Well, they are home with us!!!
I took the wrong turning and (after stopping to ask a policeman . . . .and then stopping further on to ask a postman!!) finally got there at 3.20pm! They didn't turn us away but did make me buy a bigger cat basket from their shop - I had one huge and one medium and they said that I needed a bigger one. It was an extra expense but I was happy to do it if it meant I could pay my money and take the cats!
Luckily, my lovely neighbour came with me and was able to help on the way home - Wilf (big red lad) was pretty chilled out and lay down and just got on with the whole car thing, but his brother, Alfie, cried and cried and cried. My neighbour, sitting in the back with his basket, ended up opening the basket and he sat on her lap the rest of the journey home. He even purred!
So, they are home. Both have eaten and had some water but neither has ventured into the litter tray yet. I shall have to keep an eye on this as both have a history of cystitis and I know that stress can be a trigger.
Both cats are 6kg in weight - they are HUGE. How huge? Well, my 6 year old daughter is fairly tall for her age, and when they are standing on all four paws, they come up to her KNEE.
I know people with smaller dogs!
However, despite their size, they are very agile; they are in the kitchen at the moment and they are not afraid to jump up and walk along the work surfaces (something I really don't like and none of my other cats have shown an interest in doing . . .) In fact, I went out of the kitchen to allow them some time to settle and heard a noise - when I went back, I couldn't see Wilf anywhere - until I looked UP and saw him lying across the top of the wall mounted cupboards (and these are tall cupboards in a house with high Victorian ceilings! My 6ft 3in tall husband had to stand on a chair to lift this errant cat down!)
I have left them now, for some time to get used to the whole situation. Alfie seems shyer than Wilf so I have made up a blanket bed in the carry basket and he is having a wash in there. Wilf has decided the kitchen table is a good spot and is sprawled out across some tea-towels. Well, it's their first night here and . . . .well, . . . . everything is washable! But he mustn't get used to it!
Anoosh has got a sniff of them and appears to be on her guard. We heard her hiss for the first ever time . . . . . but I am going to spend lots of time with her on the sofa tonight and will ease the whole situation together gradually.
And yes, I shall try to get some pictures posted soon - have to remove some old ones as my creaking computer won't be able to cope if I try to burden it with more!
Thanks to everyone who helped make this day possible - your support has been invaluable!
