Catch up as time flies by, Dark days

It has been a very dark 2023. 

Ou Kerel and Muis has crossed the rainbow bridge.

Ou Kerel having kidney failure in the beginning of 2023 and Muis losing so much weight due to HIV that is was kinder to say goodbye than to keep him fighting nausea and vomiting. Both have been with us a long time but Muis especially living to the summer of his 15year.

Muis was the last born and very small. Date of birth 14h00 on the 8th of May 2009. Mom did not have enough milk to feed the boys and they were raised by hand of a full time at work mom. He was so small we had to place a paving brick for him to climb onto, to get into his litter tray. He soon grew up strong and just as big as his brothers. 

He never spoke and then after his 10th birthday he walked into the house and mawed with a v6 mew, we just stared at him. After recovering from a very bad spell of not eating and the vet allowing him to come home for the weekend in Dec 2020, he raced off and ate all he could find, needless to say he remained with us for another 3 yrs. Giving the best hugg I have ever had. Muis would climb up to your neck, put his little arms around your shoulder and nuzzle into you, purring and hugging all the way.

I place photos of him as celebration of his life.

MUIS AK BABA

Muis and Jack 

old man Muis checking if babe Lucky is ok

Huggs

Ou Kerel

This special boys history is on the blog. He adored boxes and especially pizza box. We kept one at our back door for him as this was his beloved sun tanning spot. He would come to you if you whistled, something I have not seen a cat do before. 

He has taught us unconditional love without saying a word and live on in our hearts. Ou Kerels place can`t be filled as he had `big shoes` to fill. The protector of the yard with the scars to prove it. 

2022 a New year.

 The tribe are still the same as per last post.

Muis, now nick named Baba, has survived! December 2020 was nearly his last. Living with feline immune decease is not easy. But I am happy for every day he eats and more so for the way he climbs up my body to lay on my shoulder and hug me. 

He has lost a lot of weight and has good and bad days but mostly good. He also has started speaking to us....he will be 14 years old on the 8th of May this year. He has the deepest bass voice for such a little fellow.

The Tribe

So much has happened since my last post.

I will try to catch up as we go along.

Currently the Tribe is 4

Molly or more comenly called Molly Moo or Miss Molly the grey and white taby.

Ou Kerel the butler that arrived here broken and has only given us so much love and joy

Muis - proper taby, the last of the original 4 born in my dining room, Mom, was Missy.

and Jamica the wolds naughtiest and qutest combined - ginger taby a big heavy boy

How do you do

 He arrived as most do, but he was different. No fighting, just sitting quietly in the shadows, waiting for the rest to feed. He was a gentleman.

Few weeks went by. Then I started to smell him. He had had a few abscesses and they normally cleared. I still had not touched him, but he had progressed to his own bowel of food and the cats all accepted him. He was very wary of humans.

On cold night he slept outside our kitchen door. I could smell him and thought boy if you survive the night I need to get you to a vet a.s.a.p but how? To catch and handle this would be a huge mission.

 The next morning he was missing. My hart sank, where did he go and how can I help him.
Later I heard the dogs bark at the fence.
I traced him to our overgrown back yard and he was laying down near the fence not worrying about the dogs yaping.

I picked him up and he just hung there almost as if on the brink of deaths door. Dave and I took a fast trip to the vet.
Dr. took one look. Ou Kerels throat had almost been ripped out and gone septic. Being under the chin and not being able to handle him made it impossible to see.
Dr. injected him and said to my unbelief " I will call you"

 They cut a way the bad tissue and as there was no skin to close left the wound open and gaping. He was also castrated and I was like WHAT? Doc you worked on the wrong end of the cat!
Dr. did not think I was funny.
"He is a fighter, he said. If I did not do it, he would continue fighting."

Looking at the scared and battle worn head , I know Doc was right.
Remember this is not my cat, but a stray. I gave the Dr. a budget as funds are not limitless.
They kept him for 2 weeks, he was doing well. Once the septicemia cleared the operated again cut away dead tissue and sewed together what was left.
Still with a open hole in the neck and a mouth that would not close due to tight skin, he was healing and sent home.
Dave and his friend built a chicken coop for a better word of description. We knew if we let him out he would be gone and he still had a long way to go on recovery.
He chewed through the wire..... pushed the boards open and it was a constant battle to keep him in.

He was a roamer and very well mannered but wanted to break free. Evenings would be fine but day time was the worst.

Soon he was better and we could release him. He often takes a walk about and comes back in a day or two. But Dr. was wrong he still fights, but we think it is in self-defence as he is a gentleman.

Tigger has taken a knock to his ego with Ou Kerel arround.
Dave has fallen in love and ou Kerel follows him every where he goes. Just one whistle from Dave and Ou Kerel comes running.  His favourite is to sit on Daves tummy and go forehead to forehead, as if to look Dave in his eyes and say "you are mine"
Molly has found someone to replace Brock and loves Ou Kerel to his utter disgust. She cat kisses and loves him until he starts playing patty cakes with her.

and I am so happy that this gentle soul has found a home, food and love and he still disappears for days and comes home with battle wounds.

Ou Kerel

I am Ou Kerel............................................

Ou Kerel

the story of ou kerel to be told.
But where do I start?

Brock my Broccoli

Yes, the darkness went on.

Brock chewed his back foot so badly. No medicine worked the vet said no operation due to the sugar diabetes he had.
I cleaned 2x daily. Until he hated me and would run when he saw me. The foot would drip blood.
Yet he would still come and sit on my lap when the medicine was out of reach and put both front paws on my chest and just stare into my eyes.
I know he loved me, no cat has ever done that.

It got to the stage where every pet owner knows, it is kind to make the call.
I was the coward and said to Dave pls take him to the vet for the forever night night.
I did not want to know when the day would be. So every morning and night said goodbye and loved him.

I got home one day early, just to find Dave walking in to the house VERY upset with a empty cat basket. No words just crying from both of us.

It is hard, I miss my boy.

Still Here

Nearly a year since my last post. Well it has been very difficult and knowing I had to put it on paper did not make it easier. Here goes.

My dearest Sam, brother of Brock and ginger boy...was killed by a X))#%%$ driver going down our quiet culde sac road. He was always the shyer of the two and took to Dave from day one. Although I was the one asking for a ginger kitten the come home with Sam and his butler brother Brock.
They were no bigger than a tea cup. Loved sitting on daddy`s shoulder, like little broaches.
Sam was the first to run if any strange sound was made or a fast movement would trigger him as well.

I often told him just to chill out and made jokes of a scary cat is a live cat. Well I wish he had run, I wish he had bolted faster than lightning. But he did not.
Dave found his body in the road, in front of our home. I could not look.

We buried him in his blanket in the back yard under a shady tree. A quiet peaceful place. Dave made a cross for him.

I miss my boy.

update

Time runs like sand in an hour glass..................

Brock still battling with bad skin. He has chewed his leg very badly. Getting injections daily for his sugar diabetes. The boys are doiing well and Molly has become their little horror. she loves to talk and pester them. All very teritorial and keeping all other cats out of the yard.

Foto`s of Brock

SNAKE !!! Tigger……

Feeding the troop as per norm.

 Kom Kom Kom I called and the cat family came running. Hugs and kisses cuddles and then food, But Mr. Tigger is normally first for a hug and gets very upset if he is ignored was nowhere to be seen.

 As I put their dinner done, I called again. Then Tigger caught my eye. He was sitting in his sleeping basket behind the house just staring at me. 

‘Come boy, come eat” I called, still no reaction. I scolded him as I walked to pick him up. Something was wrong VERY wrong. I felt my anger turn to angst. Tigger was swaying while he was sitting trying to focus on me, his eyes glassed over. I scoped him up and felt his chest was wet, no blood just water. Tigger what is wrong? I wish he could talk. DAVE!!!! DAVE!!! I yelled. Normally hubby would ignore me, or reply irritated “I cannot hear you” but today he heard and was there in a flash. 

What is wrong? We need to get to the vet, Tigger is dying!

 Peak hour traffic, vet closing time all at once. I asked Dave to call the vet and tell them we were coming in with an emergency.  Lucky the nr was stored on my phone. Tigger was sitting in the basket on the back seat, trying to cope. We were calling his name and talking to him the whole way. As I took the last corner to the vet, Dave shouted NO! NO! Boy you are not doing this! Tigger collapsed but Dave`s screams jolted him, back into a sitting position.

 They took us in immediately and luckily the rooms were not crowded.  The vet started to slowly examine Tigger. Can the man not hurry up!  I thought. Guess I was expecting a magic wand. What do you think is wrong he asked? I think it is snake bite.  O was his answered, where. I explained that his chest was wet when I picked him up. Well then, he said let have a look. Soon his chest was shaved and revealed 3x bites!!!!!

Two of the bites were just the fang puncture marks, but the third had a nasty rip on the one side. The vet said cats are normally bitten on ears, paws ect not chest. He must have faced the snake head on!

What type of snake? Well we live in a tropical climate and the most known here is the green- and black Mamba, Mosambican Spitting cobra, red lipped herald , puff adder, night adders and normal variegated bush snakes, o yea do not forget the boom slang. Well take your pick.

 My dear if it was a mamba, with his body weight he would be dead by now. All we can do is wait and see. We do not administer anti venom, pain trouma and inflammation is what we can treat for.

But you must fix my cat, it screamed inside of me. Please can you put him on a drip and flush the wound I begged. Yes we will do, but the next 24 hours will be crucial. I cannot give you any more hope than that.

Next morning the first call was to the vet. He had made it through the night but gravely ill. I visited him twice a day. The vet cut away some of the flesh as this would rot and carried most of the poison. He would just lay in his cat litter ignoring the world. Refused to eat and was going backwards daily.

Two more operations and the vet confirming that it was an adder that bit him, quite a large one as the teeth were 2cm apart. On my daily visit trips he started to put his head in my hand and just lay there.

Tigger if you want to come home you need to start eating! As if he understood he took a mouth full of pellets looked at me and spat them out.  Come on boy. Then he stood up (still on drip) and ate! This was the best present anybody could have given me. Even the vet`s eye`s enlarged and all he said is “that`s a good sign.” 

 Recovery was long and slow but he was on the mend.

Soon he was home, but every low growing bush, pathway flowers were inspected and wide births given at times.

I give thanks, as my boy is home.

NR 6 (sorry Jack Daniels we are one behind you lol )

It survived!!! So tiny alone in the cold night but nature has its way.

Brock one of the oldest, took the little bundle and although he did not invite the attention, he was there for it. He had become famous. Being followed all day and at night being cuddled up to. Some times you could see the plea of "help me!!!" in his eyes as this babe was just to much!
















Still very wild, but learning the routine fast. The little grey and white, eagerly ate with the boys. Battling to chew the big boy food.

  I ignored it.This calmed the nerves, and I was curiously watched as every boy gets picked up at feeding time. Then the hugs follow and the ear inspection and just fussing. This is the only way I can keep them tame and share the love. As the feeding plate is put down I started stroking each of them. Then the grey and white. WHAT THE HELL was the first response and little paws sped off to hide in the bush. This continued until it ignored the stroke and would just keep on eating. It must have taken a good part of a week to get this far. Then one day, I reached down and picked it up briefly and put it down before it could struggle. WHAT THE HELL....and off to hide in the bush.

This continued until I held it close to my chest and stroked the head. Well Harvey Davidson, pls reinvent your stroke! This little one just took off purring with a roar louder than I have ever heard! and I have heard a few in my time.  My dear husbands comments was what now? Well I guess off to the vet for the first injections as soon as grey and white is old enough, I said.

"We have another child."

Now what to name it. We can not keep on calling it babe. Well lets see what the vet says as previously we named cats just to find out they were of opposite sex as to what we were told.

Two scared little eyes in the cat basket, looked at me begging, pls do not throw me away. First trip in a cat basket, car and Vet. What a eventful day for the 8 week old (just guessing the age lol )

"Well, We have a girl" the vet announced and I said "hi Molly"

She has grown in leaps and bounds and has given us our share of grey hair!

Always looking for a ruff and tumble

Leave me alone, I am the girl!

Miss Molly 8 months old +-

What a beautiful girl.

Cats kittens katte kaitjies cats kittens katte kaitjies cats kittens katte kaitjies

Is it a Cat, rabbit or plane?

During the dramatic passing of my beloved Yoda there was an appearance...........Coming home on the 10 of December 2011, I was feeding the boys and caught a glimpse of what I thought was a rat or may be a babe rabbit.

It was dusk and in the fading light of the hot summer afternoon. I saw it again. Looked like..........well I do not know.  I saw white feet, very fast trying to make a run at the food tray but in a flash turned and went back into the “under growth” of the garden. The feeding cats noticed but just milled around a bit and kept on eating. 

This happened a few times.  Whatever it was was obviously very hungry and scared.  It looked like it was scared of the open space in which the cats were being fed. Soon most of the food was eaten and the boys had taken leave from the food. As cats do they were sitting around grooming themselves very content with life.  I closed my home`s back door and stood watching through the lace curtain.

 Then it came out! Slowly then with a plunge onto the food plate. As soon as any of the cats looked at it, it nervously moved around the plate. It was a tiny kitten.  I would estimate about 5 or 6 weeks old.

It was trying to chew the pellets but was battling to handle the hardness of the food. My first urge was to open the door and fetch it to come inside. But the little mite was as fast as lightening and very very wild. With a very heavy hart I realised there was no way I was going to be able to catch it and it was going to spend the night outside alone. 

Would it survive the night?

Dark Times

The cats have been doing well and time has flown past so fast. I actually feel guilty for not keeping a diary with their activities but due to time constraints, work changes ECT it has sadly not been done.




The boys are now 2yrs and 7months old. They were all neuter but we found them still wanting to dominate.
Having 4 boys of the same age might have been the starting point but they still persist in spraying and in the home it does not go down well. This resulted in them only allowed in while supervised.

Mr. Tigger stood next to me in the kitchen and promptly spry the cupboard resulting in a swift slap on the bum and Mr. Tigger running for the door. He sulked for a few days but seems to have got the message.















Yoda has been ever the love. Still coming in just to cuddle up to me or chew on my finger. I took a photo of him as he fell asleep with my finger in his mouth, just holding on to my finger with his canine.


Then on the 11 of December 2011 my gardener arrived and informed me something was dead on the pavement in front of our house. He was not sure if it was a cat or a dog. I went cold....My first question was what colour it was. “Black” came his response. I could not bring myself to go and look wanting to undo what had been done and fearing what I might discover. My poor husband went to look and I mustered up the courage to walk to the gate. Then no none could stop me, we found Yoda dead on the pavement next to the wall of our property. It had been raining the previous night and his little body had the marks of the rain as it parted the fur.


Dave picked him up and although we could not see any major injury, his tail had a bit of fur missing and trauma. We suspect he was hit by a car. As a 1year old he had a broken leg, which was pinned and he made a full recovery. I had hoped that this would keep him out of the street but evidently not.


I was past sadness. When you have children you can tell people about their death, you can mourn and have a funeral and everybody understands. With animal children you stand alone. I could not even cry for him as I just was too sad. I still feel his little body on my skin, the way he would drape himself over me and just purr away. Nuzzle his head under my chin and just lay there lost in space.
He would pester me while working in the garden and try to climb on my shoulder even taking photos of him was difficult as he would run up to me and try to get on to my lap. So much love to give and so unconditional how do I hang on to it? How do I keep it with me?


I miss my boy.