A "new" family - part 2

For 3 months it was just me & the Dog Monster with the Assistant. I was getting used to it & rather enjoying it. The Assistant had said she wasn't looking to get another cat & was even considering a second dog. In her dreams! As if the Dog Monster would allow that!

Ever since the Dog Monster came to live here four years ago, he had been visiting a friend in Walney Island. Betty had a cat who liked dogs & they got to know each other. This gave the Assistant confidence that she could get a cat - me! So, in a way, I owe Milo (for it was he). 

Milo was already 8 when he chose Betty at the PDSA when she was looking for a companion. He lived very quietly with her for 6 years so is now 14, just like Thomas when he first came here. Sadly Betty became very ill & at the end of October it was agreed that Milo would come here. 

At first I tolerated him & the Assistant was able to send some lovely photos to show Betty how settled he was. This made her very happy. She passed on at the end of December so now the Assistant is Milo's main person.

I started to want to play fight the way I used to with Thomas. You will remember that Thomas & I were friends in our foster home with Keighley Cat Care so we knew each other well. Milo didn't get the game in the same way that Thomas had done & he turned a bit nasty when I jumped on him, lashing out & miaowing loudly. This in turn brought the Dog Monster running to break us up! It was all most unnecessary -  it was a game. Dog Monster appeared to think he was the referee - pffft!

Finally, just this week, the Dog Monster got it & he has begun to join in playing with us. The penny seems to have dropped with Milo too so, hopefully, we can have a decent time playing as well as sleeping & eating together. If you ask me they have both been a bit slow on the uptake.

We still sleep together & sometimes Milo will come & get me in from outside the way Thomas used to do at night. We think he has settled in & he seems very happy. He has won the battle for who will sleep with the Assistant. He was very determined & stubborn about that. I was never that keen, being quite happy to stay in my basket nearby, & the Dog Monster has given in gracefully. The two of them share her in the evenings until the light goes out & then Dog Monster retreats to his own, very comfortable, bed in the next room.

So, it seems to have come together pretty well now. I still go out lots. Milo is more of a home cat & the Dog Monster continues to be a dog as only he can. We get tuna days now, sometimes as many as two a week. The Assistant complains she is run ragged by us all but she enjoys complaining so that isn't an issue.

Hope to speak to you all again soon.

Lots of love

Jason / OJ / Othello

xxx

A 'new' family - part 1

Hello everyone, I'm back after a long gap.

At last myself & the Assistant both feel as if we have reached a happy place where our family has come together once again. We did go through a bad patch when Thomas left us at the end of July last year. Here we all are together. The Dog Monster is showing himself off as usual - "airing his bits" they call it. 

Not so long after Thomas left  I came home one morning struggling to breathe. For once the Assistant did the right thing & took me down to the vets at once. I had to stay in & have a chest x-ray. They discovered I had a piece of gravel lodged in my trachea - as if I had inhaled it. They had never seen such a thing before & no-one knows how I managed it but they had to get it out. A specialist was sent for & by 1pm was working on me. It took him two hours to get it out as they had to be very careful of my airways. Every time he hooked the stone it slipped off until, magically, the last time he brought it out. Phew!!

I had to stay overnight at the vets & everyone who worked with me fell in love with me (of course). It took a few days for me to recover at home but in no time at all I was right as rain again. The Assistant grumbled a bit about how expensive I had become but she didn't really mind, she just likes to grumble. It brought us a lot closer as I realised she does care & looks after me as well as she can. 

So, for 3 months in total it was just me & the Dog Monster, with the Assistant. At first I missed Thomas hugely & was a bit of a 'lost soul' without him. Gradually, I got used to it being just the 3 of us & the incident with my breathing brought us closer. 

Then, one day, the Assistant went out for a long time & when she got back she had Milo with her. I will write about Milo in Part 2 of this blog.

See you soon

lots of love

Jason / OJ / Othello

xxx

Life goes on

Hi everyone. I haven't hassled the Assistant for not helping with blog posting recently. She still misses our Thomas & finds it hard to look at his photos just yet. He seems to have featured in many of the ones taken of me & of Dog Monster. I guess because he was always around - & that is why we are still missing his presence here.

So, to try & cheer her up I am going to do a post with just photos of me & maybe one of Dog Monster as she likes to see that. This is a start.

The Assistant still complains about me catching mice. She dislikes me playing with them outside the window. It's a good game though. I brought a small rat recently & she seemed OK with that, but it was already dead when I showed her, which might have helped.

(That isn't a rat in the picture btw, it's Dog Monster's favourite toy)

In fact, I am spending more time at home than before. I think the Assistant likes me to sit on her & I am doing that a lot more. I also sit on the bed at night with her although I do get up early which sometimes seems to annoy her. 4am isn't so bad is it?

I think the Assistant needs me more than she did before so I am trying to help her. Also, there are two not very nice cats who have showed up recently & they are trying to bully me. My old mate used to have my back & now I have to yowl at them by myself to tell them to keep away. I am naturally a peace lover - though not to mice!

The Dog Monster did come in handy one day when he came across me in a stand off with a bully. The other cat ran away immediately. He didn't know that the Dog Monster is actually quite frightened of cats he doesn't know!! He isn't scared of me, just finds me a bit of a nuisance sometimes. I think he does know the Assistant wants me to cuddle her more as he has made way for me recently.

This is a short post. We are still coming to terms with the loss of Thomas really. We all liked him. Dog Monster bumbles along as usual but the house is quieter & Thomas was a surprisingly big presence. 

Love to you all

Othello / OJ / Jason

xxx

My best mate Thomas has gone away

Hi everyone. I have to tell you that Thomas, who I've known for 18 months, has gone. I don't know why he isn't around, or where he's gone so I will hand over to the Assistant to explain. 

"Sadly I have to report that Thomas was put to sleep on Monday 31st July. He was 15 and a half and had kidney failure & a tumour, possibly on his liver. The vet had been unable to help him so we cared for him extra specially well for the last two weeks of his life. His body had filled with fluid so he seemed uncomfortable at times but not in pain. The last 2 days he did appear to be miserable some of the time although he was seeking out lots of cuddles & spent a lot of time lying on my soft belly for comfort.

Thomas came to us after a spell of four months at Keighley Cat Care where he spent a lot of time lying outside in the sun, as indeed he did here. He met Othello at the same Rescue house & they were mates, so when Othello came here it seemed right to bring Thomas here too. He was the most loving & affectionate cat, very gentle. They went out together quite a lot up onto the railway line & across the tracks into the wilderness area. Othello often brought back his dead mice to show Thomas who was always interested. If it was getting late & dark in the evenings Thomas would set off to find Othello & they would often return together.

Danny, the Dog Monster, got on well with Thomas - they had a similar energy & vibe. They didn't bother each other & were good companions. Danny is missing Thomas especially in the evenings & has been sitting closely with me. Othello misses him seemingly during the day as Thomas was nearly always around for him to jump on, play or sit with. 

He is now buried in the back garden where he often sat. He loved to be outside or sitting by the open door feeling the breeze. His life once he arrived at Keighley Cat Care was comfortable & he was greatly loved, so he lived out his last years contentedly. He was purring for me right up to the last morning."

Love to you all

Othello / OJ / Jason

xxx

July already!

I know I often say this but I have been extremely busy. My outside duties have become 24/7 thanks to my persistence. The Assistant has given in & is allowing me to be out any time I want to. Isn't that great?! I wore her down.

It's funny really, she says she loves me more & more. I think it's because I am around more when she is awake so we have lots of cuddles. I have become a handsome adult though haven't I?

Thomas is still my best mate although he fights me over food, especially if there's a decent treat - this picture was when the Assistant had bought some turkey reduced at her shopping place.

Thomas has been steadily working on another food upgrade. He lost his appetite a bit when it was very hot weather so the Assistant was desperate for him to return to constantly asking for food. Lately he has rejected most of her offerings until she hit on a new 'posher' sort. He's an expert negotiator.

This scene with us all together keeps the Assistant sweet. We have the Dog Monster under control. He has his own Twitter account now @DDogMonster which keeps him occupied.

Dog Monster is missing Anna-next-door who has gone away without him &, even worse, with two other dogs!!

I don't fancy that myself - all that water & no trees

So, all in all, life chugs along quite merrily. I catch lots of little creatures but the Assistant always disappears them so I tend now just to eat them up. 

I have nice teeth!

So, I'll say bye for now & promise to try to write to you a bit sooner next time.

 

Lots of Love

Othello / OJ / Jason

xxx

Fighting Back

The Assistant is becoming rebellious. She has always showed tendencies. However, Thomas & I are more than a match for her nonsense. I am a complete Anarchist. Thomas is more traditionally politically minded and he can be very determined when he decides he wants something. He always gets what he wants eventually & you cross him at your peril. Deep down the Assistant knows this & she knows we have her over a barrel.

I can pretend to be fierce

United we eat!

The most recent dispute is over bedtimes. I apologise if this seems petty but this is life with the Assistant. She likes us in by 9pm at the moment. To be fair to her this has already been extended because it is daylight for longer. She says she likes to settle down & relax once we're all indoors.

She doesn't let us sleep with her at night!!

Well, it's getting lighter for longer so last night I came back at 9ish with a baby rabbit. My direct action method worked! Thomas was there, desperate to get to see it, so she sent him out & closed the door & left us out until after 10.30pm. Result! Next thing is to make sure we repeat this later bedtime tonight.

Thomas likes to  think diplomacy is best - he's a bit of a sneak as you know & says it's better to keep the Assistant onside unless she is very stubborn. However, there is a bit of a stand off about access to the bedroom in the mornings.....

She used to let Thomas come to bed for a cuddle while I was out early inspecting my territory. I have to get up early to see what has been going on overnight. You can see my reasoning? I have managed to get her up regularly at 5.30am by employing my rather plaintive Mew Mew sound. It penetrates her brain & wakes her up - ha!

However, she is saying Thomas suffocates her by sitting right up by her face & she doesn't want him to come in first thing. Thomas is not pleased about it & I think will be on my side now &, forget diplomacy, the gloves are definitely off our paws. We cats have to stick together.

Of course Dog Monster is involved in keeping us out

There isn't a lot we can do about Dog Monster. He's always been Favourite & of course he makes sure he keeps his place in the Assistant's affections. 

We have to make the Assistant understand that her job is to look after us properly & accede to ALL our demands!

Dog Monster has always had his own way

I will let you know how things progress. You know the Assistant complains a lot. She thinks midsummer will be "even worse", as she puts it.

I think "much better" as I will stay out until midnight & wake her up at 4am!

I am still gorgeous & I will go my own way regardless! 

Tongue out!

So everyone, Thomas & I are united.

She tries to divide & rule us I know but she will never win!

In all the fuss I forgot to mention it was my First Gotcha day on 19th April. We did celebrate on the day. Thomas has one on 9th June. 

Rescue Cats Rule OK

See you next time

Lots of Love

Othello / Jason / OJ

xxx

PS - I lost another collar & pesky bell again last week. Clever eh?

Some Wee incidents

The Assistant wants me to write on here about two 'incidents' as she calls them. I don't really care so will humour her.

There is some speculation that I may have a urine or kidney infection although I feel fine & she needn't worry. Just to reassure readers, before we go any further, that the Assistant is looking into the possibility, just in case.

Here I am sitting as a loaf on the shelf where one of the incidents may have taken place. As you can see it's a cat sitting place. Wee was discovered underneath. "Quite a lot of wee" she says. It was on top of a pile of papers in a wire basket. This excludes the Assistant & the Dog Monster from culpability (she says this is a better word than 'blame') as they are both too big to get onto the shelf. Thomas may have done it but - he isn't as nimble as I am & doesn't usually go onto the shelf - so I am primarily in the frame for this one.

 Thomas often gets away with things though.

Anyway, moving to the second incident. This occurred on the side of the settee & consequentially (the Assistant is in a mood for big words today) also on to the carpet in the living room. It happened after some misunderstanding about the time. 
She says she woke up about 3am. She was restless & disturbed Dog Monster - they were both in the bedroom with the door shut as is now usual at night.

DM decided he would like to go outside so she took him down to go out in the back garden which he did, as he always does first thing in a morning. Myself & Thomas both woke up, obviously, & peered out of the door but decided to go to the kitchen to see if there was a food opportunity - which there was but only a snack. The Assistant then told us to go back to sleep as it was still nighttime.

This is now The Assistant's version of things.

Around 5am the same morning she was disturbed by Thomas miaowing loudly for a couple of minutes which is fairly unusual so she got up to find him coming up the stairs, still miaowing. He then ran downstairs so she went down & opened the back door for both of us cats to go out, which we did. She then noticed a "strong smell of wee" & saw the incriminating large wet patch down the side of the settee & on to the carpet.

She has no proof but she thinks it was me. Her reasoning is that Thomas nearly always uses the litter tray at night - he's an old man so needs to go. I had been woken up & she thinks would have actually wanted to go out 'on the prowl as she so nicely puts it. I do like going out under cover of darkness, it's rather exciting & you never know what little creatures might be about. 

 She hadn't let me go out because it was "the middle of the night". She had hoped we would go back to sleep & now thinks I may have done the "enormous wee" as revenge & that Thomas came miaowing to tell her what had just happened. Well, he is a bit of a snitch, we know that. And she is prone to exaggeration. And, I'm not admitting anything, but maybe I needed to go as it could have been ordinary morning time as far as I knew. We have a bite to eat & then I go out. That's what we do but she didn't let us this time. It's all her fault, obviously. (this is not The Assistant's version now is it? Ed.)

I mean, really, do I look naughty?? (yes, Ed.)

This is quite convoluted but the fact remains she thinks it was me both times but has no proof.
In the past there have been puddles on the laminate flooring by the front door but the Assistant says she didn't mind those. She never went round telling people & blaming me as she didn't know if it was myself or Thomas. She is making a fuss because these 2 incidents have been hard to clean up. Isn't that just typical of the Assistant? She says the smell doesn't go away. Always complaining.

As it is, she is closing her office door at night now & has removed my sitting place - would you believe it?! She saw me sniffing the shelf today where the first incident took place & thinks that adds to her hypothesis that it was me wot did it. "Circumstantial evidence" she calls it.

I'm going now. We are no further forward. She has no proof but is watching me like a hawk - or like me watching for a mouse!

Bye for now. Happier Greetings next time

Lots of love, Jason / OJ / Othello 

xxx