Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Should I or Shouldn't I

Should I sterilise Dim Sum now or should I wait? I'm in a dilemma. So I decided to do what most people do when they're caught in a dilemma - a list.

The Pros
1) Stop the caterwauling before the neighbours actually complain!
2) Hopefuly she'll stop being so darn protective & terrotorial & that she'll stop bullying Beauty .. the sight of a
sumo being terrorised by a skinny one is not pretty

The Cons
1) Baby Fudge .. why deprive her when she can benefit as much as possible

*Sigh*

1 con agains 2 pros but the well-being of Fudge outweighs all consideration. Tried negotiating with Beauty to buy more time & all I got was a grunt & a near swipe in the face. Obviously, she doesn't give 2 hoots for Fudge. All she wants is to get Dim Sum OFF HER BACK! & pronto!!!

1 piece of good news .. Fudge's finally started eating dry food although more of a nibble. This girl's a slow learner. At 2 months, she should be chomping on dry & wet food without care but nope, she prefers milk & wet food. Am getting her Nutro Kitten dry .. hopefully this'll taste better & will get her hooked ... lets wait & see.

Fudge got her 1st bath yesterday, she's a good girl, didn't put up much of a fight (yeah, wait till she grows up!) .. I think the fright of water & shampoo was too much for her. She fell asleep in the middle of getting towelled dry.

Beauty is going to Cat Whisperer for her 1st 'spa' this Saturday! I can't wait for her to get the full treatment cos she's just too heavy for me to handle.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Fisher has been adopted!!

Yippeee!!!! Hopefully this time round, they won't return him to me in 2 weeks time. Really like this family who took him in. :)

Fisher, bless you ... may you find the love & warmth that you rightly deserve & may you never have to suffer the harsh life of a stray. Be a good boy always. Love you, mommy Cat.

Fudge & Fisher

Last night a potential adopter, Nisha came to see Fudge. When I learned that Nisha's only 13, I was a little apprehensive. Luckily enough, she came with her mom & siblings.

For some reason, Fudge decided she's not ready to go a new home or she didn't want to. So she decided to play the "I'm-shy-&-I-don't-want-to-play-with-you" game. Nothing we do, could get her to socialise with Nisha & her younger siblings. On the other hand Fisher & Dim were wonderful hosts. Dim Sum mingled, took turns to sit down everyone's lap & purr while Fisher was playing with the kids. Honestly Dim Sum's a great lap cat, she's gentle, soft-spoken & well-behaved. I just wish people will overlook her age (so she's not a kitten) & accept her for who she is.

By the end of the visit, Nisha decided to on Fisher. They took Fisher home to observe him for a couple of days. Hopefully, during this time, they'll grow fond of him & keep him. Otherwise, its back to the drawing board.

As for Fudge, it looks like she'll be here for awhile longer.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

The Great Escape

Beauty loves to jump & she also enjoys the great outdoors (aka corridor) .. a dangerous combination for a cat residing in a highrise HDB.

I was cleaning up a day's worth of poo, yes, a suit, squatting in the toilet scooping masses of cat poo! Anway, I heard a loud bang from the front. Came out the toilet, saw Alex, Dim Sum, F&F staring at the living room window. So, I joined in & looked but what I am supposed to be looking at???

Looked down at the cats again & something doesn't seem right. I started an inventory count .. one's missing. No prizes for guessing right but Beauty's missing. I thought she did an Alex on me so I checked the store room this time but nada!

Then it dawned on me the cats were not just looking at the window but probably marvelling Beauty for her great escape act. I looked out the window, can't see her. Panicked, I grabbed my keys & mobile, mentally prepared to search the block inch by inch. Opened the door, ms. diva was sitting outside. For a second, we looked at each other, surprised to each other. Then she looked out & looked back in the house , slowly strolled back in. She must be muttering to herself "out the window & then turn right, always turn right! Not left, silly woman!" :)

Good try. Better luck next time Beauty!

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Who's the Boss

I used to think I am. At least I was, when I was a happily living on my own. I come and go as I please, I answer to no one but myself.

Then Beauty, my beautiful calico came into my life. It was a love @ first sight. Those beautiful large round eyes got me. Beauty's a diva & a sumo (weighing at 8kg). She sits in her throne & receives her subject/s (that's me, most of the time). Don't expect her to sit on your lap & purr. If you want a purr or rub, then go to her & depending on her mood, she may either reward you with the purr you're looking for or a grunt. She has the attitude & so she became the boss. I just pay the rent & the food.

& then Alex, my handsome persian joined this little family. And our diva became all docile & feminine overnight. He took over the bed (but he's kind enough to share the bed with me) & the rest of the house & has Beauty at his bidding. He became the boss. I just pay the rent & the food.

By chance, I found Dim Sum & family was abandoned & I decided to take them in as a fosterer until the kittens are ready for adoption in 2 months & the family will be out of the house & life will be back to normal. Easy. However, things don't turn out as I have carefully planned. The Dim Sum & kittens (aka F4s) have outgrew their stay. Managed to get 2 kittens adopted - better than nothing. Dim Sum has grown confident although not much in size (she's puny @ 2.5kg). She bullies Beauty & Alex on the pretext of protecting her babies. But I don't think so. The babies can outrun everyone, climbs over all us (I'm an obstacle course in their play). They eat, drink, play whenever they want & then sleep & remain completely oblivious other stuff that is going on in the house.

Its official now, Dim Sum & family is the boss of the house. For me, I'm still paying the rent & the food.













The beautiful calico that caught my eye (L) Alex, the alpha male (R)











Fargo & Fitz have found home, Fudge's still looking & Fisher's been return to sender :o(






Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Meet Chaos


Dim Sum









Alex with Fudge








Welcome home Fisher



Beauty playing peek-a-boo







Excitement starts here



I got home after a concert late last Friday nite & was greeted by everyone but Alex, who was noticeably missing from the usual gang of 4. I panicked & started looking all over for him, even tipped the sofa over just in case he's stuck between the sofa's narrow shelving, while calling out his name. I could hear a distant meow but couldn't place where it came from. And just as the search got to a frantic pitch, I realised his meow came from the store room!

Apparently, that morning when I went to the store room to get a fresh pack of tissue, he followed me in without me realising it. I closed the door in a hurry & left for work. I remembered bidding goodbye to him & heard the same distant meow - probably he was meowing for help but i mistook that for 'bye babe'!

I opened the door, he ran out & the poor chap was obviously disoriented as he was running in circles! After a few rounds my boy collapsed from a combination sheer giddiness & dehydration. So I picked him up & put him to his waterbowl & he drank a whole bowl of water. Go figure.

My poor baby was locked in the dark small room for more than 12 hrs & luckily there's an old packet of cat biscuits & he's smart (desperate) enough to tear it open to eat. Anyway I was ridden with guilt & remorse :( But thankfully he's not one to bear grudges. He was back in the storeroom in 2 minutes as I was cleaning up the mess he left behind. Has he forgotten that this is the dark, narrow room of horror - with no lights & litter box?? Apparently so.

Went to visit the kittens in their new home yesterday & the family decided that they can't keep Fisher (Mr. Black) cos three cats are a handful (I beg to differ but they won't won't hear logic). Anyway, they gave me a packet of mee soto to make up for the 'inconvenience' & sent us on our way. That's the most expensive mee soto. Ever.

So Fisher's back like he had never left .. immediately found his designated nipple & began suckling right away ...

Now there's have Fisher who's gone back to being a baby instead of behaving like a pre-teen like he should be, Dim Sum has a breasfeed 1 more perpectually hungry kitten (ouch!), Fudge having to compete with 1 more sibling for mommy's attention, Beauty having 1 more kitten to drive her further into the nuthouse & I with 1 more mouth to feed & more poo to clear ... the only one who's happy is Alex cos 1 more kitty to play with!


Welcome to the chaos in the house of Cat.