What a month for adoptions it's been. Sweet little Pepe and sassy Bentley, and before that Annette's turn come at last, and before that Spidge, and then Runa after waiting so long, not to mention in-and-out in a flash Chipotle plus Hilo and Ducky. And off-site alumni like Luna and Mr. Ashwyn. It feels good to have so many happy endings in such a short time.
With all this adoption activity, we're down to four cats: ZIPPY ZOE, SCRAPPY, MONDO MAX and SHORTY. Which means everyone has room to come out of their cages and explore a bit without crowding each other. I know it can't last for long, but the cats sure are enjoying it while they can.
We started off the day with a walk for Zoe, who didn't enjoy being out much but did enjoy lots of attention once we were back in the room. What she loves best of all is a massage along her back, combining petting and back-scratching and lots of attention. I even gave her a quick towel-bath, running a damp cloth along her back and sides to get loose fur off. She also enjoyed her string game and the gopher game. She's quite interested in the laser pointer but disinclined to get up and chase it once she's in her favorite comfy spot atop the cat-stand near the door. Don't know what her original home was like before she was found as a stray, but she clearly wasn't a stray for long, given how she loves to alternate between getting lots of attention and sitting on her own in the high place of her choosing. Hope she finds a good home soon.
The ironically named Scruffy, who's always careful to keep his fluffy fur well-groomed, declined a walk (just putting the leash on upset him, so decided to call the whole thing off). He did enjoy the laser game, and the string game (at one point he and Zoe were tugging on different ends of the same string). He accepted some petting but mostly wanted to enjoy hanging out near the door on his own.
Mondo Max got his medicine, thanks to Cher's dropping by and her skill at pill-delivery. He was very active today, prowling quite a lot. Doesn't seem to be a cuddler, or maybe I'm just catching him at the wrong time. He does love his catnip. He picked on Scruffy a little, which I just chalked up to dominance games. He was up on the cagetops some but didn't really settle up there. I'd brought in a cardboard box thinking he might enjoy it, but instead he territorially marked it (or so my cats informed me when I got it back home), so don't think I'll try that again.
And that just leaves shy Shorty, who lay low most of the morning. She did come out and explore when she thought no one was looking, but spent most of her time in her own cage. She welcomed being petted, so long as it was in her safe zone. She also allowed me to pick her up when it was time to cage-clean: I put her in one of the baskets on the bench and her brother in the other facing her, and she accepted this and stayed there until end of my shift, when I broke out the spoonful of wet catfood apiece. Since there were so few cats, and it was holiday season, I gave them each two spoonfuls, which pleased them greatly.
We did have some onlookers and one couple who were clearly in the early stage of looking for a new cat; suspect they'll be back again.
And that's about it for Wednesday.
--John R.
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