Well I'll be darned

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

It's funny isn't it how having cats (and dogs - mustn't forget in case Tess is readin' this!) really does help with the rest of the sh*t life throws at us.  They're there - often just sitting quietly at your side, or watching you discreetly from their favourite spot, keeping an eye on things.  They don't judge and they don't dissemble.  They just are, and they're just there.  Magic.

[LeighK]

Hi Sue,

I'm delighted in how things have worked out considering I adopted Alfie in March, Suzie (my mum's cat) in August and Frankie in November !!. I started this year without any cats and I'll finnish it with three !!  . It's been a great year having the cats around for company and to watch them all settling in and getting to know one another has really helped me to deal with all the dreadful stuff that's happened to my mum. There's nothing better than to have to think about looking after the needs of others to help keep one's mind off of things

Cheers

Leigh

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

sounds like this is the purrrrfect arrangement for everyone!           

[LeighK]

Thanks,

Alfie and Frankie just love to wrestle with each other. They roll around but never harm each other and both have their "mad" ten minutes in the morning and evening chasing each other around the flat and up and down the stairs. They're pretty evenly matched although Frankie has a slight weight advantage and is more "solid" Alfie holds his own, they're both very fast on their paws and I swear that I see smoke coming from their paws as they negotiate corners . They also copy each other, if one does something the other will do it and vice-versa. I was really concerned that Alfie might be really jealous of Frankie but I think that he likes to have another young cat to play with and it's made life easier for Suzie as, at 16, she doesn't want the attention of a youngster and Alfie has another cat to keep his attention away from Suzie who, I think is also much happier with this arrangement. Another nice side-effect is that the boys play together and sleep together during the night and this allows me to have the bedroom door closed for a while so that Suzie feels safer and can eat (the boys especially Frankie nick her food), sleep and use her litter tray in peace and I can also get a bit more sleep as I suffer from O.S.A,  without worrying that Alfie is on his own and feeling lonely and left out.

Cheers

Leigh 'n "family"

[Mimi (Mewg)]

So pleased for you all Leigh! 

[carl (billy and baggys dad)]

Thats ace Leigh 

[LeighK]

Hiya,

Yes that is pretty amazing as I never thought of him as stressed before I got Frankie as Alfie always seemed pretty settled. If anything I feared that getting Frankie would make him stressed but maybe having a playmate 24 hours a day especially whilst I'm out at work during the daytime has had a really positive effect and also maybe their running around and wrestling provide an outlet for stress. It's so wonderfull to see his eye look so healthy it used to get really red, raw and weepy and he was always squinting etc. and I felt so sorry for him.

Cheers

Leigh

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I reckon he is less stressed and that is amazing 

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Cool .... It's good to hear they are both getting on so well.

[LeighK]

Hi folks,

Ever since I got Alfie back in March he's been prone to re-occuring bouts of conjunctivitis in his left eye. I was told that this started when a vet gave him the "live" vaccine instead of the "dead" vaccine and because of his FiV this caused it. Every two or three weeks on average it flares up despite eyedrops etc.

Now here's the suprising part, ever since I adopted Frankie who as many of you know is also FiV+ about five weeks ago, Alfie's eye has been "perfect". Now I don't know if this is just coincidence, or maybe Frankie had passed on some "immunity" or maybe Alfie's less stressed and likes having Frankie for company as they chase each other around and wrestle all the time or maybe Alfie's thinking "I need both eyes working 100% to look out for that big black cat!" but whatever the reason is it's so nice that his eye has stopped troubling him.

Best regards

Leigh