I got to work nice and early, as I was about to open the store ... I heard a meow! I went to investigate and found a beautiful young black cat in our humane trap! And she loves cuddles! Neither shy nor aggressive towards humans. She looks so much like Mynx! Pitch black from her tail to the tip of her nose! And green eyes, just like Mynx!
One of the guys decided to take her home, but - as he has three dogs, who have never seen a cat, his parents said it would be a bad idea. So, I was called. I took her out of the make-shift box they had placed her in, to keep her in the office, rather than outside - and she cuddled and purred up a storm! She appears to be a shoulder cat, like Janey. She's happiest in my arms - no chance of putting her back in the box! Anyway, she had widdled in the box and refused to go back in there - with no means to cover it!
An appointment was made at Onderstepoort, the veterinarian training facility of Pretoria University, and off I went. My store-lady is back today and confident she can cope, so I'll take the rest of the day off to get new Mip on friendly terms with my mippies.
I put my hoodie on backwards and she curled up in the hood. She didn't enjoy the drive much, and would have preferred to be out, on my shoulder or somewhere, but I firmly held her in her place and - as long as I scratch her ears - she's quiet there.
At the vet's they got her a little box, and weighed her. Poor thing weighs only 1.8kg! Then she pooped in the box, all liquid, poor thing! The vet isn't sure of her age - as ferals are usually smaller, she could be anything from 3-6 months. They took some blood and tested her for leukemia and cat aids - I'm happy to report, both tests came back negative! Then she got her first batch of vaccinations. She's due back for a follow-up in a month and a final booster a month after that.
As they are not sure of her age, they couldn't book her for sterilisation, yet - but I'll make an appointment soon. I just checked, Janey went in March, when she was five months, so we'll see how old this one turns out to be at her next visit, hopefully!
At home, new mip crawled into the first box she could find and was investigated. First Ziva approached cautiously, though with bushy tail and hair standing up, sniffed near the box, growled and stalked off in a huff. Janey just went bushy and wouldn't go near her, Mewthos growled and bushed as well. But nobody attacked.
My mips ran away to watch from a safe distance while I opened a sachet, put food into each of their bowls - which they ignored - then put food in a bowl for new mip, which I then placed inside the shelf under the sink, where she had retreated. After she had eaten, I pulled her out and placed her in the litter box. She sniffed around a bit, then dug a hole and dropped a load. Still soft, but no longer liquid! From there, I picked her up again and showed her the water fountain - but she wasn't thirsty. She went back under the sink and curled up to nap.
She answers when I talk to her, and purrs up a storm, but she's tired, so I'm letting her sleep. I decided to let my mips outside, I don't want them to feel punished - or associated anything negative with the arrival of our new family member. I went and watered the garden, then sat outside for a while.
I come inside to check no our new mip, always the same: answering mip, purr engine on full throttle, get up, look at me, then curl up again. Happy! I had opened a second sachet, gave some into each mip bowl - which none of them have even looked at, yet - and gave more to her. She ate some more, but is clearly full now. I also re-filled the FIT 32 dispenser - which my mippies also ignored. Sigh. I think I'll get another bag of the kitten kibbles. Mine no longer like it, but new mip should enjoy it. I'll also get a tray of the cans - my mippes still go crazy over that, so it'll be a nice association.
I started the bread maker, no reason I should wait now. And I'm somewhat tired, too - not sure whether I might join mippie for a nap! Only ... I can't do that! My mippies are shut out - I can't risk new mip getting out, yet. And my mips aren't coming in, so ...
Still, not a good idea to sleep in the afternoon, I might have trouble sleeping through the night. And I also cannot let my mippies feel shut out, so I should get to the door when they mip outside.
Okay, so far, my mips are still sulking. We're not making friends with new mip, we growl and hiss at her. This is going to be an interesting night! And I haven't seen Mewthos in ages! Sigh.
I've spent a lot of the afternoon with new mip sleeping in my arms - she is just too cute to let her sleep alone! I've even taken her outside so I could have a smoke. She gets somewhat restless, so I take her to the litter box and she drops another plop plop plop. Getting more solid every time, I'm happy to report.
She's now sleeping the the armchair! Janey came inside, had a look and stalked off in a huff - but no hissing nor growling, this time! As I said, it will be an interesting night! I'll update y'all tomorrow!
At home, new mip crawled into the first box she could find and was investigated. First Ziva approached cautiously, though with bushy tail and hair standing up, sniffed near the box, growled and stalked off in a huff. Janey just went bushy and wouldn't go near her, Mewthos growled and bushed as well. But nobody attacked.
My mips ran away to watch from a safe distance while I opened a sachet, put food into each of their bowls - which they ignored - then put food in a bowl for new mip, which I then placed inside the shelf under the sink, where she had retreated. After she had eaten, I pulled her out and placed her in the litter box. She sniffed around a bit, then dug a hole and dropped a load. Still soft, but no longer liquid! From there, I picked her up again and showed her the water fountain - but she wasn't thirsty. She went back under the sink and curled up to nap.
She answers when I talk to her, and purrs up a storm, but she's tired, so I'm letting her sleep. I decided to let my mips outside, I don't want them to feel punished - or associated anything negative with the arrival of our new family member. I went and watered the garden, then sat outside for a while.
I come inside to check no our new mip, always the same: answering mip, purr engine on full throttle, get up, look at me, then curl up again. Happy! I had opened a second sachet, gave some into each mip bowl - which none of them have even looked at, yet - and gave more to her. She ate some more, but is clearly full now. I also re-filled the FIT 32 dispenser - which my mippies also ignored. Sigh. I think I'll get another bag of the kitten kibbles. Mine no longer like it, but new mip should enjoy it. I'll also get a tray of the cans - my mippes still go crazy over that, so it'll be a nice association.
I started the bread maker, no reason I should wait now. And I'm somewhat tired, too - not sure whether I might join mippie for a nap! Only ... I can't do that! My mippies are shut out - I can't risk new mip getting out, yet. And my mips aren't coming in, so ...
Still, not a good idea to sleep in the afternoon, I might have trouble sleeping through the night. And I also cannot let my mippies feel shut out, so I should get to the door when they mip outside.
Okay, so far, my mips are still sulking. We're not making friends with new mip, we growl and hiss at her. This is going to be an interesting night! And I haven't seen Mewthos in ages! Sigh.
I've spent a lot of the afternoon with new mip sleeping in my arms - she is just too cute to let her sleep alone! I've even taken her outside so I could have a smoke. She gets somewhat restless, so I take her to the litter box and she drops another plop plop plop. Getting more solid every time, I'm happy to report.
She's now sleeping the the armchair! Janey came inside, had a look and stalked off in a huff - but no hissing nor growling, this time! As I said, it will be an interesting night! I'll update y'all tomorrow!
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