Frodo and Lily

Frodo and Lily's owners write:

We went over to look at 2 grey kittens having spent ages trying to find some.  When we walked into the pen a young male tabby came up and ‘chose us’!!  We also fell in love with a small grey/white little girl who was about 9 weeks old.  We had to wait a LONG week to hear if the boy could come and live with us as he was a stray.  Fortunately 10 days later we bought them home.  As it was the school holidays, our 3 children were around to play with them and to shower them with love.  Lily soon began to purr when we looked at her!!

Frodo was keen to get outside.  Finally the day came when we pulled back the patio door, only it didn’t quite go to plan….  Lily took one sniff of fresh air and ran and hid under Emily’s bed.  Frodo raced up a tree and promptly fell out landing on his back, paws in the air!!  On his next visit outside he climbed another tree only to get stuck and my elder daughter had to climb up a ladder to rescue him.  He still remains ‘ not good with trees’ and Lily still remains an indoor cat.  I am sure that as she gains confidence she will venture out more as she has enjoyed a couple of romps in the garden with Frodo on her braver days!!

Frodo is growing fast, whilst Lily remains a dainty little girl.  They love each other dearly and enjoy nightly chases around the house.

We are loving having them live with us.  It's great seeing them on the window sill as we drive up knowing that as soon as we unlock they will appear for food whatever the time of day!!

Now we are anticipating Christmas, as both Lily and Frodo had great fun on all the children’s recent birthdays; boxes are such fun!!

We have had a further messge from Lily and Frodo's owners:

Lily went into the vets to be spayed today.  She is now a boy called Freddie!!  It was a bit of a surprise but we still love him to bits.

Frodo is becoming a bit of a local celebrity as he has wondered off twice to be found by local teenagers and returned to us.  Last Friday night after missing for 3 days he walked into the chip shop.... Bold as brass!!  He was recognised immediately and returned to us!!

Life with these two is never dull!!

Back to Top

Diva and Missy

Diva and Missy's owners sent us this e-amil:

Diva and Missy were 6 months old when they were with their Fosterer, and all her other kittens and mature cats.  The minute we walked through the door they were loving and after our attention, so we knew they were the ones.

The little ginger female called Missy (Mischievous) and Diva would cuddle up to each other for comfort and groom each other; we knew we couldn't separate them, so we decided to take them both.

The journey in the car was not much fun; they managed to crawl through the wicker door of the old fashioned cat carriers we had, and then wanted to sit on the dashboard all the way home.  Not only that, but because they were not used to cars, they had accidents in the baskets!

We got home and felt like a family.  The cats went loopy round the house, getting used to the smells and the lay out.  This was just before Christmas and we had the tree up in all its glory, so were just waiting for the moment that they pulled it down.  To our surprise they didn't and just knocked a few baubles down to play with.  Other than that, were as good as gold.

At 7 months we took them to the vet to be spayed.  Sadly Diva had to go back as her internal stitches broke so she ended up with a hernia.  She had to stay in over night and wear a collar so she didn't pick at the stitches.  When we got her home, Missy reacted badly and kept hissing at her.

Luckily they are friends again now, up to fun and games bringing in Mice and Birds!!

Here is to the future with the little characters....

Back to Top

Danny Boy

Danny Boy's owners write:

We knew within seconds that Danny was the cat for us; he was so very friendly and loving when we met him.

He has settled in very well.  Within days he had become good friends with our two dogs.  My young dog pulls around string so that Danny can chase it.  It has taken a bit longer for our older cat to accept him, but after a couple of weeks, and Danny having a telling off, they have reached an amicable relationship.

Danny is definitely a hunter.  He spends a lot of time in the woods, has had several mice and managed to hook a large fish out of our pond!  He is great fun, very affectionate, likes lots of cuddles and enjoys playing with the dogs.

Back to Top

Pilchard

Pilchard's new owners have sent us a letter from him, describing his new life:

Hello, my name is Pilchard. I moved in with my new family in December 2007. They are mum and dad 2-legs, Liam 2-legs who is 18, Stefan 2-legs who is 15, Fern the Boxer dog and Spudz the black cat.

It didn’t take me long to get comfortable in my new home. My family tried to keep me inside but after nine days I managed to escape out of the downstairs bathroom window. I didn’t come home for three hours which caused mum 2-legs a lot of anxiety but I knew where I lived and eventually rolled back home. This is the longest I have stayed outside ever since - I am a home-loving puss at heart and only go outside for short bursts. I prefer to stay near to my family and the fridge (which is a source of great interest to me). And boy, can I eat!

I have filled out nicely since moving in. Liam 2-legs likes to have a takeaway with his mates at the weekends, which they enjoy in his bedroom while watching DVDs. Fern the Boxer dog taught me that on Saturday mornings - when Liam 2-legs has gone to work - we can let ourselves into his bedroom, root amongst the takeaway packages on the floor and find delicious leftovers. Fern and I make a good team - she locates the cartons and I open them. We will eat whatever is left. I am particularly fond of kebab. Spudz the cat doesn’t take part in these forays as he is a slinky fellow who eats only what he requires to live on and no more.

Soon after moving in, mum 2-legs made the humans a home made chilli con carne. Liam 2-legs didn’t eat his straight away and his plate was left on the kitchen worktop. I hate to see good food wasted and so I decided to help him out by eating it for him. I ate the lot - peppers, kidney beans, mushrooms, rice, even the fresh chillies. Mum 2-legs was terrified I would be sick afterwards but I’m made of strong stuff. No ill effects whatsoever. Liam 2-legs had to make himself some tuna pasta as I had eaten his dinner but he was still kind enough to share that with me as well. Mum 2-legs tells my 2-legs brothers off for feeding me titbits because she says I will become a ‘porker’ whatever that is. What does she know? I just enjoy my food and have no wish to be a skinny-malinky like Spudz the cat.

Mum 2-legs calls me ‘gutsy malone’ while Liam 2-legs calls me ‘gobby chops’. I have no idea what these things mean but I assume them to be complimentary as I am such a fine fellow.

I love to talk, loudly and frequently. I can philosophise on world affairs for hours. And I love to sleep with mum and dad 2-legs on their bed every night. There are always hoards of teenagers coming into the house which I love. They are always very friendly towards me and make a fuss of me on their way through the house. The girlfriends in particular appreciate my charms and like to stroke me. The adoration is very welcome - I know I am a handsome chap but it doesn’t hurt to hear it said over and over again.

When Mum 2-legs uses the laptop computer, I like to sit near to her on the table. I do occasionally stick my feet on the keypad, which she grumbles about, but it means I can be close to her. Of course I only do this for her benefit, not mine. We felines have to show willing sometimes, don’t we?

I get on great with Fern the Boxer dog but then she gets on well with Spudz too. Spudz and I aren’t exactly great buddies yet, but we have learnt to live together. I reckon life is pretty good in my new household. And so it should be - we cats ARE superior after all.

Back to Top

Jasper and Odie

Jasper's and Odie's owners write:

When we first met Jasper and Odie they were about 4 weeks old and had been found, a couple days before, abandoned in a cardboard box near a busy roadside café.  At this stage their mother still hadn’t been found, although luckily, thanks to the hard work of CPL volunteers, later in the week she was reunited with her kittens.

From the start Jasper and Odie knew it was my husband, who professed himself “more of a dog-man”, that they had to win over.  Within a few minutes of us meeting them, Jasper led the three other kittens and they all curled up in a bundle and fell asleep on his lap.  Enough to melt anyone’s heart!

When it was finally time to bring them home, we were expecting a very noisy journey as they were leaving their mother, brother and sister.  However, they didn’t cry once.  They took it in turns to sleep, and while the other slept, one would sit up in the basket and look out at the world going by.  Upon arriving home, Odie appeared to be the leader and brave big brother; exploring everywhere first and then encouraging Jasper.  However, as they have grown, little Jasper has proven to be the intrepid explorer, being the first to be able to climb trees and explore other gardens.  Odie even now is much happier curled up at home on someone’s lap!

During their first spring outside, our pond kept them very busy catching and trying to play with all the frogs – we had a few lively presents left in the kitchen!  Much to Jasper and Odie’s disgust, we have since had to fill in the pond.  They now go visiting other ponds in the neighbourhood and sit and watch their frogs.

We have been so lucky with our two cats.  They are so friendly and loving, always waiting at the door for a cuddle when we get back.  They love being involved in whatever we are doing, whether it is sitting on the side of the bath trying to catch our toes or ‘helping’ with the gardening.

They have always had a close bond and this doesn’t seem to be lessening as they grow older.  In the evenings we often find them curled up together on our bed and even buried under the duvet cover with their heads peeping out.

We were initially a bit concerned about how they would get on with the cat living next door.  Teddy, an elderly ginger cat, was known for not liking other cats on his territory and we were all expecting a few fights.  However, from day one he appears to have been transfixed by them and they definitely adore him, even following him through his cat flap to see if he has better food options.  Luckily our neighbours are cat lovers and very understanding!

Jasper and Odie are becoming well-known in the neighbourhood as a twosome.  They have great fun chasing each other up and down trees and you know that wherever one is, the other is not far behind!

Back to Top

Daisy and Tilly

Daisy's and Tilly's new owners write:

We thought that you would like to know how we are getting on with Peggy and Doris.

We saw these two lovely cats 6 months ago after we lost our own cat whom we missed terribly.  We went to a lady with the Mere and Gillingham C.P. who fosters them for rehoming.  As soon as we saw them, we just wanted to take them home.

Six months on, they have settled in extremely well and are now called Tilly and Daisy.  They have settled in with our dogs and have the freedom to come in and go out during the day, although they prefer to use the kitchen window rather than the cat flap!  Daisy was fairly skinny when we first had her, but now she is a bit larger.  Tilly seems to be the more adventurous of the two, going out more often than Daisy, but we think that they have the nature of house cats.

They seem to get on well with each other - no-one knows if they are related.  Sometimes we think that they could be mother and daughter by the way that they behave!  The vet thinks that they are about 7 years old.  Daisy has only 4 teeth left, but that doesn't stop her from eating.

They are the 4th and 5th cats that we have homed and we wouldn't be without them both.  They have certainly made themselves at home on our farm!  Thank you for all the good work that you do.

Back to Top

Toffee and Murphy

Annie

Lucky

Lucky's owners have written to us about his progress since being rehomed. Here is what they have written:

Contrary to his name, Lucky had a very unlucky start to life. He came to the Mere & Gillingham Branch of Cats Protection as a four year old tabby and white boy who was starting to lose his fur as a result of an untreated flea allergy. How anyone could have neglected such a beautiful cat we'll never understand! We saw his picture and read his story on this website and it was love at first sight - we'd been looking for a cat for a while and he seemed to be just the one for us. He was very happy with his fosterer but was starting to find life in the pen a bit tiresome and we couldn't wait to get him home! As soon as we let him out of his pet carrier he claimed the front room as his own and looked really settled. He sat on our laps and purred really loudly and we took that to mean that he approved. He loves sitting and watching TV with us and really loves company - to the extent of sometimes following us into the shower...! The first time we let him out we stayed out with him and it was wonderful to see his little face light up and his nose twitch with all the new smells. He's made friends with the local cats now and his favourite past-time is rolling around in the mud and turning his white fur brown before bringing all the dirt into the house. Lucky has us well trained when his tummy rumbles (which is quite often) - the many tactics he uses to extract you from the bed include - jumping onto your tummy from nowhere, pawing the duvet with a very serious expression on his face, somehow managing to put all of his weight onto one paw and leaning on you, licking your face, purring in your ear - we can never resist and he always gets his way, sometimes as early as four in the morning! We're so pleased we stumbled across him on the internet and I think he really is Lucky now - but not as lucky as us!

Back to Top

Peaches

Peaches came to the Branch in January 2006, having lived in an unheated flat on her own. Although she was fed daily, that was all the attention she received.  Initially on arrival she wanted to live in a cupboard, but gradually she gained her confidence.   She was definitely a "people cat", following her Fosterer around all day and curling up on the bed beside her at night.  She was not interested in the other cats living with the Fosterer.  The Branch wanted to find an owner who would be at home most of the time, probably a retired couple.  Then her new owners turned up.  It was a match made in heaven - the husband worked from home and they adored Peaches.  On sight it was an ideal homing, but as this article demonstrates, working for Cats' Protection has it heartbreaking stories as well.

Peaches owners wrote to us as follows:

When we first saw Peaches, we knew she was the cat for us. Curled up on the sofa at the Mere & Gillingham CPL, she looked so beautiful with her white coat and splashes of orange. We agreed to take her there and then.

A couple of days later she was in our home, jumping on everything, checking all the nooks and crannies and making herself at home. In less than a week she had found those all important cat nap locations – the top of the stairs, in the airing cupboard, on our laps whilst we watched television and especially in the centre of our bed when night time came!

Yet to venture outside in her whole life, we took it slowly and introduced her to the great outdoors. She wouldn’t go far without company – we needed to be there for every step she took but it was a pleasure watching a previously house bound cat chasing leaves in the wind and hiding at the slightest of strange noises.

Then we noticed that her belly was getting a bit big and she was off her food. We took her to the vets and discovered that she had the horrible, fatal disease that is Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). The vet gave her 2 weeks to live. We brought her home and showered her with kisses and cuddles, knowing that life can be so unfair and that there as nothing we could do to fix it. We had only had her for 2 months.

Peaches was put to sleep on 13 April 2006 and although she is gone, she’ll never be forgotten. We at least know that the last months of her life were happy ones.  She was a good girl who, despite an unfortunate start in life, gave out lots of love.

RIP Peaches. XX

Back to Top

Chloe

Chloe was recently rehomed by the Branch. Her new owners have sent us this letter:

Well Chloe has settled in really well, but Phil and I are knackered! She is a bundle of energy wanting to play one minute, then a big soppy snuggler the next. I have fallen in love with her, and typically, Phil just lets her get away with everything and would rather spend time being licked/suckled to death rather than going to work.

We did have a worrying time with her on Monday night, but it is alright now. I took her to the vets for her inoculations and I have never seen so many teeth and claws on show before. Because she struggled so much, the vet managed to bend the first needle. Anyway she did manage the second time and we went home with a warning that Chloe might be a bit subdued because of the inoculation. She seemed fine until 10:00 pm and had been snoozing on the sofa for quite a while. However, when she got up I could see something was wrong. After going about 2 steps, she would hunker down, as if about to pounce, then seemed to be limping when she got up. I phoned the vet, and they said it was not symptomatic of an adverse reaction to the inoculations, but she may have wrenched something in her struggle earlier and made an appointment for her to be seen in the morning. We kept her in the hall overnight and I checked her every hour or so, when I found her still sitting on the same stair. Then at 5:00 am I was suddenly woken up with four paws landing on my tummy and a very happy, wide awake cat looking for someone to play with! I still don't really understand what the matter was, but she was able to heal herself at the end of the day.

Back to Top

Murphy

Murhpy was a small kitten who was a guest of Cats' Protection for several months. He was a very nervous little cat and terrified of strangers. Eventually he was rehomed and recently his new owner sent us this letter about him, plus his photograph.

Murphy had a great Christmas. I was really nervous as we had lots of family over for Christmas and I was not totally sure how he would cope. To my surprise he sat in the middle of the lounge, surrounded by nine people, and had great fun playing with everyone. All the family came with a gift for him - I have never seen a cat receive so many Christmas presents!

He has settled in really well with Macavity. Murphy receives great pleasure in having his daily wash from his big brother. They also love chasing each other around the house. Murphy does not hesitate to leap on top of Macavity. It certainly keeps Macavity young!

Inside the house Murphy is so confident but he certainly does not like the great outdoors. He takes one step outside then runs back indoors. I am certainly not going to let him out until he is ready.

Murphy has been vaccinated, neutered and microchipped.

Back to Top

Tinker

Tinker came to us following the death of his owner, who regarded him as the "apple of her eye" as she had always wanted a ginger cat. He was rehomed successfully in May 2005. Sadly, he was run-over and killed on Christmas Eve 2005. His owners have kindly sent us the following report about him.

Tinker came to join us in May 2005. We had been preparing anecdotes for this piece prior to his tragic accident on Christmas Eve and decided as a family we would still like you to know all about him. He gave us hours of pleasure and the house is now very quiet and empty.

Tinker soon settled in to life at his new home and truly lived up to the description of him on the Website - plenty of attitude and vocal – he would ‘talk’ all the time and was even heard to woof when spoken too! He was an inquisitive cat, able to open doors, as well as go in and under cupboards; one of his favorite tricks was to pull the kick board underneath the kitchen cupboards and hide underneath them.

He loved nothing better than to sleep on top of a wardrobe, hurtle up and down the stairs like a whirlwind and chase his tail around in circles; he couldn’t wait to get outside and explore.

When, after his settling in period, he had his inoculations and was microchipped, we allowed him his freedom. Disappearing to the local fields he often came home with gifts for us mice, shrews, birds and even a mole. He was always very pleased with himself, and proud of his achievements. Even if, sitting on top of the nesting box with baby Blue Tits inside, trying to get his paw through the entrance was not approved of by us.

Tinker loved to play and chase. His favorite toy was a soft mouse shape on a string which, if thrown ,he would fetch and bring back to you. In the last few months we really felt he had settled with us. He had become homely; he was loving and didn’t roam very far.

Back to Top

Shanty

Hi there. My name's Shanty. I was taken into the care of Cats' Protection after my previous owners ill-treated me and I was not allowed in the house. I lived with a Home Fosterer for a long time (I am fairly old), and learnt to enjoy life indoors, and the comforts of bed. I am affectionate, but am not a lap cat.

Eventually some very kind People heard about me and offered me a home. Since then, I’ve been meaning to let you know how I've been getting on.

First, let me tell you about my first evening with my new People. I travelled very quietly to my new home. When we reached it and I was let out of my basket, I shot up the stairs and disappeared under their bed. My new People went about their business and, from time to time, when they were near, came and talked quietly to me. After a very short time, I emerged from under the bed and settled on a window ledge – which has since become my favourite place in the house.

Now, there is a cat flap fitted to one of the doors. To prevent me getting out, my new People blocked up the flap by putting a board over it and wedged it in place using the litter tray. As the evening progressed I remained on my windowsill - and waited. Now I've learnt a few tricks in my time, so, while my People were watching TV in the sitting room, I sneaked quietly over to the cat flap, hauled the wooden board away from the door, hooked the ‘in’ flap towards me and escaped!

This caused great consternation. My new People both spent the next hour traipsing up and down the lane calling for me in the dark.  They waited by the cat flap, calling and rattling boxes and can openers. All in vain. At 10 pm they called off the search. At 11 pm, dejected and sad, they went to bed. At twenty past 11 I decided to put them out of their misery and came back inside the house, trotted up the stairs, and jumped onto the bed. I settled down between their feet and went to sleep. I've had a free run ever since.

Since that the first night, I've had some grief from the local thug, Seamus, who used to live here until his owner moved away 8 years ago. She tried to take him with her, but he always returned, and our neighbours took him in. Seamus has tried to bully me but I stand my ground with growing confidence.

Now that I've settled in I've become quite chatty. I'm still nervous that when I'm fed, I may be chased away from my food bowl. I'm not being paranoid you know; I've heard my People say that maybe they should chase me away as I'm getting a bit of a belly - whatever that means. In the meantime, I'm content enough with my morning windowsill, my afternoon windowsill and my night-time windowsill. In the evenings I like to spend time with my People on the sofa. I'm not a lap cat yet, but I like to be companionable, and they seem happy with that.

So, overall, I've settled in well and am very happy.

Back to Top

Trudie

Trudie was rehomed by the Branch some while ago. This is what her owners have written to us.

" No more cats" we said after our lovely cat of 7 years had to be put to sleep - the parting is too traumatic. But the house felt so empty that we gave in and called Mere & Gillingham Cats' Protection.

A black and white female cat of about 12 months, very pretty with lovely markings, had recently been handed over to the Branch. She had had three kittens (all of which are now rehomed) and was extremely thin, with loss of hair on her back legs tummy. She actually looked very odd (fortunately she cannot read this!) but we fell for her and knew that with a lot of TLC she would be fine.

She had quite extensive intestinal problems which took several weeks to sort out. She is on a special diet (expensive but she is worth it) and now has put on weight, regained her fur and is a happy and contented cat.

She is loving and loyal and plays with various toys - her favourite being an airflow golf ball. Endless fun is had with this and, if it goes out of her range, she carries it back to a more suitable position. She has a large garden to explore, but likes us to be out with her as she is still nervous of new sounds.

W are so happy that we have her and were able to offer us a home.

Back to Top

Tom and Tyler

Shortly after being rehomed, Tom and Tyler wrote to us about their new life. The letter read:

We are writing to you to thank you very much for looking after us while we waited for a new family, and to send you some pictures of us relaxing in our new home.

We are settling into our new home very well; we have been vaccinated and micro-chipped (in case we get lost) although we are very good and do not stray far from home. We have a large garden and a paddock to play in and enjoy going out to explore very much. Tyler loves to climb fences and trees and gets up on the first storey roof quite frequently. Tom is more reserved and less adventurous but loves being outside. We enjoy keeping our Mum company whilst she works in the garden. (One of her hobbies).

Our new Mum & Dad, Brother and Sister love us but our cat sister, Sybil, does not. She always growls and spits at us even though we try to be friends with her. Our Mum tells us to be respectful because she is 16 years old and has to have first choice of chair etc.

Love from Tom & Tyler. xx

R.I.P.

Tom wrote to us a short while ago with the following message:

As my brother and I are featured in your cat's tales I thought I must let you know that my beloved brother, Tyler, is no longer with us. Tyler was a larger than life character, always exploring and this led to his demise. He was investigating a hedge near our house when a car came along and startled him. He ran for home, unfortunately straight into the car and was killed outright. This happened in June and we are just coming to terms with his loss. I am now the Alpha Male in our household. We have since offered a home to a slightly tubby but beautiful lady called Misty. I thought Milly suited her better so she has a new home and a new name.

Back to Top

Milly

Milly, see Tom's note above, writes:

I am a very beautiful but shy lady with a gorgeous grey fur coat who at 6 years old needed a new home. I was very frightened when I was re-homed and spent two days under a bench in the garage only emerging for food or when coaxed by my new Mum. Four months on I am now sleeping on the bed, settee etc. although I am still nervous and run to hide when people first come into the house. I adore attention and love to sit by Mum in the conservatory or sitting room while she sews or reads. I have a slight weight problem, probably because I prefer the indoor life, although on a nice day I wander around the garden enjoying all the smells and goings on in the flower borders. I just want to say thank you to my Fosterer who cared for me whilst I awaited a new home. I was called Misty but now my new name is Milly; my family thought it suited me as it is a nice feminine name for such a beautiful girl as myself. I have a new brother, Tom, who looks after me and my very much older new sister Sybil.

Regards
Milly

Back to Top

Benny

Hello there! My name is Benny and, although I say it myself, I am a very handsome short haired dark-grey and white cat. According to the vet, I am a DSH (Domestic Short Hair). I am quite large, weighing in at around 14 lbs.

My present owners acquired me from the Mere & Gillingham Branch of Cats' Protection where I had been sent following an unfortunate incident with my previous owners' pet rabbit. Well, if people will keep live meals-on-legs, what is a cat to do?

I was very lucky when I was handed over to Cats' Protection. My new owners saw me within a few days of my arrival and liked me. So, within a fortnight I was living in my present home, a cottage on the edge of a village. The cottage has a large garden and there are lots of fields nearby.

I am a very good rodent hunter. On the other hand I do have a bit of trouble with next-door's lurcher.

Back to Top

George