A new "rescue" cat arrived yesterday! I'd told the Cat Protection people that I would still like to have two cats and if they found one that would be suitable to stay with Button then I'd be happy to have a go.Well yesterday I got an email with a photo of a recently rescued grey and white young male cat. Named by his fosterer "Hammond" (after Richard Hammond..... she thought she might have some trouble rehoming poor Clarkson.....). It seems the cat shelter folk are needing to rescue cats from a house where an elderly chap kept 40 (yes FORTY) of them. She said Hammond was very laid back, had just been neutered and would I be interested in him.
I'm not sure on what evidence they assessed him as being laid back but we're having a go anyway. Unfortunately I think he is just traumatised at the moment. In the last 24 hours he was trapped, taken to the vet, neutered, given injections, put in a cat cabin, then back into a box and sent on a loud noisy bouncy boat to me!
Button looked interested (in a good way) when I brought him into the house but they have yet to meet properly. I have renamed him Charlie Boy. However we have yet to get acquainted. I opened the door to his box and he just sat there. So I left the room and went back a few minutes later and he was on the windowsill. He growled when I approached so again I left him. He stayed on the windowsill till well after 11pm. I'd left him some food and several cosy warm spaces (old blankets etc) and this morning he'd eaten the food and was asleep in a box with a blanket.
Unfortunately I made the mistake of trying to get to know him and got a scratch on my hand for my pains. I retreated and so did he - to the shower cubicle where he has resolutely remained ever since (all day in fact).
I keep going in and talking to him, he has food, water, litter tray (which he *has* used), heating on, cosy spaces to sleep etc. So I shall just leave him to settle. He probably feels physically rough after being neutered, anaesthetic etc, not to mention the mental trauma! He is probably wondering where the other 39 cats are - sigh.
We shall just have to see how things go. The arrangement is, if he doesn't settle with Button, then he can go back to foster care. But I'd like to give him a chance!
So if anyone has any advice on dealing with traumatised kitties I'd be interested to hear it! The Cat Fosterer lady suggested Bach Flower Rescue Remedy - this is flower essence in brandy. I said I didn't have any here, but I'd maybe just take the brandy. There was the smallest of silences before she replied "I meant for the cat"....... I think he has enough of a hangover from the anaesthetic without giving him the brandy..... I'll keep that for myself I think.
So - watch out for more adventures with cats! Oh by the way - Jasper is happy in his new home. He is an "only" cat, but also has a dog for company which he really likes. Clearly he prefers canines to felines.
Charlie in the shower.....
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