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