Area1 cat: Iggy

Meet Iggy, who first appeared in Area 1 in July.

He was elusive at first, and we, or rather btmao, only saw him in the distance. Then as time went by, he became more settled in, and wasn’t so difficult to sight. But I caught my first glimpse of him only on Sep 1. I managed to feed him, like btmao had before. But he was obviously new to the idea of being caregiven as he sometimes seem to be bewildered by the concept of kibbles.

He was very wary though, and wouldn’t allow us near.

After that, from time to time, when he appeared, we would feed him. He started getting comfortable and eventually settled down in the area and was most often found lazing in front of Ian’s home.

Up until October, he was always spotting a few wounds here and there – which we could not help him with as he wouldn’t allow contact. But as they always appear to be clean and healing, we were not too worried.

Healing wound on his chest

Face, and muzzle wound

Closeup of the muzzle wound.

By end of October, btmao was getting somewhere with program close contact for him. She was in fact able to scruff him already. We were ready for operation-rob-Iggy-mojo.

But before we could get it done, Iggy disappeared. By early November, we knew he was gone for good . We do not know where he’s gone, but we have an idea what happened to him.

Ian’s family had previously confessed to moving cats from the area elsewhere when we asked them if they’ve seen this or that cat. Granted, these were not their cats: they claimed that the new cats were aggressive and picking fights with Ian, who is a free-ranging pet. We then told them not to do so, as their action, dumping, was tantamount to abandonment and while they have got rid of their problem, they were getting the cats and people in the areas who got their “presents” into trouble. We told them that any new cat appears, we will try to sterilise and to please tell us about it if they find new ones.

We’re not sure if our message got across, as after that, the cats which appeared, were good looking cats, Izzy and Isam. Izzy of course we moved to foster care eventually and got adopted out. Isam, due to his temperament, we sterilised and just released back. But the family, in the most el-cheapo way possible, started to lure these two handsome guys to their homes, AFTER we got them sterilised, and even though Ian was not happy and fights happened, the family was tolerant of the problems and actively encouraged every cat to get along.

When we moved Izzy into foster care, the family even asked if we’ve seen him around. Now Isam is their free-ranging pet cat too. Before you say we’re biased, previous “intruder” cats that we sterilised were all so-called ordinary cats, and every one of them got dumped, that is, the Iggy treatment.

I had met the family’s father when Iggy was settling in at the front of their house. It was in the carpark where I was preparing to feed Ivan. I asked him about Iggy and if he knew where the boy came from. He said he didn’t know, but seemed proud that he’s got the handsome boy settling in with his brood. He was obviously expecting the usual, that we do the dirty work and he reap the harvest of having another beautiful cat without having to pay for the sterilisation or put in effort.

Frustrated, I had told him that we would appreciate if he could help keep a lookout for Iggy, and if he knows who is his owner or if someone takes him in, to let us know so we can arrange for his sterilisation and to get his family to be responsible and pay for his sterilisation. I also said that it’s getting costly to keep sterilising cats who in the end turn out to be pets belonging to other people, who should be responsible in the first place.

The man’s face changed colour immediately, but he nodded. I don’t know if he really got what I was trying to say because he and his family only ever nod, and then we’d see them continuing whatever it is they’re doing which we felt were detrimental to the cats’ safety. It was shortly after that Iggy went missing.

Beautiful markings on his legs

Given that Iggy was settling well and had taken to lounging in front of their house with Ian, and that they fed him like he was a pet too, I can’t help but put two and two together.

In any case, Iggy is now no longer around and we can only hope that he is doing well wherever he is.

Gunnar and Mattie Meowson

(To adopt these two, please email sephycat at gmail dot com. EDIT 20071009: Meowsons’ adoption writeup here)

I had a premonition last night, and this morning woke just in in time to get btmao’s message – two docile kittens sitting on the ledge at Cara‘s feeding place! Area 1, our TNRM homebase… kittens! I almost blew my top at the inconsideration of the dumpers. Dumping at any time is contemptible, but it’s worse during festive periods.

So in the wee light of pre-dawn, I went down with the camera. Lo and behold, the two little furballs were in the exact same spot btmao described, brazenly watching the world go by.

Beam us home!

I did not use the flash as I didn’t want to spook them. Therefore the artsy effect. They were on high, perched on a ledge and watching a kid and his domestic helper. Of course both persons denied knowing the two kittens.

btmao left it to me to decide what to do with them. They were obviously home pets, totally not afraid of human contact and inquisitive. At first I feared they may be sick as it seemed their third eyelids were showing a bit. But then I realised it’s probably them not being used to the camera focus light. They looked to be about the 3 months btmao estimated them to be, and of course they were a bit thin though far from scrawny. The ginger was the bigger and also the more curious and unafraid. He, I could see the peeking kitty maleness on his behind, was also a loudmouth. The white one was a bit shy and took its cue from its brother.

I had no idea what Cara would do if she found the kittens there. Also, there was the boy who probably gave Ivan his last limp about too. And just as I thought this, he prowled the murky horizon. (We’ve decided to call him Iggy. More on him later here.)

That decided me. I hoped Foster Mum, innundated with kittens as she is, would be able to take these two monkeys as well. But that call would have to wait as I’m not in the habit of making wake-up calls unless it was a life and death situation.

I called our mum for help, asking her to scrounge up a cardboard box. I expected a long wait but she, someone who has never stepped out of the house without first taking her morning bath let alone in jammies, came down in 10 minutes with a box in hand, still in her jammies!

Here I made a mistake. Perhaps it’s because Area1 has been kitten-free for so long, at least 15 months since Samia. I seemed to forget everything about handling newbies on the block no matter how sanguine they seemed. I just picked the two up – it was also here that I confirmed the white one is a boy too [EDIT 20071008 – Mattie is a girl]. They struggled a little but it wasn’t something I couldn’t manage. The problem was that, just as I deposited them into the box, a huge school bus came roaring in (the ledge faces the carpark, separated by a brick road) and spooked them so much they jumped, squirmed out of my hands and ran.

I knew a sinking feeling. Fortunately, the two monkeys didn’t run far, just up and back to square 1. Our mum was trying to hold the box up and grow longer arms to help me at the same time. But i managed to scruff both and she quickly brought the box for the furry deposits.

Once inside, neither struggled nor made noise at all.

Not surprisingly, this tub of junk kibbles was sitting pretty on the ledge too. How considerate of the dumpers to send the kittens packing with such a generous starter kit.

Once home, I quickly brought the box into the room and shut the door on the gathering slackers.

Peek-a-boo

Just then I had a revelation… a carrier was what I need. I needn’t have fretted our mum unnecessarily with the cardboard box request. I could have asked her to bring me a carrier in the first place, which was what I asked for then. I just hoped lightning doesn’t strike twice.

Transferred

Again, the two boys showed no fear and did not panic at being shunted over. As they settled down, it was again clear that the white one took his cue from his bigger and bolder brother. As they laid down to sleep, the ginger was all big-brotherly and slept in front of the white one, facing the door.

Seeing as to their handsome looks and how “fair” they both were, I decided to name them after a pair of our most favouritest good-looking brothers in the music business, Nelson, the boy-band of our era.

Gunnar: the fearless ginger tabby with white socks

Mattie: the perfect-tailed pure white kitten

Later I brought in two bowls, 1 for food and 1 for water. As soon as I laid the first bowl down in front of the carrier, the boys got excited and tried to paw their way out. Obviously they knew what the bowls meant. More evidence that they had been home cats.

Catrebos

They lapped up every last bit of water I gave them and also siphoned up the second round before settling down to eat. So much for the starter kit their dumpers provided.

As the brothers explored the room, I realised that they were probably older than 3 months since kittens are blue-eyed only until that age.

Amber burning bright

Sky and grass… Mattie will probably grow up to look like Teddy, who has green/yellow eyes with blue filament, if the bluish tinge in his doesn’t fade. He will have an advantage over Teddy though – a full perfect tail.

Managed to talk to her and am preparing to send the monkeys over to Foster Mum’s and return the room to the slackers.

(To adopt these two, please email sephycat at gmail dot com. EDIT 20071009: Meowsons’ adoption writeup here)

(EDIT 20071010: Apparently, these two were dumped the previous day)

Ivan limping, new silver tabby male in town

btmao sms’d this morning to say Ivan is limping. It’s probably courtesy of the new silver tabby “big-head” boy she spotted a number of times since last Monday. I’ve yet to catch sight of him however. But if he’s inflicting pain on Ivan, he’s probably got mojo that he needs to be relieved of asap.

Poor Ivan, le Terrible is no longer so formidable now his own stock of mojo has been taken – he tolerates girls very well, and was Cassie‘s best friend until we moved her into the cattery. But he really doesn’t like members of his mojo class – boys not allowed!

Also, we’ve not seen the fluffly bleached boy btmao spotted that one time in July.