New paintings and regular art updates.
That ppaw came out and touched my arm! He’s purring, eyes closed and allowing me to stroke him. Ideally I’d like to get him down the vets to check him over, but I don’t think he’d play and he’s a much bigger cat then my boy and girl… At least he should be safe over winter….
Oops the outdoor boy is sitting in my indoor boys favourite spot on hubby’s chair. He is getting his paws under the table. Indoor boy is sitting by the halogen heater trying to ignore the situation, but I know his nose is out of joint… (it’s been three days since he sat on me, he’s more distant, especially when outdoor boy wants to have some love.) Now I need to make sure they are all happy. The outdoor cat will probably stay a while, get warm, then go back outside. They are all well fed and indoor girl is on her bed upstairs…. Cats, it’s like watching a soap opera… ‘get orf my chair kitty’ ‘why are you lettingbhim sit there, hooman?’
Talking to a friend about our outdoor cat I explained that he’s generally in our garden which is about the size of two terraced houses and their yards…. There are lots of other cats about that come and go (I fear for the bird population but they have plenty of cover). There’s a shed and a summerhouse, two cat beds and cushions. He’s a big cat, twice the size of my other two, well-groomed. Tidy, but not a dominant cat which is why I think they can integrate…
He comes in and sleeps sometimes but he’d found a space on the settee and now the indoor boy cat sleeps there. I will have to find him a new space, it all seems to be about territory. I also think he gets too hot when we have our heating on. He will eat, then mooch over to the back door and yowl to be let out… Such is the life of an abandoned out door cat, we want to love and care for him, but he hadn’t made his mind up fully about us.
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He came in, asked for a love, sniffed our boy cat. Thought about getting on my lap. Then he walked over to the settee, kicked a toy mouse for about thirty seconds (holding it with his forepaws, kicking with his back legs), then his eyes closed and he gel fast asleep!
Meanwhile my boy cat watched proceedings but remained inside a cardboard box we’ve given him to curl up in. The girl cat is lying over the radiator on her cat tree.. What happens next?
Bad word… Fleas. My poor cat is allergic to them and sadly because we have been letting the outdoor cat in he’s been affected by them. So I took him to the vets and he’s had to have a steroid injections and a course of tablets. Now I’ve come home with a new flea treatment that works better than the one I’ve been using for the last couple of years. I’ve also got a treatment for the outdoor cat. So fingers crossed. Meanwhile my boy cat has got to wear this cone of shame, and it’s not his fault, it’s nothings fault…
Outdoor cat is in again. In fact he’s been in three times today. Mainly to avoid the noise of fireworks 🎇 going off.
He will sit on the settee for an hour then mooch back off to the backdoor, to be let out. He’s also eating in the kitchen now. In the past he was eating in the shed, then by the back door. Eventually he started eating inside the back door with the door open… Now, inside. Next thing I want to do is get him a strong flea collar. He’s worn collars in the past so it should be OK.
Tonight there is more progress, he actually played with a cat toy for a few minutes, then came over to be petted by both of us and purred loudly. I’m glad he’s ‘playing nicely’ he’s twice the size of my other cats. I want no squabbles. So I’ll stay up till he wants out again, just to ensure my other two are OK.
Bang! Crash! Flash!
It’s not bonfire night and yet fireworks are going off all over the place tonight! Don’t know why but it sounds horrendous. When I opened the back door to let the cat in he didn’t want to come in though. He’s a tough outdoor cat. He prefers being outside. So I gave him extra food. I keep going to the door and calling him, that wsy if he does decide he wants to be in I can let him in….. I’ll put him some more food out later…. At least the whiz bang crashes seem to have settled down now!
Cats heat bathing. But this isn’t our indoor cats, it’s one indoor and one outdoor one. The outdoor cat has been in half an hour. He usually stays that long, then I think he gets too hot and goes and yowls by the back door, ready to go back outside. In fact that’s exactly what he’s just done. Walked to the back door and mroowl, that’s it. So I let him back out. His introduction has to be on his terms. My boy indoor cat is sniffing where he was sitting. Luckily he’s on a flea treatment so everything should be fine and as mine are inoculated means they should be safe.
It’s starting, the transformation. Our outdoor cat is coming in for meals, sniffing noses with the other cats. He then yowls to be let out. But at least he can get warm if he wants. The others, indoor cats, are tolerating him. I think they need to start going out but I’m worried they will get lost. It all takes time.
In fact the outdoor cat has started rubbing round my legs and accepting a head scratch. He’s off again now, put into the night, but he had a shed he can sleep in. A cat bed, and an old jacket for warmth.
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The outside cat continues to patrol the garden, curling up, cozy, at night in the shed. He gets treats and extra food. He is warm and snug, and he is enjoying the early spring sunshine.
Our two indoor cats are well. One has retreated upstairs now the sun is coming in more, I find him curled up on the windowledge or asleep on the bed. The female comes downstairs for love. But she is enjoying the spring heat too. They have plenty of food and water. To be honest, I think they are self isolating from us. Keeping out of the way to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. We’ve never been around so much!
