Cat you later!

Today was our last day with the kittens (sob). We handed them back this afternoon. Before long they will be re-homed and filling lots of homes with joy. As sad as I am to say goodbye it was definitely time! Six kittens all the same age are bloody crazy. All six of them where running high speed throughout my flat playing with anything and everything (including using me as a climbing frame). They were the softest little girl cats I have ever petted. Their fur that is! My hands are covered in scratches from where they decided they didn't want to be cuddled any longer. I know, I know, I should let them come to me... but they were so adorable! I couldn't resist stealing lots of cuddles! I'm so glad I get to do this fostering thing, it's awesome meeting all these little personalities as they develop them. I'm sure they are gonna be awesome little pet cats. Now for an overload of cat pictures:

Climbing frame!

What a cheeky little pose! I love it.

I love this picture. No one can contain one kitten for long, never mind four!

It was so difficult coming home. Over the past four weeks it has become ingrained in me when I get into the flat to open the door carefully and to scan for kittens to avoid crushing them with the door, possible escape or accidental standing upon. There is no need anymore - sob! On the bright side the flat smells a hell of a lot nicer. I did try to keep on top of the cleaning whilst they were here but even with things clean seven cats in a small flat cause a smell.

On the journey back to the home the kittens had a wee accident, they did a meaty smelling little poo in their cage, lovely :p I'm just glad I didn't have to clean that up.

Despite some smells I loved having them. My favourite time was when they would get sleepy so you could get lots of cuddles in. At other times they were just manic running around wrestling with each other. I loved the sound of their little feet pounding along the floor (I bet my downstairs neighbour didn't though, serves her right for playing her music so loud mwa ha ha).

When James and I finally decide to settle down in one place we will defo adopt a cat... or two, from a re-homing centre. They really care for these guys and you get all their injections and get them neutered so it's worth it.

The Healing Properties of a Purr

I find it so frustrating I have went backwards in my recovery all because I tried to go back to work too soon. I really thought I was ready but I had fooled myself. I have gotten so bad that I cannot walk for very long again as I have a bizarre pressure in my lower back which becomes more pronounced. My numb leg becomes worse even just trying to go to the local shops and back. I also have some weird sensations in my 'good' leg. All in all it's sounding pretty bad. I have also become increasingly lethargic. Pretty much my body is saying - "calm down you fool and let me heal".

This would all be a recipe for falling into a funk but as luck would have it tomorrow I'm getting something awesome which will keep my spirits up. I'm getting to foster a mum and six kittens. YAY!

The lovely big chap I had been fostering was returned to the cattery on Tuesday. The idea was to give him more exposure onsite to find him a home. He has since been reserved :) Hopefully he will be in his new home soon.

He transformed from a big lethargic lump who slept in a box all day unless it was food or poop time - into a big 6 year old kitten. He was a massive 8.4kg and since slimmed down to 7.1kg on the day we returned him. He absolutely went nuts chasing after a red lazer dot and at times loved nothing more than to climb onto my lap for a cuddle.

He was the one that stuck by me the day my back went out that caused me to go off sick. We both may not be very photogenic in this picture but he definitely helped my spirits in one of my scariest pain filled days so far. This picture was after many painkillers so I wasn't in as much pain as I had been previously but I was unable to get up off of the bed:


He got to the stage where he wanted to be beside me at all times. Typically like many cats enjoying blocking it's owner from accessing their computer:

He even helped me in my quest to start up crochet again:

I'm gonna miss Gato but I am sure he is going to make someone an awesome cat. It will be better for him to be in a home where he can get outside too. I am excited to continue in my cat fostering journey and meet some new cool cats to keep this crazy cat lady from sinking into a black hole of depression cause she damaged her back.

I have recently read this awesome little comic by Justine Prado and Jenn St-Onge through Emet Comics called Finding Molly: An Adventure in Catsitting. They are currently promoting a Kickstarter campaign to help fund making their first volume and if they get to a certain amount they will also commence the second volume at the same time. The story is about a recent art school graduate who doesn't know what to do with her life and cannot find inspiration for her art. She falls into the roll of cat sitter and uses these experiences to make a humorous comic blog. It may be the crazy cat lady in me but I love this comic so far!

Chunky Mr Gato

So our most recent foster cat is the 5 year old chubby Mr Gato. He has been in our care for a couple of months now. It was decided to get him out of the cattery as he had started to withdraw from human affection and began over-grooming. In addition, he was an overweight cat that needed more room to move. It was decided he come to us until he gets a new forever home.

He is such a cute big fellow. Super cuddly at times (only when he decides he is in the mood). We have tried many things to keep him a happy cat. He is most fond of boxes but gets bored of them after a short while. Luckily we are doing the Hello Fresh thing so we get a new box each week. It must be the new smells but the new box quickly re-kindles his love of the cardboard castles again. Despite this he continues to over-groom. Not quite to the same extent and with the help of the vet we have tried a few things that haven't been completely successful yet. Hopefully he will get a new forever home soon where he is able to roam-free outside, I feel that is the element missing for him to become a happy cat.

His overweight issues are getting much better with the help of a special diet and encouraging him to play. Although getting him to leave the comfort of his cardboard castles can prove quite difficult most of the time. Even playing with dangly toys he prefers to jump for them from the comfort of the box! When we first got him his official weight was 8.1kg (one big kitty, so big in fact that the handle of his cat carrier cannot handle his significant size!) On our scales he measured 8.4kg, He is now a fantastic 7.5kg on our scales. What an amazing cat. Would defo get the biggest loser award in this house as James and I have fell off the wagon and back on the goodies again.

In the morning he is at his cutest (probably because he is a hungry monster at this time). He tends to come and lie on me and purr like a maddie. This lasts until his weight gets too much for me and I relent and get up to feed him. The best part is when he is so happy he sticks out his little tongue. The not so best part are the dribbles of slebbers that ensue because he is so happy and relaxed.

Gonna miss this chunky fellow once he finally goes but for his sake I hope it's soon. Our wee flat just isn't big and exciting enough to keep this guy amused. Also the fact that my back is dodgy doesn't help. If he needs to visit the vet again for any reason I am gonna have to wait for James to take him. Trying to carry that weight in the kitty carrier is just a recipe for disaster with my suspected slipped disc!