Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Cat Report (W.1/23-13)


With the adoption of TAZU and the arrival of Mr. STIG, we have nine cats today. There's a hold sign on STACHE's cage; hope this comes through for her. Sorry sweet little Tayla's adoption didn't turn out.


It was a quiet day in the cat-room. The Stay-In Club (Mr. NIKO, newcomer STIG, EDNA, and LEMURA) were in their cages most of the day. Towards the later part of the morning, two of the four allowed me to lure or lift them out and place them atop nearby cat-stands; the other two stayed in all day.  The Out And About Club (LILLY and LOU, STACHE, TAYLA) enjoyed themselves atop various cat-stands or exploring. And PASCALE made up The Dash from Cage to Cage club all by herself.

No walks today (I offered, they declined), but we did have great success with the feathers-on-a-stick game using a peacock feather on a stick I'd picked up elsewhere Lilly & Lou came bounding out of their cage to pursue it, joined by little Tayla and also Stache.   Eventually everyone except Stig and Jane got into the act, some from within their cages (pawing at it as it swished by) and some dashing about the room after it. Cheri Lou in particular demonstrated that she knew all about feathers and their wicked ways and how to deal with them, while Mr. Niko demanded it come in his cage and be properly dealt with. The end result was that they demolished it with great glee over the course of the morning. Well worth it.

NIKO was expansive, welcoming attention and expressing entire satisfaction at being petted and having his fur combed (with fingers, not brush). He purred and generally was in a pleased mood. STIG (our new Siamese) is v. shy but gentle; he went from being afraid to being glad of attention to asking for more. Lifted him out onto a cat-stand so I cd clean his cage, which made him nervous but he toughed it out until his cage was ready again. LEMURA stayed in and dozed all morning -- not like her at all. We'd better keep a close eye on her; may not be well. JANE was her usual standoffish self, but when I started to clean her cage around her she suddenly expressed a wish to come out on her own and (with a little help) leapt onto her cat-stand, where she snoozed; think she liked it. She went back in at noon, at my urging but under her own power (I moved the stand near her cage to help her make it).

PASCALE is an interesting cat: she comes out on her own and enjoys exploring but wants a clear line of retreat back to the safety of her home base. She keeps searching for the perfect hiding place -- which now exists (the hollow inside the short new cat-stand on the bench with the blanket draped over its entrance) but which ironically is so well hidden she didn't find it. Eventually she moved into the Sister's cage and slept the rest of the morning away therein. She's shy about being petted when out of a cage and usually dashes off if I try, but she was definitely interested in the feather-game.

The dominant cats today were The Sisters (LILLY & LOU), little TAYLA, and STACHE. Between them they tried out various cat-stands in various positions and combinations, two went to the cage-tops (Tayla and Stache), while the Sisters enjoyed reigning supreme. Lilly (the grey one) and I had quite a petting session late in the morning, and Lou, the shyer of the two, seemed more confident today: think they're getting used to the cat-room and less afraid of being suddenly pounced on. Stache eventually wound up near the door, where she delighted in the ping-pong game, batting them about w. great enthusiasm. Tayla is a sweet little cat but doesn't like being held or laps. 


health concerns: there was throw-up in The Sisters' cage. 
   Also, Lemura (see above).

And that's about it for another week. We seem to be short of blankets (maybe because so many are draped over cat-stands?) so I brought some home to wash and will try to have them back tomorrow.


--John R.

P.S.: To put an image to these names, see the photographs of each of these cats at the Purrfect Pals site: http://www.purrfectpals.org/CatsByLocation.asp?fid=51

P.P.S.: Looking at the pictures of the various cats in the thirteen adoption rooms Purrfect Pals runs in addition to the main shelter up in Arlington, I discovered that Mr. ASHWYN is now up for adoption again, at the Kirkland PetCo. They have some nice pictures of him up at http://www.purrfectpals.org/RP_AdoptMe.asp?aid=12569 --though they don't fully convey what a Big cat he is. Feanor weighs the same (twenty pounds) but in person Ashwyn looks the bigger of the two. Maybe it's the hair. 

--JDR






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