On Holiday

I told Bujang I was going on holiday for the week. He kept looking at me with his eyes narrowed every time I go out and when I am late back, he would yell the house down. He would only be still once I am in the house. I guess grandma would be in for more yelling next week. Poor Bujang and grandma! Its either I give up going on holiday or I go on holiday more often to get him used to me not being in the house. ;)

I packed my stuff yesterday and Bujang insisted on sitting in the bag and inspected every item in it. So I left the bag open all of today so he would be able to sit in the bag as much as he wanted. We played with Da Bird for about 40 minutes before I decided I should at least update my blog before I go.

I have not yet managed to keep his exercise to short bouts of 15 minutes each. His diet is going well and although he yells and tries to cajole grandma to feed him more, she has kept firm and has succeeded in keeping to the plan. It is not a very strict diet and I did not portion drastic measures. He is just missing about 10 to 15 pieces of kibble in his daily food intake. He eats 2 teaspoonfuls of canned food instead of 3. I am starting very slowly.

Dinner at the Wild Bunch

Calico Mom looking fed and fat

FatBoy grooming after a BIG fish dinner

Little Calico daintily eating sardines in prawn jelly

Screaming Banshee - a dark shadow

As I fed the Wild Bunch, I told them that they had to eat as much as they can as I won't be able to feed them all of next week. I would be on holiday. They just looked at me calmly and ate their dinner slowly. I guess there is nothing to be done. I wrote a note for the old aunty and pasted it on her letterbox this afternoon but when I went to feed the Wild Bunch their dinner, the letter was still there.

I succeeded in cleaning up SB's fur more thoroughly tonight. She stood still and allowed me to turn her about. She may not be all that wild as she was quite docile. Maybe she was abandoned by someone. The other 3 would not let me near them with a wet towel, especially Little Calico. So my guess is if any one of them was abandoned, then my bet would be on SB. However I had to trick her into letting me go as she refused to let me leave. I tried giving her some kibble and make a fast exit but she got suspicious :) So I pretended to go up the stairs like I always do when going to feed FB. I made a quick turn to the right, and went down the stairs again to go home. I fed Little Calico her last spoonful of kibble before saying goodbye.

Screaming Banshee

Are you for real?

A close-up of a banshee

Some good news for me about Screaming Banshee :) It seems that the man who wanted to help relocate her (I shall now refer to him as THE MAN) said that he had seen SB defecating on the grass patch near the carpark. Thank god for small mercies! I never knew I would be so thankful for such a thing in my life. Apart from his fondness for email THE MAN might be helpful also. I do not know yet what his actual motives are apart from the one that he said about wanting to help SB as he had seen me feeding her as well as the rest of the Wild Bunch. But for now, I am quite happy to hear this piece of news. As THE MAN is a cab driver, I suppose he would be up and about at all hours. I shall just take it at face value for now.

Some ups and downs for the Wild Bunch

Can we talk of something else but diet..oh..its about SB. Ok then.

Yesterday FB came to look for me at my void deck at about 7.30 am. This may mean no one has fed him on Thursday night. As I had to go for training, I only got home late and did not feed the Wild Bunch. *sigh* I wonder what the old aunty is doing about feeding her cats! It was lucky that I got out of the lift at that time to go to a workshop so I fed him some kibble from my bag as I always bring cat food wherever I go, just in case one of the Wild Bunch comes looking for me for food or I see some hungry kitty some place else.

But this entry is about SB. :)

I fed the Wild Bunch as usual eventhough it was not my duty for feeding. I figured as long as I can feed them I will, no matter what day as I am still unsure about the old aunty's schedule. The Calico Mom has a delicate stomach and could not eat the food that FB ate - Sardines and Chunky Chicken. She vomitted the whole thing. So after I cleaned up after her, I fed her some Salmon Dinner. Salmon Dinner is a pate and she ate 3/4 of the food so I think I will stock up on that just for Calico Mom. I had noticed for some time that she likes this one very much.

But this entry is supposed to be about SB. :)

OK. SB has had a change of heart when it comes to me. Yesterday after her 2nd dinner (she eats quite a lot for such a small-sized cat) I decided to put some Frontline on the nape of her neck. The first time I did it, she was so startled and meowed at me furiously as she raced up the stairs. Yesterday, she actually stayed quite still so I can put the Frontline on the nape of her neck and so I decided to rub the lotion close to her skin so it would be effective. She actually did not try to escape nor bite me and was very docile-much more than the amigos who would try to get free.

Then I decided that I should try to clean her up a little. As I did not have any pet wipes, I wiped her down using some wet wipes that I always bring to clean up after the Wild Bunch. Whah! She actually allowed me to wipe her whole face and body. She was very dirty from the oil and dirt. I used 3 large wet wipes and got out some of the dirt off her. I think tonight I will bring the pet wipes and try to get off some more of the dirt. At least now I can look at her scabs and sores. They are all old ones and healed already. I should bring some antiseptic anyway and see if she needs it.

Btw I saw another black cat hanging around the estate. The man (who wanted to relocate SB) told me that he had seen a black male cat who comes out at midnight and tries to mate with the Wild Bunch. But the Wild Bunch are all neutered except for SB and she is a fiery one to begin with. Of course I am not saying that just because they are neutered, they have lost the instinct to mate but this black cat is not part of the Gang of Four. At first I thought I was imagining the cat but not so. He is a big cat, the size of FB or Bujang and he was sitting on the walkway. Even FB was a trifle nervous when I gave him his dinner. He kept looking over his shoulders. :X (I did not see it for myself but I assumed it was a male cat from the email) His ears are not clipped so I do not know if he is a community cat, an abandonee or someone's roaming pet cat.

On a nicer note. Yesterday as I was in a cab nearing home, I saw 2 girls at my void deck, walking their cat on a leash. :) It was a large black and white cat. But they had attached the leash to the collar. Before I could talk to them about it, they had disappeared. I wanted to ask them if they wanted one of the amigos's harnesses so they can walk their cat in a much safer way - for the cat as well as for them as the cat looks very strong and could steak off at any minute.

My Fat Cat

No...I am NOT fat...I am just cuddly....

I am getting a little worried about Bujang's weight although I have not weighed him yet but by casual observation..aiyah...he is a FAt cat. I had put him on a diet before and it was quite successful as he had a nice waist (observation from top view, as recommended by most books, if you can't weigh your cat). But now even that slender waist is gone due to the confusion in how much to feed him, sympathy for his calls and inactivity.

One sure way of failing to keep him in check is if grandma gives in to his plaintive calls for food and of course I am also at fault for giving him too many treats. So all that has to stop. He and the other cats, are now on a regimen of a more strict diet.

This book My Fat Cat by Martha Gravey and Deborah Greco.D.V.M Ph.D recommends a regimen of strict diet and play. It seems I have to weigh him (alamak) and then see his daily requirement needs. Then what I need to do is to put him on a strict diet of only 3/4 of what he needs for several weeks until he is down to his ideal weight. I can of cos feed him 3 or 4 times during the day until the 3/4 feed for the day then STOP. She says the cat would meow, nag, cajole you to feed him more but you must not succumb.

Then when he is at his idea weight, gradually increase the food until his daily requirement needs for maintainance. Sounds plausible. It seems she has done a study on 60 cats (that is all they had space for) and the owners were very successful with their cats. One cat was even 29 pounds! And he slimmed down remarkably well and is now a jumping sleek cat. The owners also slimmed down lah :) So there may be a silver lining someplace there for me also.

Activity she recommends is not a long one hour of constant actrivity but to break the play sessions to 3 or 4 times during the day so the cat is not bored (and then eat) but it would fire up the metabolism rate and of course she highly recommends playing with the cat. There is nothing as exciting for the cat as when the person plays with it. I know this for sure lah. The amigos will play much more enthusiastically if I play with them and since they have learnt to take turns, they each get an almost equal share of the attention, unless one decides to wrest the toy from the other. Toro has been wresting the toy away from the kitties as he is now sans woolly fur and flies through the air like a supercat. :) Since Toro is also putting on weight, it is a good thing.

I have tried to play with them in short bouts but of course can do much better. At this moment, I am trying to tell grandma how to fix the amigos food ration. Since there is no way the amigos can get food seperately 3 times a day, they will just have to eat from a common bowl of kibble for the day.

Finally I hope to get down to feeding only twice a day. I think this is a long-term plan that will go until next year. I am supposed to keep a diary of food and play but have not yet gotten down to writing that down :)

Toro's Makeover

BEFORE- The Shaggy Look ala Raccoon in the early part of the morning

AFTER- Clean Lines for the afternoon

BEFORE- The Wooly Look for those cold nights

AFTER- for the catwalks of Singapore - complete with tail in the air...

Sleek lines for all seasons

Today was grooming day for Totoro. He complained loudly in the cab going to the groomers so I had to talk to him all the way to EP. In the middle of the journey, he calmed down and looked at passing scenery. He behaved very well at the groomers as it was a quiet morning and allowed her to shave him close. This time the groomer did a better job as his coat was cut close to his skin and his tail was triimed very well. So was his face. At least this time, his face was more symmetrical and the hair in his ears were intact. He looked very handsome indeed so I bought him a new blue collar with colourful beading to celebrate and will put it on him tomorrow.

A good morning

I had a furry nice time this morning with the rest offur kitties. We went outside and I saw some ants. You can't see them as theirr arre small but I am a cat....I see effurything....

I had a good time this morning. It was furry quiet and san brought out her mat. I sat close to her to keep her company and to see that no one disturbs us. Effurrything went well cos we are the Home Team! :))

MEOOOWWW! Grandma, come outside and stop the housework.

We help grandma in her 'garden'

Hmmm...pandan leaves...smell good...

...curry leaves smell better than pandan leaves....

Btw...no mosquitoes! Good work grandma

The NEA has their job cut out for them. The boys are here helping grandma lookout for mosquitoes. Toro and Bujang gave grandma the green light.

A rare moment

I thought Bujang was going to give Ms Akira the paw! She came up to him and put her face close to his face and like lightning, Bujang stopped her from going any further by placing his big paw on her head. Then to my surprise he started to groom her quickly before he got distracted by other noises in the mroning. :)

Sometime when he has enough of grooming or scritches, he would also place his paw (without claws) on my hand to stop me. At least he doesn't use his teeth!

Come out! Come out!

We are half-siamese if you please...

But we don't mind you joining us this morning.

Toro got a little spooked when he saw our neighbour walking towards him and scrambled inside the house. The other 2 just sat on my mat and looked at him. I wonder what all of them were thinking at that moment!

How much is that cat in the window?

What's this?

Doesn't smell like anything I know...

It's my turn at the window....

Oh oh..what's this?

We are not for sale san!

Bujang and Ms Akira had a second look at the outside from their cat tree. I thought they would appreciate looking at where they had just been. I know they always enjoy their time on this cat tree when the windows and grills are open. Toro has not yet gotten the hang of things and so he just sat near the door grills.

Turtles? What are turtles?

Errr..what are they?

Ms Akira was very curious about the cloth turtles. She has been trying to paw at them from the window but it surprises me that she shows no interest in them when she is outside and could touch them more easily.

Aftermath

A family that cleans together...

stays together...
...THE END...
:)

Food for thought

The amigos had a quiet day today as it threatened to rain in the morning and then rained in the evening. So they didn't get to go along the corridor at all. When i came back from the bookstore, Bujang meowed but i told him the park would be wet and he didn't like the wet anyway! I bought a book on how to put your cat on a diet. It's called Fat Cat. I have to bring Bujang for his annual vaccination on the 23rd of Dec and am nervous at what the vet would say about his weight :O

But he is alert and played quite boisterously today until Toro and Akira got so fed up that they tried to wrest the toy from him. Of course Bujang being bigger gave them no chance but if they got the lure first, he would usually wait patiently for his turn. :) Toro has learnt to take turns already and so the kitties gave him some time with the toy. and would watch when he takes his turn at jumping at it.

I met the man who wanted to relocate SB when I came home from the store. he understood that I had to get SB to the vet before anything else although he told me I should not spend so much money on such a 'dirty' cat. Aiyoh! I always have to breathe deeply when I hear people call her a 'dirty' cat. I tried to tell him its because she may have mites and since she has been scratching, that was why tufts of hair are missing and she has some sores, already healed.

He told me that there are no caregivers at Jurong Fishery but the men would usually give the cats some of the catch and 'there are many cats'! So I told him that it is important to see the vet so at least she could be protected and would not get sick all by herself, if we have to relocate her. I wonder if its possible to neuter, give her an injection for mites and vaccinate her at the same time?

The man told me she was spayed but she has no clip ear. He said she was very fierce and would not allow herself to be mounted by the tomcats (I do not know from where these Toms appear). Surely THAT is no proof that she has been spayed. Its just that she knows how to take care of herself. At least that is what I think.

Wild Bunch on Sunday

I was glad I managed to feed the Wild Bunch yesterday as it began to rain soon after. I have seen that they get more hungry when it rains so I was quite pleased that all had quite a lot to eat. What pleased me more was that the kitties had been fed some time before by someone else.The size of their stomachs proved it. :)

After sitting with Fatboy, I went to clean up after SB and I was surprised that she did not finish her food. I had been feeding the bunch something new and although they liked some of them, I notice that they would not eat a lot of a particular kind of food.

I thought I should go recce the carpark to see if SB had been defecating there as the man said. It was Sunday and so no workers who would have cleaned the carpark. This meant that if indeed SB had been doing it, I would at least see some evidence and can sprinkle the crushed mothballs on them.

Unfortunately or fortunately as the case may be, I saw nothing on the staircases and none along the stretch of carpark on the 1st 3 levels apart from litter left by people. I also went to the last floor and there is nothing to be seen there also. I notice that the last few floors were very clean, probably because not many people park there.

So I decided to go around the 1st floor again to look between the cars and saw SB standing next to a black one. She is very smart as I nearly missed her. I asked her what she was up to and she meowed loudly and started to follow me. I told her to mind her own business but she sprinted to where I always feed her. So I guess she was still hungry. I fed her 2 packets of tuna. She didn't finish the food but came near me for a scritch. So she got a few on her head :) She is becoming quite affectionate.

Sleepy Sunday

Woah! Whose little paw is that under the pillow?

Ok. Its Ms Akira under the pillows and Bujang asleep on the bed.

I like the cold! Nothing like a pretty sink to complement my good looks.

The amigos spent some time in the bedroom resting in the am after breakfast. They like to muck about in bed with the aircon pn cos it was pretty warm this morning. Ms Akira of cos likes to be under the covers and pillows everyday. I sometimes wonder how she can take all that cloth and weight over her small frame!

Ist day out in the park

Sniff...sniff..whats this then?

Bujang was yelling inside the house this morning. So I told him I would bring him to the park at about 11 am, after breakfast etc. He wore his jacket and was very nervous in the carrier. I think its because it has been a very long time that we had not been downstairs, what with the haze and the rain and Hari Raya, not to mention my short Texas trip. He was very wary and sat back at the back of his carrier the whole way to the park. When we came to the park, he went out quite readily and then he just decided to stay within sight of his carrier.

Let's see what goes over there....

Maybe I will just rest here...where I can see my carrier..just in case...

Oh well..there is nothing over here either that I want to explore...what's that noise?

Maybe I will just stay inside where its safe....

And there he stayed for the whole time we were at the park- safe in the caccoon of his carrier. I think he doesn't remember what he can do in the park. He doesn't seem to remember that he even liked the ixora or even grass as the next 2 pictures show. At least he showed a great deal of interest in what goes on outside - from the inside of his carrier.

YIKES! Its soft and cold. Let me outta here!

This is more like it. Its cold and hard, like the corridor infront of my house.

I tried to encourage him to walk on the grass but he didn't like it. It reminded me of Toro and the way Toro panicked at grass. I think Bujang just needs some reminders of what grass feels like but I should go slow with this. It's like teaching him all over again.

Saturday morning stretch

Sunlight feels good...

Let's just sit and bask for a bit here...

Nothing like cleanliness to make me happy...

Yes...the tail too...don't you agree?

Clean...clean..clean..clean...

Time for a nap...

The amigos' Saturday morning is quiet and restful, spent grooming and sitting under the sun. They just rolled and sat under the bits of sun that came into the house. I hope the Wild Bunch is having a good Saturday too. :) I did not manage to get an appointment for Toro at the groomer's for today. Maybe he could go on Monday. The vet had sent a reminder for Akira's annual vaccination! Aiyoh...Ms Akira would not like it at all.

My Decision for SB

...ZZZZZzzzz...

After thinking about it for the whole day and reading the comments from mary and cat_aunty, I have decided to take cat_aunty's advice and not rush into things for SB. She is really a very sweet cat once she is not afraid. She ate quite a lot of food just now and her voice was suddenly mellower and less strident. She had a nice round belly. I tried to take a pic but of course it didn't turn out nice as all I can see is a round black blob thingee :)

I do not know why she is defecating in the carpark either as there is an abundance of grass around the carpark unless she has learnt to hide herself for fear of discovery or afraid of being hurt. There are only 4 cats around the carpark and blocks - the Wild Bunch and 3 of them I had seen doing the necessary on the grass. :(

I should be able to get her to the vet next week as I would be on a break by then. I would also need to book some lodging time for her to recuperate at the vet's as there is no way the amigos would like it if I bring her into the house. I don't think they can take SB in their fragile systems :)

If the man asks me again, I would have to ask him to get me a picture so I can be sure. I'm sure he would understand my reluctance and request...I hope.

Metamorphosis

Hmmm...I want to play...what should I do ...

Look pitiful...

Open my eyes a little bigger and look at her staright in the face....

Ok. Time to give it all. A little meow should do it...

No I didn't get up to get Da Bird for him but I did brush his fur out :) Whenever he sees his green brush, he would come up for a short burst of grooming, sometimes two or three times a day. I don't mind it and he enjoys it. His fur is growing longer and he is starting to look like a raccoon. Am going to the groomer with him on Saturday if I can get an appointment tomorrow.