Thursday, January 7, 2016

The things we do

so the cat is happy!


This is Neesa.  I know, a sweetie, hey?  Well, yes and no.  Neesa had a really bad start in life, I took her at 4 weeks from the people who had her and her mother and sister. Four weeks is really too young for a kitten to leave it's mother, but Neesa was so cruelly treated I didn't feel I had any option. If I could've, I would've taken her sister and mother as well, but the little girl who lived there refused to let them go.  Watching this same little girl smack and shake, choke,squeeze, poke sticks into and throw those poor babies was heartbreaking, and more so because her mother stood by and watched. The child became even more cruel if I tried to stop her, and when I suggested taking the other kitten, she squeezed her so tight her little eyes popped, so I grabbed Neesa and ran, hating to leave her sister and her mum behind. I did go back the next week, hoping the mum might hand over the others when the child was at school, but they'd been living in a caravan in a friend's yard and sadly, had moved on).

Neesa's 5 now, and has settled well into our home with 2 older cats already here, and luckily they all tolerate each other, and then attached herself to Mirrhi when she joined the household 4 years ago. Neesa's very affectionate to me, but hates to be picked up or held.  Memories I think of other hands that held too tight, poked and teased.  So I don't pick her up, and she comes to me for a pat and a smooch, but is very ready to use claw and teeth if she feels you've overstayed your welcome. She's a fierce one, this girl, and I love her to bits!

Lately she's decided my worktable's the place to sleep,  it's nice and high, catches the breeze and if she stays awake long enough, she can watch the birds out the window.  I left her there because cats are fickle, give her a day or so and she'll find another place to nap, ......not so, 5 days later and she's still there, and I wanted to use my table. I tried gently moving her along to the end, but she was having none of that, and would move straight back into the middle, snapping and snarling. It wasn't worth it to keep moving her, she was getting so angry and  upset and I was getting worried for my safety, and as I quite like her (slumbering) company, a plan B to keep both of us happy needed to be hatched.

So, a stool up on the table, a doubled cloth, because a kitty has to be comfortable...and then all that was needed was the cat.  At great risk to hands and arms, I quickly scooped her up and placed her on her new bed, with all digits surviving intact, no scratches anywhere and best of all, no teeth firmly embedded in my flesh. After a good deal of growling and hissing she had a wash and settled down.
Not the happiest !
Everyone's happy....cat has a comfy place to sleep, up high, and I can use my worktable at last.

 Well, not entirely happy, that's a very displeased back she's showing me, and the madly swishing  tail says it all!

Oh well, back to my F2F block making now with a table all to myself.

10 comments:

  1. LOL
    what a cutie & what a sad beginning! but aren't they just such characters? she is beautiful in her black & white suit too.
    at least both of you sort of came to an understanding in the end
    i had tears & then a good laugh, cats are just such good company, regardless of their moods
    glad you won back your table too
    thanx for sharing

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    1. I had a few tears too, writing it, remembering what that little scrap went through. But if she feels safe, and is given her space she's a delightful little imp.

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  2. An ingenious solution!
    How awful for you to have seen the cruel way those other kittens were being treated. What is the matter with people? No wonder she's a bit cranky. As you know, we took a litter in at 4 weeks as the mother is semi-feral and we wanted them to have a better chance of being adopted. However, they all have lovely natures - probably due to the fact they didn't have any nasty experiences before being socialised and you can pick them up, rub your face in their fur and kiss them (if you want to) without fear of retribution! I only have two of them now but I assume the two I re-homed are the same. I'm glad you have your space back - nothing worse than not being able to get to your work table when the crafting mood is upon you.

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    1. I can put my face close to her, and I give her kisses....quick ones .....she grooms me, and has never 'had a go' when I do that. I sometimes half wake in the night and she's sitting next to me, giving me a wash. I see my others, a mother and daughter, grooming each other, so I think it's Neesa's way of showing her attachment and affection for me. It just seems to be the holding that sets her off, or if she thinks I'm following her....I'm not, just want to go the same way she's going. Seems the new arrangement is working, she had her breakfast and went to the loo, and came racing back in and straight up on her high perch..I had wondered if she'd go back to laying on the table, but no.

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  3. Oh yes, the things we do! Poor kitty though Nanette - thank goodness you saved her. [I feel sick for the child though, allowed to behave like that who knows what she will grow up to be!] It looks as if Neesa is prepared to give her new spot a good try though - she stayed there despite informing you she was less than delighted. Orlando lived on top of the fridge for the first year Siddy was here and really only came down when I moved the fridge and made it inaccessible ....... He wasn't best pleased but eventually got on with things and lives again on the floor like the rest of us :-)

    I think your solution is very creative - I hope it works out for you both!

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    1. The family I got her from lived in a caravan, they had ferrets and birds as well, can you imagine being shut up in there !? From the other smell that drifted out and the mother's glazed look, I think there was some 'other substance' use going on. But I agree, that little girl has a hard time ahead of her. My solution seems to be workng, she went back up on her 'perch' after her dinner last night, and is there now. In fact, seems to take great delight in leaping from floor to stool in one go. Poor Orlando, living on the fridge, they do hate their routines to change, although after giving Mirrhi a couple of good smacks when she first came, Neesa soon adored her, and they are the best of friends.

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  4. That's a dreadful story and one I recognise from my cat rescue days. I'm pretty sure Harvy's back leg cruciate ligament was actually from an injury after being manhandled by the 2 kids the folks had.
    The cock n bull story the folks came out with was one much like Ive heard before, so I just said Id home him and so they could leave him and go.
    And Hilly, well you know how long I waited for her to trust me enough lol
    Being higher up like that gives her an advantage if you think about it. She may well feel safer up there 'just in case' and shes close to you, and your her security of course.

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  5. Yes, I've seen a lot of it too, as a cat foster carer. My older too were rescued as well from an abusive situation, and as i knew they'd never cope with the trial of an adoptive situation, I kept them. They're mother and daughter, so had each other in those early days, and like your Hilly, after 6 years have only just begun to trust. I thought of all the things you've mentioned about Neesa, security, near to me etc, which is why I wanted a gentle solution that suited both of us....she's pretty happy up on her perch. When I move I'll be putting in shelves just for the cats...

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  6. Cats do love to be up high, and I'd guess that the grumpy face was just for show, because she'd been thwarted. Poor girl, what a bumpy start to life. She's lucky you came along, and it sounds as if she does her best to show you appreciation despite her dislike of being handled.

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    1. The higher the better usually. Not sure this girl does anything for show, she's pretty serious about standing her ground and letting her displeasure be felt! We rub along very well together, and letting animals be who they need to be is a big part of having them...I did want a snuggly cuddly kitten, but this one needed me more.

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