The Cat Report (W.4/9-14)

Not having been able to go in last week (thanks, Samm, for covering for me),  I had some catching up to do this week. Happy that poor shy Faye found a home all her own. I didn't get to meet Hans, who came and went in the meantime, but was delighted to make Mr. Neighbor's acquaintance (and just in time too; glad to hear he's now with his new people). And this morning I also got to meet Kaspar, as well as get to see our resident Three Black Cats: my pal Kaboodle, Mr. Scruffs, and Bouillabasse. 

Started off the morning with some walks, and discovered that Neighbors is a natural-born walker: brave, curious, and sociable. Kaspar also enjoyed his walk, but the other three didn't -- Bouillabasse was only out a little while, due to their being way too manydogs, big and small, about (I counted eight). Kaboodle was in-and-out, as was Mr. Scruffs -- who was so upset he wdn't let me take the leash and collar off, so he wore them for the next hour or so like an old school tie until he finally let me take them off. 

Kaspar's certainly a talker, who loves string games with a passion. Neighbors went wild over the laser pointer, getting so worked up he forgot to chase it but just tore around the room, occasionally remembering his prey and hunting it down again. Bouillabasse enjoys games too, but she hates to share, and wd interrupt a game to go hiss at Kaspar or Neighbor, just to show them it was her game and they were just onlookers getting in the way. I brought in some catnip bubbles, which fascinated the three younger cats (Neighbor, Kaspar, Bouillabasse), but since one of them knocked over the jar probably won't be doing that again for a while. The peacock feathers were welcomed by one and all; Kaboodle in particular enjoyed them over all other games. I put a catnip-laced box atop the cages which first Scruffs and then later Neighbor enjoyed. Trying to find ways to get Mr. Scruffs in a better mood: being up by himself atop the cabinet, with a modicum of catnip nearby, seems to come closest so far. Kaboodle was upset with me for making him go back in his cage: he clearly wanted to stay out up their atop his cage after all the others had gone in and have the room all to himself for a while, and I cdn't accommodate him on that for as long as he wanted. Maybe I shd let him and Scruffs out first next time, let them establish their territories, and then release the rest one by one. 

Even better would be for those folks who I now hear came in and placed a hold on Mr. Scruffs come back and follow-through on it. He deserves a place of his own after having waited, as patiently as he could, for all these months.

old times revisited: a woman came in who said she'd been the one who adopted Gizmo Doodad, whose name I remember but I've entirely forgotten what he looked like. Gizmo's owner showed me a picture: a big black cat, almost brown in the sun, as if he had a mane. We also had a woman visiting who said she'd adopted a cat from our cat-room about five years ago named SIDNEY HARBOR (now 'Harley'). That was before my time, though I'm glad to know he's doing well: anyone remember him? 

health concerns: Kaspar's chin looks like a bad case of cat acne: it almost looks like a five o'clock shadow. I did what I could, but it'll be a gradual process to get it all clean without making his chin sore. Think his ears might need a little work too, but they're not that bad.  Bouillabasse is cleaning herself up much better -- is it my imagination, or has she lost a little weight? And of course I have to sympathize with Kaspar's bald patches resulting in kind of cat-pattern baldness.

And that's about it for another week.

--John R.