Update on Snoops

Snoopy has been with us just over a month, and is settling in nicely.

I think I know why Snoopy - or Squeak as she has been renamed - is so skittish.

A few weeks ago whilst sitting on my TV chair on evening, she came, as usual, to join me / take command of my lap.  She started "kneading" my soft gown, and I noticed that she was biting my gown at the same time.  It reminded me of a cat we had years ago who had kittens - what she was doing was "kneading to make the milk flow" and the biting action was reminiscent of her sucking on her mum's nipple.

Snoop - Squeak kneading and biting my gown

So I think that Snoop / Squeak was :

1)  A wild kitten who was taken from her mother through a accident (to the mum) and a human found her and took her in;

2)  Was just plain sold (by an "informal settlement" individual) in order to make some dosh.  That is a terrible situation - where those "individuals" over breed their pets in order to sell their offspring - they stand in the middle of the road and hold animals up by the scruff of their necks.  When you pass by they threaten to drop the animal under the wheels of the car unless you buy them.  She must've been still too young to leave her mother...

She has become brave enough to venture outside
 and catch some rays - keeping a watchful eye out
for the rooster - whom she isn't crazy about.
 Invariably though she positions herself so that
 she can watch the wild birds at the bird feeder /
 nectar bottles.

Snoopy - now Squeak - is so named because she doesn't "meow" she only gives a plaintive immature kitten-ish squeak.

If she hears a vehicle arriving she bolts to hide behind the records in the cupboard - absolutely terrified.  And will remain hidden for a good few hours.

No wonder she was freaked out when she arrived here - hiding under the bed for 2 days.  The 3 hour car trip here must've been sheer hell for her.

Squeaks new bed

I do not believe that it is healthy for a cat should sleep on a human's bed, and so she was locked out of our bedroom at night.

She proceeded to scratch at out door, and "squeak" until we let her in.  

Hmm - why would she do that?  There has to be a reason...

Giving it some thought I said to RMan that I think she is cold.

So the next time we went to town, we purchased her a cat bed - with high sides to protect her from the draught from the window which we leave open for her.

The catnip I rubbed all over the inside
 certainly seems to have helped make
 her feel right at home

Rubbing some catnip on the inside of the bed soon had her exploring it, and that first night she settled herself into the bed whilst we watched TV.

She knows exactly when we are going to go to bed, and puts herself into her snug place whilst we are tidying up before heading to our bedroom.

Clever kitty :)

It's too soon...

... for this to be happening.

I checked back on my blog, and the earliest we have had spring blossoms on our plum trees was the middle of August.

Whaaat?  Spring blossom on the plum tree already?
 That's nuts!!

The first blossoms started appearing in the first week of July, and today the show is even more impressive.

As early as they are, they are gorgeous, aren't
 they :)

But, it hasn't been cold enough, and even our apple trees still have last seasons leaves on them?!

Our young apple trees still have their leaves?!

And, for goodness sake, even my roses are still flowering.

The rose bush by our front entrance steps
 is still in flower - how can I prune it?

I am supposed to prune them this month!!

Stunning - even if it's a tardy bloom

But then I read this:

(more details can be found here:
 http://mashable.com/2016/07/13/massive-july-heat-wave-coming-us/#tMUCT6qCjqqR)

...and I wonder why I am surprised.

I realized this morning that have not used any of my warm jackets once this winter yet!  Jersey's yes, but jackets?  Nope, they're still in my cupboard.

I wonder what this bodes for the upcoming summer?  That (massive) shade cloth structure over our fruit trees may become a serious necessity...

Update on Snoopy - she is settling in really well.  She is eating well and happily venturing outside to find out what is going on...

So close but yet so far -
Snoopy watching the birds at the
bird feeder - more on that next time...

... especially at night.  We can hear her easing herself (noisily) out of the lounge window as we fall asleep ;) 

The latest addition to the family...

... arrived last Sunday.

RSon phoned RMan last Sunday morning.  He told him a story about a 3 - 4 year old animal at the apartment block where he lives in town, which had been left behind by his first owner.

How can anyone do that?

The new inhabitant of that apartment adopted the animal.  But, he was recently diagnosed with Leukemia.  They thought that the cancer had spread to his lungs because he was having difficulty breathing.  It turn out he was allergic to it.

Sigh.

So it went to another occupant - who already had a one, and the two didn't get on.  So the new owner made it sleep outside on the balcony / verandah at night.  On a cushion on their patio chair in the freezing cold!!

What???

Anyway, to get back to topic...

RSon wanted to know from RMan if we would take the animal.

Bloody hell, yes!

So RSon immediately hopped into his car and drove for 3 hours to bring her to us.

How can anyone be cruel to an defenseless, harmless animal?

So - introducing Snoopy...

Snoopy on the couch with RMan - RMan
 was still taking it slow whilst Snoops got
 to know us so minimal touches which she
flinched away from, and no sudden movements.

Who calls a cat Snoopy, who comes when she's whistled, and who doesn't meow, but makes tiny little squeaks lol

The poor traumatized thing hid under RSon's bed for 2 days!

We were very worried about her - nothing to eat, nothing to drink, no sandbox use even though I, concerned, put the food, water and box in the room with her...

Finally, on the third day she ventured out from under the bed - and room.

I brought everything downstairs to the kitchen again, and she has finally started eating, and drinking properly.

She is very skittish, and runs and hides at the slightest loud noise or sudden movement.

Yesterday our neighbour popped in for 10 minutes - and Snoopy disappeared.  I thought that perhaps she had taken fright and run out through one of the open doors.

We searched high, we searched low, down on hands and knees, and up on tip toes.  She was nowhere to be found.

I tried thinking like a cat - and checked in all the kitchen cupboard doors which had been open during the day.

Believe it or not, Snoopy squeezes into the space
 behind the records - all you can see from the outside
 is the tips of her two little ears sticking up

I checked in the small space behind the LP records we have in a shelf - where she had hidden before.

The tiny footwell under my writing
desk which I inherited from RMan's mom

I checked in the tiny footwell under the writing desk where my laptop is situated.

Nada!

Damn.  Where could she be.

Walking round outside, calling, psssss-ing and whistling (she comes to whistles?!?) and nothing.

Then I remembered that I had brought in the washing from the line.

Could she?

Is she?

Yup, she climbed in the bottom and RMan's cupboard and hid amongst his shirts.

Sigh.  What a relief.  She is safe.

She is s-l-o-w-l-y getting better, more friendly, and more exploratory.

It will just take time.

Snoopy on the front patio -
basking in the afternoon sun

Tomorrow she has been here for a week.  This afternoon, in celebration,  she ventured out onto our front patio.

She met the chickens.  And the rooster.

And was very intrigued.

From a distance.

As soon as they came up the front steps to investigate her, she scarpered indoors again, and watched them through the window.

Ditto, the alpacas fascinate her - from the window sill  lol

Snoop has decided that my lap,
 covered in my comfy gown, is
 an acceptable place to watch TV
  with us in the evening

There is just so much to explore here at her forever home...