Talking About Cats

Yes, we have seventeen. Now I know that you are rolling your eyes and your lip curls in disgust at the thought of nasty little poo coils in the corner and the permeating smell of cat pee, but I can assure you that all our cats are well-mannered and perfectly house trained. The only time there is a smell is when a calling Tom has gotten through Vinny and Buddy’s defended territory, in search of a willing female (there are none) or food. They are prone to leave their calling card though!

We do have sand boxes/litter trays for the psychotic Bubbaloo and the new baby, Luna, however a window remains open 24/7 so they can come and go at will and Bubbaloo does get out now and then, it’s only people she doesn’t really like and Luna loves the garden!

It’s not something we set out to do and I really feel the need to emphasize this! All except two were rescued. A neighbor moved away and left two females. Half-starved and in shocking condition we took them in and they presented us, in gratitude, with kittens! Tommy Lee Jones was washed out of a drain at the paper-mill and hand-reared by yours truly. Duke and Nunu (means insect in isiZulu) and their sister were deserted by their mother, (probably run over) in the roof of the local filling station and cried for days before kind staff members crawled around and gave them to a lady up the road who couldn’t keep them and brought them to us. We bought special bottles and kitten formula and were determined to find good homes for them! We honestly fell in love with them and it was a huge stretch to give one away but we knew she would be as loved and pampered as ours are but we are still tightly clutching Duke and Nunu!!

Vinny Jones is semi-feral and spends a large part of his day outdoors, lounging on the patio furniture and for the most part, seeing off any other would-be squatters.

Buddy the Boss is a body-builder of a cat, a huge black and silver tabby and for the longest time lived and still visits his old haunt, the storm water drain. The back of our house has a long sloping side down into the valley below and on the other side are more houses. We have heard that he visits one of them and receives milk and food but won’t allow the lady to touch him. We can stroke him and he happily snuggles up on my lap but is understandably skittish. He has large round yellow eyes that make him look like an owl and he never blinks. Valerie has the same colouring and is either a sibling or a daughter but she is smaller and much prettier and also disappears during most of the day, only appearing regularly at night for dinner. Her son Flea, a non-descript brownish tabby likes the ironing board or a basket and his brother, who bears a remarkable resemblance to Toothless (from the film “How To Train Your Dragon”), sleeps behind the TV cabinet or the sofa and shares the same name.

Jasmine, our one blue eyed, one green eyed Manx cat spends all day outdoors, much like Yertle the Turtle, king (queen) of all she surveys she sleeps in trees and on piles of garden refuse or big boulders on the hillsides. It is with great reluctance than she comes indoors on rainy days.

Shooga stretches out on the top of the fridge or the kitchen counter. Spyce likes a box or basket on the coffee table and Vanilla and Luna fight over a tiny box or a big basket and if the duel remains unresolved, will eventually settle on the comfortable dining room chairs! Carla is street-smart and explores the entire neighbourhood, settling down on Savvy’s bed, only when it rains. Rizzo, the most delightful young male, just sort of moved onto the veranda and was so quiet and innocuous, he was allowed to stay. With great cunning and deep respect, he slowly moved into the house and our hearts.

All our animals are rendered ‘childbearingless’ as soon as they are old enough – we’ve had enough kittens to last a lifetime and receive their shots and as of last week, were all dewormed! We are most fortunate to have caring, compassionate and very supportive vets!

Hair in food is an optional extra and hairs on chairs and sofas are compulsory, but other than that, you would never know there were seventeen cats and two rescued dogs at #11!