about cats I see out and about especially if they are looking thin. I generally put a note on their collars, if they have one, to ask if anyone is looking after the cat to call me to put my mind at rest :)

[vilakins]

I've found homes for a few of those hungry little guys who turned up here and hung about for food and attention (mostly because my own cats weren't happy about them) and kept one starving cat (Vic) because they didn't mind him. We used to say that cats had a mark on our house like the old tramps used which said "they'll feed you here". I haven't had any strays lately though.

[gwendraith]

Hehe, I know what you mean about "they'll feed you here". There's so many stray cats. Thank heavens for the rescue centres. All the cats I've ever had have been feral and rescue cats and they've all been lovely gentle cats.

[vilakins]

Our beloved Sam, a childhood cat, was a starving stray who followed my parents home with great determination, my two cats in Israel (sadly I had to leave them there with friends) were both abandoned kittens and so sweet and loving, and my first cat here as an adult was a stray kitten I tracked down from her sad little moews. I rescued her lifetime friend from a bankrupt petshop which was going to put her to sleep, and they were just lovely and loving. One had a weak heart and the other got cancer, but they had very happy lives with me. I still miss them Sigi and Petra.

Then I fell for a friend's Burmese and got two who were also friends for life, one when Sigi went and the other two years later when Petra went. They were also wonderful cats and I miss Claudia and Tessa heaps; they died about a year apart three years ago. Vuc arrived while I had them and he was the first stray they accepted so we kept him while finding homes for the others.

Jasmin came from Claudia's breeder and the other two are rescues from the Lonely Miaou foster homes. Jasmin's a bit of a brat but can be very sweet, Ashley's a shy and dear little girl, and Sebastian's just a big snuggle-cat. :-) I just watched him and Ashley walking off into the garden side-by-side, very companionably.

I've heard that rescue cats can have issues if they have traumatic pasts, and in fact Sebastian's foster mother has about seven she kept as she knew they'd never trust anyone else quickly or easily. Mine have worked out very well though; I'm sure they know how lucky they were. :-)

[gwendraith]

I'm so pleased you are a saver of cats as well :) All your cats sound wonderful with lovely personalities. My very first cat was a long haired tabby stray called Tinker. He loved our German Shepherd dog and he would also sit by the bird cage and our two canaries would snuggle right up to the bars in his fur! He died of old age, not sure how old he was but I think he was several years old when we had him.

Later on there was Jemima, a sweet tabby and a feral kitten rescued by a local lady, Jeanette, who ran a rescue in her back garden. I remember going to choose her from the litter with the boys. She chose us by climbing up Rob's (#2 son) trousers! I had to have Jemima put to sleep when she was 11 as she was suffering from cancer of the throat and was suffering. It broke my heart and I still cry about her. Jack from the rescue (black and white) so named because he would hide when we first had him and then pop out like a jack-in-a-box. He was killed on the road near our house, it wasn't a main road but people drove too fast through the housing estate. Then there was Sid, also a rescue cat and black and white and named for Hissing Sid as he used to hiss at us when we first had him. He was killed on the same road. The heartache is terrible. Both were adorable cats, very gentle and loving with big personalities. Jemima outlived them both. Then came Tilly, a lovely tortie and a local rescue cat. My #2 son adored her, as I did. She would come running in with a prrrrup as if to say "here I am". She died on the same road. The lady driver was so upset and she took her to the local vet. We were called and we rushed there to see her but she had died instantly with barely a mark on her (head injury). My #2 son sobbed when he saw her, we both did. It breaks your to see your 6'+ son cry like that. I think it was then that I decided I'd never have outdoor cats again unless I lived deep in the country and away from roads. India and Inka came from a Cats Protection League foster home. I got them Christmas Eve 4 years ago :) They are extremely happy and playful and indoor cats. I'd love a British Blue but I live in a small flat and it wouldn't be fair to introduce another cat to the kitties' routine and space.

Some rescue cats are impossible to re-home. I know Jeanette (the rescue lady when we lived in the New Forest area) had cats that she could barely get close to let alone anyone else. At least they had a comfortable safe home and food. Mine have all been gentle cats. India and Inka have been far and away the most social, they love people and always come and say hello to visitors. I think they have a lot of Bombay cat in them which are notoriously friendly.

[vilakins]

Tinker and Jemima sound just lovely. I'm so sorry to hear about three others being killed on the road. My sister lost two that way: one in town and the other after she moved into the country, even though she was down a long driveway. I'm down a long one myself in town but the cats pretty much stay in our garden; it's quite big, on several levels, and full of exciting places to go. They do follow me up to the busy road when I go to the letterbox though and this stops me going for walks or to the bus stop from here. It's safer to take my car or park it a few streets away and walk or catch a bus from there. Actually we turned down a few houses on the grounds that it would be too dangerous for the cats.

A friend lost four or five cats on the road where she was living and decided not to have another cat till she moved. Then she took one of our strays, Larry, and he was very happy there with her, next to a park, till she got a dog and he moved two houses down the road. :-)

Your India and Inka are not just beautiful but also sweet-natured and friendly? Lucky you! Only Sebastian will approach visitors; the girls are shy until they get to know people.

BTW any chance of seeing that photo of your girls without the masks? They have beautiful green eyes like Sebastian's and I'd love to see more of their faces.

[gwendraith]

Their eyes are a strange greeny orange, especially India's. The colour goes from totally green to a soft orangey colour depending on the light :)

https://picasaweb.google.com/112636134524896979597/Kitties03?authkey=Gv1sRgCICRzrC825ak0gE&feat=flashalbum#

[vilakins]

That's amazing! I've never seen Sebastian's eyes change colour like that. His are just green.

Your girls are stunning! I think I can see the difference too: has Inka got a rounder face?

[gwendraith]

Inka is altogether smaller (and thinner). India has larger bones and a larger head. People who don't know them well have trouble telling them apart but there are lots of differences in their look and their personalities :)

[ultrapsychobrat.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so glad Ashley is okay! I love Library cats--this one is precious.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Isn't she a darling!

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Want to cuddle them all... so glad Ashley is better :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Well, I've cuddled two of them! :-)

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Hello, kitty cats! :)

[sheenaghpugh]

Lovely post! Thanks for all the news.

[quabazaa.livejournal.com]

Oooh lots of cute kitty pics :)

Omg poor Ashley, that spider bite sounded so nasty! 6 weeks! I'm glad she's better now <3

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

We thought she was better after three or so weeks but the abscess hadn't actually gone away; just shrunk, and it came back. Once it started to drain, it healed quite quickly. They said they've seen the same thing in several dogs in the practice.

She's looking so good now and has put on some weight which is good; she's a light wee thing.

[kernezelda]

Isn't it the cliche, that internet is for porn pictures of cats? *g* Thanks for posting about yours and others; they make me smile first thing in the morning.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

they made me happy too. :-)

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Me too, I'm a sucker for cat stories :) Glad Ashley is OK, and a kitty high five--who could resist!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm so relieved Ashley's better, though she's become quite frisky once the abscess started to drain.

Garfilly is adorable with her high-fives!

[green-maia.livejournal.com]

I'm glad Ashley is okay!!

I'm glad Garfilly is doing well!!

And the existence of Library Cats makes me very very happy!!!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

A pity there aren't any listed in New York; just one who died in 2000 and two statues. I'm sure there are some if we have three! (Though I heard recently that we have the highest cat ownership per capita in the world.)

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

Aww, lovely kittehs. 8,5 kg Noki says hello:)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Almost three Ashleys! Sebastian might be 5 r 6 when he's fully grown though. He's a big boy.

[luinielle.livejournal.com]

Poor Ashley - I'm glad she's completely healed now. I didn't realize those spider bites could be so nasty. The high-five is so adorable as is Xena's story. I like how she makes her visits to the police and other shops.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I can guess why she goes to the fish shop, but the video store and police station must be sheer friendliness. :-)

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad Ashley is better. Let's hope she never runs into one of those awful spiders again. And it's lovely to hear what a happy life Garfilly and Xena have. More businesses should have resident cats!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It's been a long haul but she's looking really goo now as she's put on a little weight.

I had a contract at an office with a resident cat, Mook (http://vilakins.dreamwidth.org/8578.html), but when he went missing one day and so many people spent time looking for him, management said he had to go and one of the employees adopted him.

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

So glad Ashley has healed. You'll have to remember your camera next time. What is supposed to be the ideal weight for a kitty?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I don't think there is one, what with light little Ashley, Jasmin the same size but much heavier with her Burmese bones, and Sebastian the heaviest and probably still growing. I'd say Garfilly is doing very well and she's certainly full of energy unlike when she was brought in.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Hello Ashley, I am sending you a nice pat....Good to hear she is all right again!
Thank you also for Garfilly and Xena! How cute, both of them. Again, I wish I could have a cat in our library, there are so many cat lovers...but not my boss...and because I commute 25km every day, I would not be able to drag a cat with me either...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ashley's looking very well and she's even put on a little weight. She's been running around outside with the other two so I'd say she's cmpletely better now. :-)

You have Tygr to welcome you home--and he might be jealous if you smelled of another cat. :-)

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

That is true enough!:-)

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

yay for Garfilly high fives :D I do like to hear how she is doing. Poor Ashley though.

Xena is a pretty girl, we were talking at work about how we would like a cat for our library, but I don't think we would ever be allowed.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

You could ask; I've read that animals often help people (patients, prisoners, autistic children) to be calmer and happier, and there'd always be staff around to ensure the cat's safety.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I could, I've thought about it before. My orderlies and I discussed it, and their fear was that the cat would be abused, and then there would be problems with where the cat lived when the library wasn't open. The library is housed in two portacabins between units, and when the library isn't open there wouldn't be anyone able to go near it apart from during gym moves.

Ideally someone would keep it on the unit, but I think it really might be too dangerous for a creature in that environment. Say the cat got into a cell and soiled the bed or scratched something, the owner might do something awful. Another issue would be the large number of Muslim offenders, who object to having animals inside.

I think maybe if we were a less secure prison, maybe a cat D or E it might be more likely, but for a cat (!) B I think there are too many obstacles that would make the regime unlikely to consider it.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I don't think the cat would be abused if it were in the library since one of you is always there, and Muslims like cats since Mohammed did himself. However it certainly sounds too hard to manage in that environment; most library cats go home with someone in the weekend. And it mightn't be a pleasant environment for the cat itself which is very important.

At least you've got your lovely ones when yo0u go home. :-)

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I suppose I hadn't considered that the cat might go home, as taking anything in and out of the prison is difficult, but yes, I suppose that might work.
I'm sure the vast majority of prisoners would be fine, and many would love the opportunity to have contact with a cat, but it is the few that would ruin it for all.